The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-11-05
CHAPTER XIV.

above the sharply outlined ridge towaru
the turbld Missouri. all told OF the
speedy coming OF "the king OF day re-
joicing In the east" over the wide pral-
ries OF Illinois the rolling hills or Iowa,
the santing. dazzling sunbeams broke In
glory, but even such glory failed TO rend
the pall-of gloom and desmond that COW
cred the broad lands OF the Red Water. A
night OF terror was changing TO day or
dread. The last news before the wires
themselves went down long, long miles
away was that the train bearing the
strikers re-enforcements-so brothers,
comrades, OF the federated workmen OF
the Brentwood shops-bearing, too, the
refugees, men, women and children, from
ranch and farm and hamlet along the
Niobrara. had left Claiming station at
dusk and was held up or cut off some-
where west OF ruined Rosebud-God and
the Indians alone could tell just where.
AT 7:S0 "Chaning" had wired that the
Sioux war parties were seen at dusk
coming westward at the gallop. Good
by" and at $50 the wires ceased 10
work west Of Castle Butte, an Isolated
stat nearly 30 miles east OF the ravaged
settlement and full $50 west OF Brent
wood For over so miles, as has been
said, the line OF the Big Horn paralleled
the south border OF the Sioux reserva-
tion. but farther TO the west IL pierced
the old treaty lands along the White
Earth and ran long leagues through the
former hunting grounds OF the Ogallalas,
whose young men never lost a chance OF
emulating any savage exploits OF the
Brules. Beginning at Brentwood. the
strike spirit flew east and west along the
lines OF the Bg Horn and the Seattle.
Beginning among the Illicit groggeries
along the Mini Chaduzs. the revolt OF the
Brules spread with the speed of wildfire
through the Indian villages upon the Da-
kota border until IL overwhelmed the
power OF the agency. close at hand as
well as those TO the west In Wyoming.
The first dash OF the young braves was at
the originators OF the mischief the out
laws OF the prairie. who discreetly fed.
they could not carry with them all too
easily 20 be trsiled and dug up by the
Sioux. Then. drink maddened and bslked
OF their desires. the band had sacked the
agency. released their imprisoned broth
ers and swooped southwark on the help
less ranchers OF the Niobrara. In frantic
bud wired west to Fort Robinson. since
their usual protectors were now FAR away
along the Missouri. The answer was
would start the instant n train could take
than, and then. alas. too late. IL was
found that In making up that big snes Pc
strikers they had sent away the one SER
viceable engine between Frayne station
the cars sent whlrling from F'rayne could
reach Robinson every soldier was needed
there for the Pine Ridge Sioux had risen
20 a man. Robinson itself was threatened
while Rosebud Station. to the east. had
been reduced 20 ashes. No wonder pau
had spread over Brentwood. Scores OF
scattered in little stations OF the Big
Horn or in farms and raches all along
that perffouE burderftffd,- and the only
words 10 reach the sorely anxious hearts
at home came from terrified refugees at
Castle Butte declaring every ranch,
farm and station burned and pilaged Tor
Lao nj nnU
sacred or fleeing TO the refuge of the
sand hills TO the south - 80,
And now. as Boniface had said, the
strike was done. At the night before
the wall had come from the threatened
stations at the west and men VINO AZ
cry car that carried troops were now
straining every nerve to send them on.
At / o'clock. hurried aboard the waiting
train OF the Big Horn In the Brentwooa
yards. the rifles. went whirliug away
through the night. followed by the pray
ers and tears OF a whole popaIsce ahu , re
strikers OF the day before. all armed, all
bound for Rosebud and rescue OF that Inn
periled train. with not one man IN hitg
OF the military COMPANY; not one IN ten
OF the railway party, who had had any
experience whatever in Indian hshting
Old hands Of the road eaa traeS eSp ssins sG
Some of the engineers assistants coulu
tell stirring tales OF the days OF the sur
yey. but only two or three n,sd OF tne I'nes Ies
dian warrior Many hoped they might
never have TO. Yet here they We're. 90
men VINO, under proper Ieadership y, wo9Id unl
lion against a civilized foe, setting forth
10 meet the most scientific fighters In ere.
iop and fT5nEiT nntd smttd tSst AR he
would he glad TO hand over his swurd to
any one who understood the business,
and he'd take a rife and a place In the
or l.anRdOn
sixty, 70. SO miles they ran without
either news or warning. the silent engl-
neer peering ever grimly forward through
the night. one hand at the throttle. the
other az the reverse lever. In the ceo
rode the assistant Superintendent; In the
forward cars were other OFFICIALS ana
scores OF stalwart men lately heading the
strike. Hunt for time had been with
them but a veteran conductor took MN
ssiS he ''but OF course brotherhood mat
ters can't he discussed In the presence OF
--outsiders and there-are matters thst
must be talked over. Wen let you Know
x,bateyer news we get at every stop.
The conductors words were signincaht
30 Imnt wg took The hint and his leave. slip
ming back to the second car. where half
the rifles were sprawling on the seats. the
other half occupying the third. Six times
the crowded train had stopped at stations
md six times rushed on aSnin. Nothlng
further from any reliable source, said
the conductor "Only more noTrtolc Iu-
mors and stories from refugees wired
,n from Castle Rntte." Dawn came on
apace. and the train slowed down IN an
swer IN n lantern signal at the bridge
over shadow creek. Two men tumDled
aboard after excited hail 10 the occupants
~ the cab. and the conductor presently
came back. looked in 81 the door and
tori-cd bis head TO Hunt, Ss much az "a
saw you're wanted They were stu
20 miles from the Buttes and had been
running like mad. ''Therell be dozen
ola hands 70 ioin us next stop, lieu
tenant" said the official, "and all with
Henrys or winchesters- The tram win
the boys from the river he continued
consulting certain telegrams, " six hours
behind ms. and the Union Pacific he's
started a train with regulars from oma-
ha. Others from Kansas are coming ny
way ~ Fremont There'l be soldiers
enough by tomorrow. but-God help US
through today
"yVbo are these who boarded US here?
asked the lieutenant
some Of our fellows-bridge guards
~ nFh