The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-07-17

pCdCclui Naitcy with Ills DfHoCulafS anu
felt relieved. He noticed the grazing
herds-the curling smoke from the
farmhouse chimneys-4he plowmen in
the fields and the freighters on the
winding highway. and he smiled at the
idea of danger. The hostiles might do
their bloody work over the range to
the north, and over the river to the
west, but they would not come within
fifteen miles of the fort.
That night at 10 o'clock the sentinel
at the gate cried: Halt! Who comes
therew Then he called for the officer
of the dav, and ten minutes later, the
colonel, who was about to seek his
bed, was called out. He found man
day and sentinel. III
The man was rough, unkempt and
ragged. He was hungry and foot-sore
and exhausted.
who Is II and what's the newsw
queried the colonel, in no agreeable
frame of mind.
Its Hopson, SIR" answered the ar
rival, as he YEARLY saluted.
"Hobson? Hobson? Why. you are
the deserter and have come to give
yourself up. AdJutant. why wasn't this
man sent to the guard house instead
Of disturbing me?'
lie mas news, sir, replied the ad1u-
tant
Colonel" said the deserter, as he
leaned heavily against the veranda of
the commanders quarters, 1--WE been
living among the Indians. greasers and
outlaws since I deserted You may
know that the Sioux are ready for the
war-path, but / don't believe you know
that old Concha and 600 warriors are
hiding along the river over there and
will move on you tonight. 1t has been
planned for days, colonel, and they'll
be here to attack in the gray of morn.
ing. I've known 1t for three days
past. but 1 couldn't get away to give
you warning. l lodged them tonight,
and here 1 am and my news is straight
They'll sweep the valley clear and then
rush the fort. Now. send me to the
guard house as a deserter and get
ready for trouble"
There was a moments silence as the
deserter finished. There had been a
ring of truth in his every word, and no
one doubted his news.
"Hobson. you are no coward, and you
will not go to the guard house." frank
ly replied the colonel, as he extended
his hand.
Then men went galloping down into
the valley to warn the settlers and
bring them in, and the fort prepared
for defense. Orders were issued in
whispers and men moved about like
shadows. In three hours breastwork
Of boxes, bales of hay. wagons and
turf covered the most exposed point
and the one most likely to be attacked
An hour later every man who could
fire a gun was crouching behind 1t and
waiting for the expected attack
Sergeant" whispered the deserter,
as the non-com. peered into his face
through the darkness, you said / was
a coward"
Yes. I did"
And you said that Corporal Shan
ley and all the boys believed me a cow
ard"
"Well?"
well. I'll make you all take it back
tonight or go to HI trying!"
Moving with the footsteps of ghosts.
and leaving the crickets still singing
behind them, Concha's 600 warriors left
their lurking place under cover of
darkness and swept up the valley. They
found it deserted of human life, but.
conscious of their strength. they
pressed on to the fort. At the first
signs of daylight they raised savage
cry and made their rush. But for the
extemporized breastwork the post
would have been carried off-hand The
rifle fire surprised and checked them,
but they were not panic -stricken. They
rushed again and again. and at length,
at one point, fIlf a score of them
broke through. Six or seven officers
tried to drive them back with sword
and revolver. and the melee had become
bloody and furious, when a man with
dubbed musket dashed in and cheered
as he laid about him. 1t was the de-
serter. He cheered and he struck. and
he struck and he cheered. and every
time the musket stock crashed down
1t shattered a skull. He did not fight
like a man, but like a devil. Almost
with his own hands he killed or drove
back such as had surmounted the
works.
All along the line the hostiles had
had enough. Two hundred of their
number lay dead on the green grpss as
Concha gave the word to draw off, and
this heavy loss was to break the pres
tige of the Sioux chieftain and make
him beg for lasting peace.
"Hobson, Hobson! Where is Hob
SOM" called the colonel, as the fight
was over and his heart beat with graf
itude for the man who had brought the
warning.
Here, sir" replied Sergeant Davis.
as he pointed to one of the twenty dead
men inside the breastwork-a dead
man with three dead warriors lying
within reach of his hand.
And l called that man a coward"
"And so did l. sir and so did we ALL