The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-02-23

in su6dle, were filing away up the game
trail that threaded the windings of the
ravine, the two lead horses with them,
while few yards behind the young
officer and his comrade, halfway down
the reverse slope. two others, afoot,
Handled the rcins of their own horses
and those of the lieutenant and men
still held at the edge. 1t was an eXcit-
ing moment. Bruce had only hun
bred yards to run before he could get
under cover, and there was no chance
of their hitting him at that range, yet
"a puff of smoke rose from the knoll
'and bullet, nearly spent, came tum-
bling and singing up the turf, and the
dashing warriors, yelling wildly, APP
plauded the shot. Bruce took matters
coolly. Leaping behind the shelter of
the ledge, he reached for his carbine,
and in moment more, as the pursuing
Indians came lashing within long
range, four seasoned cavalry carbines,
each with keen eye at the sight and
a steady finger at the trip, were leveled
ON the coming foe. Deans young heart
beat hard it must be owned, for hith-
erto the Indians had been fighting in
retreat or on the defensive. Will now
they came as though confident OF sue
cess; but there was soldier exultation
and something like savage JOY mingling
with the thrill of excitement.
'There's more behind those beggars,
sir" growled Conroy, veteran at In
dian work, "but they'll sheer Off when
they get within 800 yards" On they
came, shields and lances dangling,
ponies on the keen jump, feathers and
pennons streaming on the wind. But,
just as Conroy said, no sooner was
Bruce safely under cover and they felt
themselves drawing within dangerous
range than, fan-like, they opened out
to right and left, and, yelling still like
liends, veered in wide circle from their
line of attack, and duclling over their
ponies shoulders. clinging with, one
leg to the upright part Of the cantle,
they seemed to invite the fire of their
white foe-and got it. A daring fellow
in the lead came streaking slantwise
across the front, as though aiming to
pick up the comrade lurking in the
dip of the prairie-like slope, and Con-
roy's carbine was the first to bark, fol-
, lowed almost instantly by Deans. The
scurrying pony threw up his wall-eyed
head and dashed with his feathered tail,
evidently hit, but not checked, for I'M
der the whip he rushed gamely on I'M
: til another bullet, whistling within q
foot Of his neck, warned the rcd rider
, that he was far too close for safety,
for with hating gait the pony turned
and labored off he field, and presently
was seen to be staggering. Score one
for our side laughed the Irishman,
in glee. SHOWS your time, sergeant"
But Bruce. rcloaGing, was gazing
sternly at the distant knoll. The other
warriors. riding right and left, We're
now chasing crosswise over the bilIowy
, slopes. keeping up Il fire of taunt and
cha1f and sh,iil war cries, but never
again yentuling within 800 yards
never wasting shot.
81 thought So suddenly cried the
sergeant. "'rhey'rc signaling from the
knoll They never would, have attacked
with SO few. unless there were dozens
more within sight. Now's our time,
. lieutenant. We can mount and ride
| like hell to the TIMBER beg your par
don, SIR" he broke off, suddenly. II
} didn't mean to say what the lieutenant
, should do"
{ mo apologies" laughed Dean, his
eyes swapping with the vim of the fight.
, "Glad you see the truth of what said.
Come on. Mount quickly, men,"
Two minutes more and the entire
party of bluecoats were squirting swift
, ly northward up the winding gorge,
the pack horses numbering alongside.
Eagerly Dean and Bruce in the lead
looked right and left for game trail
, leading up the slope, for we'll they
knew that the moment their reinforce.
, ments came the warriors would dash
: into the ravine and, finding their an
tagonists fled, would pursue along the
, banks. 1t would never do to be caught
, in such trap. A gallop of quarter
of mile and, off to the right, branch
, ravine opened out to higher ground
and into this the leaders dove and
, checking speed, rode at the trot until
the ascent grew steep. Five minutes
more and they were we'll up toward
oAAS Ai>seN VI eA'S 3ulSH p1CScIIly
found themselves nearly on level with
the hillsides about them. Here, too
, were scattered pine trees and few
, scrub oak. The timber, then, was close
! at hand. Signaling halt-to the climb.
ing column, Dean and Bruce, spring.
, ing from saddle, scrambled up the bank
to their right and peered cautiously
back down over the tumbling waves OF
, the foothills, and what they saw was
| enough to blanch the cheek of even
veteran Indian fighters.
Far over to the east, beyond an in.
| tervenng ridge and under the dun
, cloud of dust, the earth was black for
, miles with herds of running buffalo
, Far down to the southeast, here, there
and everywhere over the land, the
slopes were dotted with little knots OF
Indian bravcs-they could be nothing
else-all riding like mad, coming
:, straight toward them. Machpealota
probably had launched his whole force
. on the trail of the lucllless troopers.
RIO Be Continued
Rct0rt Courteous.
A recent English visitor to India