The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1904-01-27
ADaughter|
Of the Sioux
| By GEN. CHARLES KING.
Copyright. 1909. BY tn. Hos.r. Company.
CHAPTER Xxx.

In the hush of the wintry night,
under leaden sky, with snowfakes
falling thick and fast and mantling
the hills in leecy white, Webb's col
umn had halted among the sturdy
pines, the men exchanging muttered,
low-toned query and comment, the
horses standing with bowed heads,
occasionally paving the soft cover
let and shifting curiously at this film
~ barrier to the bunch grass they
sought in vain. They had feasted
together, these comrade troopers
and chargers ere the sun went down
the men on abundant rations of
agency bacon, flour and brown sugar,
found with kazsk tailed deer and
mountain sht1asH abundance in the
captured village, and eked out by
supplies from the pack train-the
horses on big blankets" of oats set
before them by sympathetic friends
and masters. Then when the skies
were fairly dark, Webb had ordered
little fires lighted all along the bank
of the stream, leaving the men Of
Rays and Billings troops to keep
them blazing through the long night
watches to create the impression
among the lurking Sioux that the
whole force was still there, guard
ing the big village it had captured in
the early afternoon, and then, in
silence, the troopers had saddled and
logged away into the heart of the
hills, close on the heels of their
guides.
There had been little time to look
over the captures. The main interest
of both officers and men, of course,
centered in Mr.. Hay, who was found
In one of the tepees, PROSTATE from
Illness and half frantic from fever
and strong mental excitement. He
had later tidings from Frayne, il
seems, than had his rescuers. He
could assure them of the health ant
safety of their wives and little ones
but would not tell them what wa
amiss in his own household, On
significant question he asked: d.,
any of them know this new Ma
Flint? No? Well, God help Flint
if ever he, Hay got hold of him.
"He's delirious," whispered Webb
and rode away in that conviction
leaving him to Ray and Billings.
Three miles out, on the tortuou
trail of the pursued, the column
halted and dismounted among tn
pines. Then there was brief confer
ence, and the word Mount" wa
whispered along the Beecher squad
ron, while Blake's men stood fast
With parting clasp of the ham
Webb and Legs" had returned t
the head of their respective com
mands, LEGS" and his fellows t.
follow steadily the Indian trai
through the twisting ravines of tn
foothills; Webb to make an all
night forced march, in wide detou
and determined effort, to head off tn
escaping warriors before they coul
reach the rocky Businesses back o
Bear Cliff. Webb's chief scout "Bat,
chosen by Gen. Crook himself, ha
been a captive among the siou:
through long years of his boyhood
and knew the Big Horn Range a
Webb did the banks of the Wabash
''They can stand off thousand sol
diers," said the guide, ''if once the.
get into the rocks. They'd hav
gone there first off only there wa
no water. Now there's plenty snow
So Blake's instructions were to fol
low them without pushing, to le
them feel they were being pursued
yst by no means to hasten them, and
II the generals favorite scout proved
to be all he promised as guide anc
pathfinder, Webb might reasonably
hope by dint of hard night riding, to
be first at the tryst at break of day
Then they would have the retreating
Sioux, hampered by their few wound
ed and certain prisoners whom they
priced, hemmed between rocky
heights on every side, and sturdy
horscmcn front and rear.
1t was eight by the watch at the
parting of the ways. 1t was $3.50
when Blake Tetook the trail. with