The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1902-01-04

Was assigned to short and temporary
r'ln on the express route Riding his
own ponies, the young freighter coy.
eied, twice each day, the l2-mile
stretch which lay between Lapeer's
and Cow Creek. AS the calico was his
s"iftest runner. Sandy rode this ami
nal one way each day.
The dead buffalo hunters were bur-
led by a detachment of troops from
Fort Laramie. The soldiers also
secured the region in search of the
Cheyenne trail but the wary Indians
had scattered one by one and es-
capped. None Of them were ever num-
ished
For two Ineventfu weeks SanJv
fode MS beat. a round trip each fore
noon. the riders at either end Of his
.iail taking extra laps until the wound
ed man should recover.
The Indian raid had well nicii passed
out OF mind when Sandy, riding the
calico on his return trip from Cow
Creek one sunny morning, was sur
prlsed by crowd Of Cheyennes upon
the same long slope down which the
regular rider had been chased.
Far to the northwest of Lapeer's the
hills rose steadily in a succession of
ridses. cut by deep raviues and ditch
Ike washouts. Out of reach of gun
shot from these slashes, except at a
single turn. the trail of the pony ex-
press followed the crest of a long and
crooked ridge. At the turn mentioned
with a washout close upon the left.
the ridge dropped away toward La
peers. Past this cut. which had been
the scene Of more than one ambush.
the pony riders were wont to race at
iuil speed.
Sandy. upon his calico. had passed
over the height at flying pace and
was now well within sight Of the build
ings at Lapeer's. Suddenly in his
front, on either hand, there came
scrambiing up the slopes three or four
squads of Indian riders. They had
timed their break from cover so that
there would be no space for a dash
between their lines.
Sandys eyes and brain took in the
situation quickly. The big war party
Of Cheyennes had returned to attack
more express riders. There were a
score in his front, and he knew the
ravines and canyon cuts on either
hand and the washout in his rear
were hiding other squads ready to
cut off his line Of fight.
He was surrounded, and he deter
mined to go forward and trust, first
to an appearance Of good faith, and
finally to the quick wit and speed of
his calico pony. Thrusting useless
revolver into boot leg, he unbuckled
his belt, with ammunition case and
holster and let 1t fall to the ground.
The mail pouch, which Sandy, like
every other express messenger, would
have refused to abandon under any
circumstances whatever. was fortu-
nately nearly empty, and added but
little to his own light weight and that
of his saddle.
Both parties of Indians were now
nearly at the top of this ridge. and
some 800 yards in his front. Sandy
rode straight on at jog-trot. holding
up hand in token of amity or of
surrender, as the Cheyennes should
choose to consider.
Seeing the express rider approach
them thus amicably. some 20 or more
befeathered fellows halted their po-
r;es. Some were armed with guns.
but most had their bow and arrows
and long lances
"How-how-how?' they chordsed
rs Sandy came near
The Cheyennes were delighted at the
apparent ease with which the man and
lis pony had fallen into their grasp
Three Of their head men, each hold
ing out a hand and grinning treacher-
ously. rode forward to meet him. This
was forcing his hand sooner than San
iy had expected. His pony was ap-
preaching the Indians apparently with
out fear or suspicion.
Sandy felt that it would never do to
let one of those Cheyennes grasp him
ty the hand, and when his animal had
nearly touched noses with the pony
of the foremost. he gave sudden fierce
siunt, gripped his saddle with both
hands. and drove Spanish rowel deep
ito the calico's flank.
He had good need to cling to his
seat. for his pony's first leap nearly
;erked the breath out of his body,
while the calico lodged like fright
red rabbit among the charging Chey-
ennes. 1t seemed to Sandy that
dozen riders hurled themselves upon
linn and his pony in the same breath.
The Indians could not shoot in such
melee, but long lences were thrust
at the messenger as his pony lodged
h;ther and thither among plunging an
inials. Two of these awkward but dan
gerous weapons met in clash and
bioke above his head A toHahawk hit
ia. mail bag and glancing, sraZed an
arrl. and this harmless blow was the
only stroke Sandy Or his pony got in
;leir zgzag dash through the Indian
Iiles
His race. however. had only just be-
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