Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1905-01-12
CHAPTER MI.
A WAR INCIDENT.

In ten minutes John reported at head.
quarters, saluted and waited instruc.
tions
These dispatches are to 20 to Gen.
jackson, who is NOW somewhere in the
lower valley. II is very dangerous
journey and your life will be in your
hands; il will require both courage and
shrcwlness. If you ARE successful will
see that you are rewarded, but if you
have any hesitation about it. will find
another man.
John had listened respectfully and at
tentively-=hc replied: 81 have no near
relatives, generals my life is of but lit
tie value to me or anyone else. and to
risk or lose it for my country is all it is
now good for. do not fight for reward,
and will be fully repaid with your APP
prevail"
Spoken like q. soldier. but. my lad,
you must not Inder-valuc life. 1t is the
gift of God. and is not to be lightly
thrown AWAY, and in this emergency
your life may prove of great service to
your country
II will do my best, general Ina
few minutes. John, with the dispatches
safely slowed away in an inside pocket
OF his coat, equipped with three days
rations for himself and Il small suls of
grain for his horse started on the peril.
GUS expedition.
Shortly after starting The cold rain
began to fall steadily. but the faithful
beast went forward at Il rapid pace. and
by night fall had covered twenty-five
miles of the journey. When it grew too
dark to see. he turned aside. found a
sheltering rock. gave Selim a handful of
grain, and ate bit himself, had Selim
to lie down under the shelter of the rock
"a trick he had taught him III happier
days. lay down beside him and fell into
sound sleep. He was awake by four
o'clock, fed and watered his horse and
started forward again. The rain was
still falling in Il fitful way, and the air
was chilling in the extreme. but the
young man absorbed in his thoughts
almost forgot the warning elements. He
had ridden forward an hour or more.
and the somber light of a sullen day
was creeping over the rugged hills as
he rode to the top of long hill and
paused for a moment looking down "a long
and narrow valley in his front As
he stopped the shrill blast of "a morn
ing bugle-call rcsounded through The
valley and rolled up the hills. and he
knew that in front was an armed force.
He knew also that it must be hostile
force.
The valley was mere open edjcl;
and but the one road. following along a
swollen mountain brook. The hills ,.rrc
covered with IL dense timber growth
and it looked impossible 10 skirt the
camp in the valley. No time was to be
wasted. and Tie at once decided 10 at
tempt to steal around the amp. Turn
ing to the right he plunred into the
thicket, where he disnounted and
throwing his reins over the polnmcl of
the saddle struck out afoot with the
horse following like dog. and stepping
as lightly as a cat. After two hours Of
exhausting toll, he came into the road
some two miles below the camp. and
outside. as he supposed, of the piclscts.
He had ridden perhaps three hundred
yards. when. turning around sharp
spur of the hills, he came onto "A picket
post of two federal soldiers. within
twenty feet OF him. who detected him
as quickly as he saw them, and con-
fronted him with the sharp demand:
who goes therc?'