The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1903-11-04

Rays men left behind in the forward
rush at dawn, but scorning disquali-
fication of any kind, now that danger
menaced their beloved captain and
their comrades of the sorrel troop.
In all the regiment no man was loved
by the rank and file as was Billy Ray.
The veterans trusted and swore by,
the oEnS"r troopers looked up to
ANDY well-nigh worshipped him. and
now, as the story that the Sioux had
probably surrounded the sorrel troop
went like wildfire through the garri-
son, even the sick in the hospital
begged to be allowed to go, and one
poor lad, frantic through fever and
enforced confinement, broke from the
hold of the half hearted attendant;
tore over to "K" troop barracks, de-
handing his Exit" of Sergeant Schrei-
Der, and, finding the quarters desert
ed, the men all gone to stables, dared
to burst into that magnate's own
room in search of his arms and
clothing, and thereby reused heavi-
ly sleeping soldier, who damned him
savagcly, until, through wild raving,
he gathered that some grave danger
menaced Capt. Ray. Even his befud.
died senses could fathom that! And
while the guards and nurses bore the
patient, shrieking and struggling.
back to the hospital, Kennedy soused
his hot head in the cooling waters of
their frontier lavatory and was off
like a shot to the stables.
1t was long before he found his
horse, for the guard had taken Kill
maine to "F' troops stables, and
Kennedy had been housed by "K."
twas longer still before he could per-
suade the guard that he chad right, -
as he put it, to ride after the major.
Not until Capt. Dade had been con-
suited would they let him go. Not,
indeed, until in person Kennedy had
pleaded his cause with that cool-head-
ed commander. Dade noted the
flushed and swollen face, but rea-
soned that nothing would more speed
lily shake the whisky from his system
than long gallop in that glorious
air and sunshine. 'Maj. Webb is fol-
lowing the trail of Capt. Ray" said
he. You follow the majors. You
can't miss him, and there are no In
dams now to interpose. You should
catch him by noon-then give him
this"
"This" was a copy of late dis
patch just in from Laramie, saying
that the revolt had reached the Sioux
at the agencies and reservations on
the White Earth, and would demand
the attention of every man at the
post. No reinforcement, therefore,
could be looked for from that quarter
until the general came. 1t was no
surprise to Dade. 1t could be none
to Webb, for old Red Cloud had ever
been an enemy, even when bribed and
petted and fed and coddled in his viii
lage on the Walspa Schicha. His
nephew led the bolt afield. No won
der the old war chief backed him with
abundant food, ammunition and eager
warriors sent from home"
But it was still after II when Ken
nedy drove his still wearied horse
through the Platte and, far to the
north, saw the dun dust cloud that
told where Webb's little column was
trotting hard to the support of the
sorrels. His head was aching and he
missed the morning draught of sol
der coffee. He had eaten nothing
since his cold lunch at the majors,
and would have been wise had he
gone to Mistress Mccain and begged
a cup of the fragrant Java with which
she had stimulated her docile master
ere he rode forth, but the one idea
uppermost in kennedy's muddled
brain was that the sorrcls were
trapped by the Sioux and every
trooper was needed to save them.
At three in the morning he felt equal
to fighting the whole Sioux nation,
with all its dozen tribes and dialects.
AT $3.50 he had been whipped to
stand by just one of their number,
and, Mother av Noses" one that
spoke English as well, or as ill as any
man in the til.
Sore in soul and body was Kennedy,
and sore and stiff was his gallant
bay, Kilmaine, when these comrades
VI oNei tuiee years service SHOOK
the spray of the Platte from their
legs and started doggedly northward
on the trail. Northward they went
for full three miles, Kilmaine sulky
and protesting. The dust cloud was
only partially visible now, hidden by
the ridge a few miles ahead, when,
over that ridge, probably four miles
away to the right front, Kennedy saw
coming at speed a single rider, and
reined to the northeast to meet him.
Blake and his men had gone far in
that direction. Two of their num-
Der, with horses too slow for chase
after nimble ponies, had, as we have
seen, drifted back, and joined, unpre-
pared though they were for the field,
the rear of Webb's column. But now
came another, not aiming for Webb,
but heading for Frayne. 1t meant
news from the chase that might be
important. 1t would take him but
little from the direct line to the
north, why not meet him and hear?
Kennedy refined to the right, riding