The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1901-01-04

gang until they too got brcech-load-
ers. "It's only a question OF tim"!"
said he. sooner or later the interior
department will be fool enough to arm
| the redskins all over the land with
magazine rifles, and then there will be
| lively work for the war Office. Any
day." said be, further, eve may ex-
| pect the coming of a whole regiment
from the Platte posts, and then Mr.. Lo
will have to light out Meantime, II we
hadn't this trouble about the workmen
and could get rid of the women and
children, we'd be all right"
SO back to the Big Horn rode the
squadron to report all snfe at Warrior
Gap. barring the blockade, and almost
on the same date out there started
from Laramie, on the long march up
| the Platte and over across the sage
covered deserts, strong force of foot
! and dragons; and up from the Sweet
water, far to the southwest. came this
venturesome little party of ten,
bringing the much demanded money,
and all the while, with his far-riding.
far-seeing scouts in every direction
! Machpealota. perched In the noun
toins back Of the building post, warily
watched the dispositions and daily
work, and laid his plans accordingly.
Not a warrior was permitted 10 show
himself near the stockade, but in
sleepless Gordon, five miles ont. they
surrounded the Gap. Not n messenger
had managed to elude their vigilance
by day, not one had succeeded in slip
ping into the little camp by night.
Yet with every succeeding morn the
choppers and fatigue parties pushed
farther out from the stockade, in grow
ing sense of security, and the Indians
let them come.
Full week before the Laramie col
umn could possibly reach the noun
tains. however, Red Cloud was warned
Of their coming, their numbers, and
compassionate many horse soldiers,
so many cheap walks" Unmolested.
the squadron from Fort c. i. Smith.
the Big Horn River post, was permit
ted to retrace its steps. In fancied
safety, born of confidence in that won
derful new breechloader, the little
command at the Gap was lulled to in
difference to their surroundings. Then
sending large numbers OF his young
men to round up buffalo toward the
Platte but keeping still his stern and
vengeful eye upon the prey almost at
his feet. the red chief made his final
and fatal plans.
There came cloudless morning
when the cavalry troop escorted a
young officer up the rocky heights to
the west, finding everywhere indica-
tions of recent Indian occupancy. but
not redsl<in barred their way. With
out opposition Of any kind, without so
much as glimpse OF the foe, were they
permitted to climb to Signal Rock, and
from that point. with powerful glasses,
the officers swept the glorious range OF
foothills, the deep valley of the Tongue,
the banks of the Piney and the Crazy
Woman, the far-spreading upland
prairie rolling away like some heav-
ing ocean suddenly turned to earth,
east and southeast TO the dim horizon,
and there they saw, or thought they
saw, full explanation of their recent
freedom from alarm of any kind.
There TO the south, full thirty miles
away, the land was overlaid by dull,
heavy, dun-colored cloud. and trav-
ersed by black streaks or blotches that
were recognized at once as running
, buffalo. Red Cloud and his braves
then were drawn away i'm search of
other game, and, light Of heart and
foot, the troopers trotted back to the
waiting stockade, to meet there late
that evening, as the weird tattoo of the
drums and flies was echoing back from
the rocky heights. the first messenger
through in nearly fifteen days-a half
breed Sioux from n distant post along
the Platte. hearing a written message
from the commanding officer at lrayuc
which the veteran commaudaut read
with infinite comfort:
Seven companies of infantry and
thrr~ nSSe troops OF cavalry are on
the way and should reach you by Sat
urdny week. The general seems thor
oughly alive to the situation, and we,
: too, are hoping for orders to move out
! and help you give that Internal old
scoundrel the thrashug he deserves.
p All has been quiet heroabouts since
that one party made its dash on Hal
Folsom's ranch. OF course you know
the story of Lizette, and of course Red
= Cloud must have known that Burning
Star was head devil in that enterprise,
though Chaslla was the victim.
7 take much comfort in the fact that it
was | who sent young Dean and his
troop round by way of the Laramie,
. folsom and his people would have
been murdered to man if | hadn't,
| and yet hear that absurd old ass at
| Emory put Dean in arrest for not
coming directly home. Pecksnifi
, should have been retired ten years
l ngo-fDr imbecility.
= 1--WE had tremendous storm in
; the mountains to the south two days
! ago and courier has just galloped
out from Emory, inquirng for news
? of Dean. 1t seems he was sent with a
e big g,!m of currency for your quarter.
. master, and ordered to slip through
H. d.