The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-03-30
CHAPTER XXlV.


Yet not five minutes after the Indian
girl, faint with exhaustion and dread,
was carried within doors, the big
mastif challenged again. The dogs
charged furiously out to the northeast
and would not be recalled. For nearly
half an hour they kept up their angry
clamor. Time and again during the
night, suspicious and excited, they
dashed out again and again, and once
one of them, venturing further than
his fellows, broke suddenly into loud
cries of mingled pain and rage, and
when at last he came whining piteous-
ly back to the ranch it was found that
he was bleeding from cash along the
flank, where an Indian arrow had
scared him. Only by fits and starts did
any man sleep. Hour after hour Fol-
SONS little garrison was on the alert.
The women had all been moved to the
deep, dry cellar, Mrs. Hal moaning over
her baby, utterly unnerved, Jessie
silent, but white and tremulous; the
herdsman's wife, an Amazon. demand
ed the right to have a gun and fight by |
her husbands side: LiZettc. the Indian
girl, faint and starved, asked nothing
but to be allowed to crouch at the door
of the room where Halbert lay, fevered
and unconscious, and Pappoose, scorn-
ing danger, fitted from her brothers
bedside to her fathers log-barricade at
the east porch. In dread anxiety the
hours dragged by and al last Lannion
reached forth his hand and pulled the
shirtsleeve of his comrade Jake, half
doing at his side. In an instant the
latter was kneeling at his post. ''What
is it?" he querich. and Lannion, point
ing to the first faint, palid CLEAN i'll
the eastern sky, whspcred Time to
be up. man. It's coming"
For half an hour. except for the rush
ing Of the Laramie, Il silence almost un-
earthly had brooded over the prairie,
and even the dogs seemed lulled to
sleep. But now, as he cold light crept
slowly over the distant range, and a
soft flush began to oversprcad the pal
lor of the daw;l, far out over the valley
the yelp of 4 coyot" began again and
all men strained their ears and listened,
while strong hands grabbed the growl-
ing dogs and pinned them to earth, for,
beginning at the east. the cry was
taken up on every side. Folsom's
ranch seemed beleaguered by the
land praircs. Look to your sights,
now, men! Down into the cellar, Pap
poose!" exclaimed Folsom, kindling
with fierce excitement. "l've been the
friend of all thai tribe for 80 years,
but when they break faith with me
and mine that ends it! Look to your
sights and make every shot COUNT he
cautioned. as he made the rounds of
the little shelters thrown up during
the past two days. I've can stand off
hundred of 'em if you only keep your
grit"
Perched as ii was IN little rise, the
ranch stood forth conspicuous over the
valley. At the foot of the slope to the
south lay the corral and some of the
buildings, about 100 yards away, where
the shallow Laramie curled and Tapped
beneath their walls. and now the dogs
seemed to concentrate their attention
on that side. To.somi. rife in hand,
was' kneeling on the porch, listening
intently. Two of the hands were with
him. Jake and Lannion, experienced
and reliable, had been given ndepend-
ent posts on the other front, and just
as objects could be dmly recognized
along the flats, there burst upon the
ears of the little garrison a sudden
chorus of eNultant yells. A tongue of
flame lcaped upward from beyond the
1,@, 4 al,
The half-used haystacks caught and
held one moment the fiery messenger
and then in Il broad glare that redeemed
the flood of the Laramie for miles and
lighted up the ranch like sunburst
gave forth huge column of blaze and
smoke that could be seen far over the
Black Hills of Wyoming, and all the
valley seemed to spring to instant life
On every side arose the stirring wal
cry of the Sioux, the swift beat Of
pony hoofs, the ring OF rifle. and brave
John Folsom's heart sank within hin
as he realized that here was no mere
marauding party, but Il powerful bant
organized for deliberate vengeance
The bullets came whistling through
the morning air, biting iiercely into
the solid logs, scattering the chinking
smashing pane after pane. Some of tn
dogs came bowling and whining bacl
for shelter, though the mastiffs hell
their ground, tiercely barking ant
bounding about, despite the whistle
and calls from the besieged, VIII
sought to save them to the last, but no
once as yet had the ranch replied witt
a shot. Down in the cellar womel
chung together or clasped their wall
ing children and listened fearfully t
the clamor. In Halls room the fevere
sufferer awoke from his stupor, ant
demanding his rifle, struggled to ris
from the bed, and there John Folso1
found Pappoose, pale and determined
bending over her weakened brothe
and holding him down almost a. sh
could have overpowered child. Lif
ing his son in his strong arms, he boz
him to the cellar and laid him upon
couch of buffalo robes. Watch hi,
here, my child" he said, as he claspe
her in his arms one moment. "But c
no account let anyone show abo,
ground now. There are more of the
than thought, yet there is hope +,
US. Somebody is yexing them down Il
Laramie"
Bounding up the steps, the veter.
was almost back at his post upon t
porch when there came q sound tn