Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1902-02-21
Out on the Pampas
CHAPTER x1l.-(Contiuuc:J
- By a. nENry
BY q. A. HENTy

CHAPTER xI1.-(Contiuuc:J
"No. papa" Hubert said eagerly;
don't you remember we left two loop
hopes in each room, when we built 1t. on
purpose. only putting in pieces Of wood
and filling up the cracks with clay to
keep out the wind2"
"Of course we did, Hubert. remcm-
Der all about it now. hun down and tell
them 10 be ready to pull the wood out
and to fire through when they hear the
next rocket go off. l am going to send
another light rocket over in the direction
where l saw the horses; and directly 1
get the line l will send off cracker rocket
after cracker rocket as quickly as I can
at them. What with the fire from below
among them, and the fright they will get
when they see the horses attacked. they
are sure to make IL rush for it,"
In a minute Hubert camc back with
the word that the men below were ready.
In a moment u rocket scared far way to
behind the house; and just as its light
broke over the plains another one swept
over in the direction of a dark mass of
anlnlals, seen plainly enough in the dis
lance.
Il cry of dismay burst from the In
dams, rising in yet wilder alarm as three
shots We're fired from the wall of the
house into their crowded mass. Again
aud again was the discharge repeated,
and with Il yell Of dismuy a wild rush
was made for the fence. Then the boys
with their %carbines, and Mr.. Hardy with
the revolvers. opened upon them, every
shot telling. in the dense mass who strug-
glcd to surmount the fatal ratings.
Fren2icd with the danger. dozens at
tempted to climb them. and. strong as
were the wires and posts. there was IL
cracking sound. and the whole side fell.
in another minute. of the struggling mass
there remained only some twenty motion-
less forms. Three or four more rockets
were sent off i'll the direction where the
horses had been seen. and then another
signal rocket. whose light enabled them
to see that the black mass was broken
up. and that the whole plain was covered
with scattered figures OF men and ami
mails. all flying at the top of their speed.
"Thank God, it is all over. and we are
safe!' Mr.. Hardy said solemnly. Never
again will al Indian attack be made up
on Mount Pleasant. 1t is all over now,
my dear" lie said TO Mrs. Hardy as he
Went down the stairs; they are of all
over the country, and it will take them
hours to get their horses together again.
Two of lis have got scratched with az
rows, but no real harm is done. Char
ley's is only IL flesh wound. Don't be
frightened he added quickly. as Mrs.
Hardy turned pale and the girls gave n
cry at the appearance of Charley's face,
which was certainly alarming. "A little
warm water and Il bandage will put it all
right"
do You think it will leave a SCARF"
Charley asked rather d%olorously.
well, Charley, I should not be sur
prised if it does; but it won't spoil your
beauty long, your whiskers will cover it:
besides, a scar won in honorable conflict
is always admired by ladies', you know.
Now let us go downstairs; my arm. too.
wants handaging. for it is beginning to
smart amazingly: and l am sure we all
must want something to eat"
The supper was eaten hurricdly, and
then all but Terence, who. as Il measure
of prccaution, was stationed as watch
man on the tower, were glad to lie down
for a few hours sleep. At daybrcak they
were up and moving.
MIR. Hardy requested that neither his
wife non daughters should so outside the
house until the dead Indians were remov-
ed and buried, as the sight could not but
he IL most shocking one. Two of thy
poems were ordered to put in the oxen
and bring up two carts. and the rest of
the men set about the unpleasant duty of
examining and collecting the slain.
These We're wen more numerous than
MIR. Hardy had anticipated, aud showed
how thickly they must have been cluster
ed round the door and windows. IN.
guns had been loaded with huckslot: two
bullets he dropped down each barrel in
addition: and the discharge of these had
been most destructive. more especially
those fired through the loopholes ait tile
end OF the ho,rrs. There no less than six
teen bodies were found, while iroand the
door and windows We're thirteen others.
All these were dead. The guns. having
been discharged through loophnles breast
high, had takce effect upon the head and
body.
AT the fence were fourteen. Or these
twelve were dead, another still breatheI.
hut was %cvidcrt!y dying. while one had
only IL broken leg. tnQucstioMahly sew
eral others had been wounded, hut had
managed to make off. The bullets of re-
v~olvcrs, unless striking II mortal poipt.
disable Il wounded man much less than
the halls of heavier calibcr. 1t was cvi.
IDENTIFY useless to remove the Indian who
was dying: all that could he done for
,,:~, ,,,, -, ..;,, j:.,, i:..f -. -,
To place Il bundle of grass so as to raise
his head. Half an hour later he was
dead. The other wounded man was car
ried carefully down TO one of the sheds.
where IL bed of hay vas prepared for
him. Two more wounded men were
found down by the cattle Enclosures. and
these also Mr.. Hardy considered likely
to recover. They were taken up and laid
by their comradc. Three dead bodies
were found here. These were ali taken
in the bullock carts to Il spot distant
nearly half Il mile from the house.
Here. by the united labor of the poems,
q large grave was dug. six feet wide. as
much deep, and twelve yards long. III
this they We're laid side by side. two
deep: the earth was flied in. aud The turf
replaced. AT Hubert's suggestion. tw1
young palm trees were taken ont of the
garden and placed one Mt each end. ana
n wire fence was erected all around. to
keep off the animals.
1t was a sad task; and although they
had been killed in an attack in which
had they been victorious. they would
have shown 10 mercy. still Mr.. Hardy
and his sons were deeply gricvel at hav.
ing caused the destruction of so many
lives.