The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1901-03-15
Why, the Kid. l believe. | said 70


was myself only mere STRIPPING of a
kid corporal then-there appeared
nothing unusual The horses seemed
to be working rather we'll away from
camp, but this l attributed to their
not being side. lined.
Presently I saw the leaders (for
there are always two or three horses
acknowledged leaders in every herd)
stop, throw up their heads, and
The herds stampeded! called out the
first sergeant. Turn out!
Crack! There was no mistaking it.
Indians, by-! shouted some one.
In moment the first sergeant had
himself together.
Fall in with carbines and cartridge
belts, he said, while the trumpet sang
out the assembly,
Hardly moment, and the troop
stood steady and ready for the next
move.
There are not very many of them.
said the captain, quietly. Mr.. Gray
son. take twenty men ami move out
to the left. Don't shoot the horses
he added, by way of caution.
Then fifteen more, under the first
sergeant, moved out straight to the
front, while the rest of the troop stood
eagerly watching and waiting develop
ments.
The herd was running along at a
stiff, rapid gait toward the west, evi-
IDENTIFY driven by something as yet
invisible to us.
Crack crack. The herd guard
was evidently making fight tor it.
Then, as the horses swerved off to
the north. we saw the Kid, mounted
on the trumreter's horse (his old gray
Torry,) stop, take careful aim, fire,
and the herd leader dropped in his
tracks. 1t stopped the herd for a
moment, and then they deliberate
ly turned and came galloping back
toward camp.
Up to this time We had not seen any
of the Indians; but at this Illustration
of their plan-which evidently was to
drive the herd off to the north, where
the rest of the party lay concealed, but
to which the Kid, as he afterward said
"tumbled at once"-we caught a
glimpse of them. There seemed about
eight or ten, perfectly naked, and SO
mixes up with the horses-running
and jumping, and almost conforming
to their every movement-that car.
fridge seemed wasted or almost Ger
to strike an animal.
By this time the detachment under
Lieutenant Grayson was drawing wei
up to the left, and the Indians saw
that their game was up. They began
to dar: about here and there, and then
with one accord came boldly and open
ty toward the Kid and his little herd
guard of three men, and before one
could quite realize it, halted, fired and
threw themselves fiat on the earth.
Three of the soldiers fell from theil
horses (they were riding bare3,c;} }
and the Indians, jumping up, cam
rapidly toward them. One of the
fallen man, evidently not much hurt,
reached for his carbine and called to
the Kid, wLo still kept his seat on the
gray, though the blood was flowing
from slight flesh wound in his face.
He will never fall back now, said old
Hernegan, and we'll he knew the boy
The Kid turned his gray, paused fol
moment as if nonplussed, and then
giving him full rein, lay close to hi;
neck, and rode straight at the approach
ing Indians. In the meanwhile tic
herd had almast stopped running. an(
now stood hudlled together in the
manner horses often will when scarce
or confused.
Now Bridget O'Flanagan, our trooi
laundress, pretty well known through.
out the service as Biddy always de
clared with many shakes of her oi,
head, that what followed was a mira
Gle; but the fact is that as the kit
shot ty the herd on his mad ride, will
one accord the horses turned, and fol
lowed him.
It's over, said the lieutenant to hi:
men. Don't fire. And, sure enough
the Indians stood for one moment an,
then, throwing down their pee, S
broke. and rushed straight into til.
arms of his approaching party.
On and on went the Kid, and back
of him thundered and galloped the
troop herd. The victory was hi
now; he knew it, and soon turned
toward the camp, and some littl'
time later came slowly riding in, tn,
herd quietly and contentedly follow
ing.
And after that-well, there ism
much more to tell
Two Of the herd guard were dead
shot by the Indians, and we bure,
them close to where they fell Th,
young lieutenant of the troop read :
few lines out of a prayer-book hi.
mother had packed among his thing:
and a few of the dead mems particular
chums were more profane than usua
at supper that night.