Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-08-04

oaths in common speech--as. truly. ne
did-he would fetch UP the arrears and
wipe out the score in one fell bias 81 upon
mis- knees. Be his as Ii may, he was a
good man and a true, as /
have said: and his warlike sup
be as the sword of the Lord and OF
Gideon in the coming onfall was no
whit out of place.
1t wanted yet a fun hour of midnight
when Richard began again to plead
piteousiy for instant action. Yeates
thought II still over-early, but when
Jennifer pressed him hard the old bor-
derer left the casting vote TO me.
"Wha say We, Cap'n John? Yourn
will be the next oldest head. and 1
reckon 1t hain't been turned plumb
foolish rampaging crazy by this here
purity gal o. Gilbert Stairs"
o o have read thus far In my
poor tale TO little purpose II you have
not yet discovered the major weakness
OF an old campaigner. which is TO weigh
and measure all the chances, holding il
TO the full as culpable to strike too
soon as too late. This weakness was
mine, and in that evil moment | gave
my vote for further waiting, arguing
sapiently that my old field marshal
would never set a night assault afoot
till well or toward the dawn.
Jennifer heard me through and yield
ed, perforce, though with little good
will.
Il cannot compass ii alone. or, by the
obs I'd go!' he asserted, angrily.
Mark you. John Ireton, this delay is a
thing you'll rue whilst you live. Your
cold-cut pros and cons mouth well
enough, and I'm no soldier-lawyer to
argue them down.. But something bet
ter than your damnable reasons tells
me that the hour has struck-that
these very present seconds are price
less" Whereupon he flung himself
face down in the grass and would not
speak again until the waiting time was
fully over and Yeates gave the word TO
fall in line for the advance.
Having learned the lay of the land
In his earlier reconnaissance, the old
borderer shortened the distance for us
by guiding us across the neck of a
horseshoe bend in the stream. and a
half hours blind cropping through the
forest fetched us out upon the river
bank again. this time precisely oppo-
site he Indians lodge fire on the other
side.
three Of us, while Ephraim Yeates
crept down the bank to try with his
sounding pole what chance we had of
crossing.
Measured by what could be seen
from our covert, the narrow width of
quick water seemed the last of the
many obstacles.
Lulled to security, as we guessed, by
the apparent success OF their ruse to
throw US off the scent. six of the Cher
okees were lying feet to fire like the
spokes of a wheel for which the fitful
blaze was the hub. The seventh man
was squatted before a small tepee-
lodge OF dressed skins, which, as we
took 1t, would be the sleeping quarters
OF the captives. Whilst all the others
lay stiff and stark as If wrapped in
soundest sleep, this sentry guard, too.
It seemed, was scarcely more than half
awake, for as we looked. his gun was
slipping from the hollow OF his arm
and he was nodding to forgetfulness.
Richard was a-crouch beside me in
this peeping reconnaissance, and I
could feel him trembling in impatient
1T should be easy enough-what
your" he whispered; and then,
with a sudden grasp upon my wrist:
You are cool and steady-nerved, John
Ireton; / swear you do not love her as
I do!'
May, / grant you that, Dick" said l.
making sure that his excitement would
obscure the double meaning in h ad-
And then / added, sincerely
she has never given me the
right to love her at ALL"
God help her at his pass" he said,
more to himself than to me; and then
would go in a breath from blessing
to cursing Ephraim YeateS
for this fresh delay.
1t was Uncanoola who broke in upon
the muttered malediction.
"Wahi Captain Jennif' cuss plenty
heap. like missionary medicine man.
Look-ee. Uncanoola no can find white
squaw horse yonder. Mebbe Captain
see UNI, hey?'
At his word we both looked for the
horses, marking now that they We're
nowhere 10 be seen within the circle
lighted by the lodge fire. TIE Ca
tawba grunted his doubt that the en-
envy was as inalert as he appeared to
be; then he set the doubt in words.
"Chelakee heap slick. Sleep only n
mebbe, hey? Injun warrior no
hide horse and go sleep both eye on
warpath!"
Here our scout came gliding back, so
noiselessly that he was within arms
reach before we heard him. Dick had
said | was over cool, but the old mans
ghostlike temperance gave me such
a start as made me prinkle to my fin
gers ends
How viii ii be. Eph?" Dick queried,
hotly eager to be at work we can
ii across? Never say we can't
pass that bit or still water. mani"
But Ephraim Yeates did say so In
set terms,
Il reckon ez how we've got to cross,
but not Jest here-away. Cap'n Dick.
she ain maKinK any fuss about 1t.
but she's slipping along ike creased
lightning. deep and mighty powerful.
I amt saying we mought MT swim her
and come out s~ornewheres this side o.
Boone's country. but Wen make
it a heap quicker by protecting round
till we find the ford where them war;
minis made out to cross"
God" said Dick. deep in his throat.
more time to be Killed. By"
The old man was parting the bushes
70 have a better sight OF the encamp-
ment opposite. but at Dicks outbreak
he fell back quickly and clappNd a hand
on the lips of cursing.
Hist Lookee over yonder. win vel
he cut in. And theE. ia d whisper
meant for no Ear but mine. .The Lord
be marcifui TO h a little gal, Cap'n
John; we've fooled our chance away
the games afoot, and we amt in it,,
/ looked and saw nothing save that
the sentry guard had risen 10 throw a
Of dry branches on the dying
fire. But on the instant the dry wood
blazed up, and in the wider circle OF
firetight / say what the keener eyes
OF Ephraim Yeates had decried the
o In the shadowy background of
the surrounding forest a dozen horse
men We're converging in orderly array
pon the encainpment. and at the biaz-
ing up OF the dry branches their leader
gave the M to charge.
What sham battle there was. or was
meant to be. was over In the briefest
space The troopers gaIloped III with