Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1902-11-29
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER %.
THE INDIANS MILLY SAW

HIJie 10y house IHut was uer nOIle anu BuLe
desolately across the river valley to the hill;
two miles away, and up and down the lengtl
OF the valley. winding but level, as far as sh
could see.
The early spring landscape did not pleas
her eyes, for they had gazed upon the woode,
hillsides of Ohio during the IL years o
her life, and to them the new Kansas, tn
Kansas of II IS ago, was barren and lone
some.
The green had not yet begun to assert itsel
In the dried brown of the prairie grass, nor il
the strip of trees that followed the narrow
high-banked river, upon whose edge the
house was built-the bare-boughed trees tina
now roared and crashed in the strong wint
that swept of the hills
Papa and mamma said they would surely
be home by noon, and here it's quarter
past, and I'm getting so scared. Last night
when they thought ] was asleep, papa wa.
reading about those dreadful Indians thai
have broken away from the reservation ant
are going back to the north through Kansas
and they are burning all the houses and kill
ing all the people, and they are only hun
dred miles west of us"
| She was shivering now until her teeth
shattered and her brown eyes were large and
bright, as she went on, speaking in hall
whisper.
"And mamma was scared, too. | know,
cause she commenced to cry and said: oh,
John! what ii they should come here! What
would we do?'"
Milly turned and looked up the valley. The
high, beachcd prairie grass waved and bent
in the roaring wind, and save for that the
valley was unbroken-but yet, what was
that, SO far away, rising above the waves =?
Milly turned whittier yet and her heart
seemed to stop beating.
A dark line rose in sight afar off-a con.
fused mass, with a something bristling aloft.
That surely was not there when she had
looked before. To her frightened eyes that
narrow streak Of black was a band of the
dreaded Indians, bearing aloft their battle
spears.
She looked helpclss'y out south, where, at
the foot of the first hill, their nearest neigh.
Dor lived-two long miles away.
"Somers have a,big family" she painted,
"and they would just as soon take care of
me, too, and they won't be afraid, cause
Bert's most Is, and heard him say the
other day that he would like to have a
chance at Indian fighting. I'll saddle Pony
and hurry right over"
Still white and trembling though now nc
tive, she ran to the barn and buckled the
saddle on her little pony. She was too hur-
ried to go off after her bonnet, so she
snatched off her Bingham pinafore and tied it
about her head.
As she urged her pony out of the barn.
yard she could almost hear the yells of the
but she could not be certain because Of the
wind roaring in her ears, and she did not
have the courage to turn her head and look
at them.
Milly had always boosted that Pony, the
only consolation she had in her enforcement
from her old home, was Heeter, in spite of
diminutive size, than any horsein the coun.
try, but to-day she told herself that he posi-
lively crept, and that it was two hours be
fore she neared her place of refuge.
The Somers family, finishing their dinner,
heard hoofbeats on the road and rushed out
doors just as a black pony clattered up, bear
ing white-faced little maid with unbranded
brown hair flying and blue gngham apron
tongued yellow dog.
The pony suddenly stopped and Milly
dropped of, breathless little heap, into big
Bert Somers' arms.
"Bless the child" exclaimed good, mother
ly Mrs. Somers, in concern. Whatever is
the matter? If your mas sick, or your pa
hurt, tell us, and we'll go right over"
Milly chung to Mrs. Somers in her struggle
for breath and articulation, and pointed q
trembling finger down the valley as she
stammered:
"The Indians! They must be at our house
by this time. Papa ana mamma nan 70 60
over the hills to Lime Rock ranch this
morning to sign some papers, and was at
home alone when saw the Indians coming,
so / saddled Pony and came over here as
quick as could. They were right down
there when i first saw them, and-well, I
declared"
This in more natural, if astonished tone,
as her gaze followed the direction of her fin
ger. Marshaled in battle array off to the
west, with the spears still held bravely aloft
in air, AIilly saw the same dark column that
had so frightened her at first-and in the
same place. The Somers' house was in d. |
rect line south OF her own home, And on
higher ground, so that now the dark line was |
not obscured by the tall grass and she could |
zee that though the lances still waved in the |
wind, the Indians were not advancing |
column was Is indistinct as when she
first saw it.
what is it," She turned a perplexed
md questioning face to Bert, but he was
doubled over m an ecstasy of boyish laugh
ter.
''What 10 It, Mr.. SomersT she asked,
lrrning 10 the boys kindly-faced father.
7 thought it was . lot Of those terrible In ]