Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1901-04-08

Mounting his four captives on their
horses, their feet dashed to the stirrups,
their hands bound, all the abandoned
arms, ammunition and provisions de-
stroyed and the camp burned, LOring
led promptly away up the range toward
the north until clear of the timber, then
down the westward slope toward the
Laramie valley once more, searching
for a secure place to bivOuac Far to
the north the grand old peak doomed
against the blue gray of the Wyoming
skies. Off to their left front, uplifting
shaggy crest from it's surrounding
/ hills, bold butte lowered fully 20
miles away and toward that jagged
/ landmark Loring saw his sergeant peer
ing time and again with hand shaded
eyes.
asked
"Smoke, sir, think. Will the lieu
| tenant look with his CLASP
Silently Loring unslung his binocular
! and gazed. His eyes were keen, but IN
trained. "Take it yourself sergeant,
he said. And the veteran trooper refined
out to one side and peered long and
steadily, then came trotting up to the
head Of column, doubt and suppressed
excitement mingling on his weather
beaten face
! 81 couldn't be sure, sir, butt look
ed for minute like smoke.
land that means
"Indiaa signals, sir. That's Eagle
butte, only couple of miles from Hal
FOls0m's ranch"
Loring pcndcrCd. 1t was long since,
in any force, the Sioux had ventured
south of the Platte, bat now, after their
! victory at Warrior Gap and the tremen-
dous reinforcement they had received
from all the tur bulent tribes. what was
| to prevent? John Folsom himself had
told him it might be expected any mo-
ment John Folsom himself had gone
to that very spot consumed with anxiety
about the safety of his son, but conf
dent of the safety of himself and those
he loved when once he could reach the
ranch mo Sioux said he. would
raise hand to harm me-.
| But Loring's men and horses both
were sOrely wearied now, and at sun
| down the little command reached a
sheltered nook where grass, wood and
water were abundant. Here restfully
| yet anxiously they bivouacked until 3
in the morning, and then once more,
refreshed, but alert and cautious,
watchful of their prisoners and watch
| full of the signs ahead, on they sped for
| Folsom S ranch. The dawn broke beau
| tifully clear The trail led down into the
romantic valley of the Laramie at the
bend where it begins its rush through
| the range. Then, turning westward as
they reached the foot of a steep and
commanding height, LOring signaled to
| his sergeant, and the troopers spurred
up alongside
There before them lay the broad and
beautiful valley just lighting up with
the rosy hues of the glad young day.
There to the uorthward, black bearded
with its growth of pine. the rays of the
rising sun just glinting on the topmost
crags, lowered Eagle butte, a plume of
smoGe puffs even at the moment begin
ming to soar slowly aloft. There, not a
mile away, straight ahead was the steep
ridge that, hiding Folsom's from view,
stretched down from the northward
foothills to the very bank of the tapping
Laramie. There south of the stream the
gradual slope of the black range stud
neN mere anu tU6T6 WIFI DOWIu6TS IudC
seemed to have rolled down from the
preCipitous cliffs under which they were
now moving, two seasoned old dragons
300 yards out to the front, covering the
cautious advance.
All the broad sweep of rolling land
scape far to the west just lighting up
in the slant of the summer sunshine,
not a living thing in sight save their
own little band, yet beyond that ridge
only two miles away lay the ranch,
all seemingly peaceful and secure, yet
over that jagged watchtOwer to the
north the war signals of the Sioux were
Haunting, and every hand seemed to seek
the small of the gunstock, even two of
the prisoners pleading for "a show in the
fight if there was to be one, and, not
five minutes later, it came Borne on
the still, breathless air there rose throb
bling from the west the spiteful crack,
crack of rifles, the distant clamor of
haunting jeer and yell. Back from the
front came one of the troopers at mad
gallon, his eyes popping almost from
his bead
My God, lieutenant. Folsom S ranch
is afire. and the valleys thick with
SiOnx -
To be continued.