The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-06-23
IN WHICH A RATCHET SINGS A
MAN TO SLEEP

In such a coil as this I'd Topped about
me there was nothing for it, as it seemed,
but to draw the steel and die as a soldier
should. So l broke cover on the forest
side Of the holly thicket with a yell as
fierce as theirs, ard picked a tree to SET
my back against and ran for 1t.
I never reached the tree. In mid career
when all the Cherokee wolf pack was
bursting through the holly tangle at my
heels, two men, a white man and an In
aian, ran in ahead, as l supposed TO cut
me off. Just then the dry roof OF the
hunting lodge roared afame, reddenlns the
forest far and near. The light was at my
back and on the faces of the two who ran
20 meet me. A great sob swelled IN my
throat and choked me, but ! ran the fas-
ter. For these were my dear lad and the
friendly Catawba, charging CALAMITY to
cover my retreat.
1t was a ready help in time of need. They
ran In bravely, the chief ahead, twirling
his tomahawk for the throw, with Dick a
pace to right and rear, his two great PTS
tolls brandished and the grandsire OF
all the broadswords dangling by a thong
at his wrist.
Follow the ch.ef"' he shouted in pass
Ing; and at the word the Catawba stopped
short, sent his Ratchet whistling into the
vapping pack behind me, and swerved to
run aside and point the way for me.
Left to myself, l hope l should have
had the grace to stand with Jennifer.
But at the turning point of indecision the
quick witted Indian read my thought, and
matching the sword from my hand, gave
me no choice but to follow him.
So l ran with him: but as ! fed l looked
behind and saw a sight to put the ancient
hero tales to the blush. One man against
two-score my brave Dick stood. while
through the underwood the mounted SOL
iiery came to make the odds still greater.
In nt-a air1ba1 fo~ oil Tho Z n
missiles sent on ahead to cut him down,
nor gave a glance aside to where the
aorsemen were dep!oying to surround
am. AS I looked, the two great pistols
belched in the very faces of the nearest
Cherokees; and in the momentary check
the firearms made, the basket-hilted
,laymore went to work, rising and falling
like a Weaver's beam.
l saw no more; but some heart-bursting
minutes later, when Jennifer came racing
on behind to share the flight his heroic
stand had made a possibility, the swell ng
sob choked me once agar . md when l
thought of what this his q cue of me
meant to him., l could have ,.ubbered like
/ boy.
But there was little time or space to
give remorse an inning. The Cherok~es,
checked but for the moment, were storm
Ing holly at our heels. And as we ran l
heard the shouted command of Falconnet
~ iAS Ak'S "a
oblique, and head them In the road. Gal
.op, you devils!'
We ran IN Indian file, 7 at the chiefs
heels and Jennifer at mine. I followed
the Catawba blindly; and being as YET
little better than half a man in breath
and muscle, was well-night spent before
we crashed down through a tangled hria,
thicket into the river road.
We were in time, but with no Fraction
of a minute to spare. We could hear The
p~ad-pad-pad of the light-footed runners
close upon us, following now by the noise
we made: and on our left the ar wa:
trembling to the thunder of the MOUNTED
men coming at a break-neck gallop dow1
the road.
THANK Cod" says Richard, with {
quick eyeshot to right and left in thu
lesser gloom of the open. II was afearet
even the chief might miss the place il
the dark. Down the bank to the river
quick, man, and cautious! If they smell
us out now. we're no better than buZzard
meat And when we reached the wa
ter's edge: You taught me how to pad
die a pirogue. Jack; ! hope you haven
lost the knack of it yourself"
NO said I; and the three of us sill
the followed log into the stream.
We were afoat in shortest order. hold
Ing the canoe against the current b.
clinging to the over hanging trees tina
fringed the bank; yet with paddles poise
TOT q second uaSn Tor freedom SnOulu IN
need arise. l should have dipped forth
with to save the precious minute, but Jen
infer stayed me.
Hist" he whispered. Hold stead
and listen. They cannot see US fror
above: mayhap we've thrown them O.
the scent"
I thought it most unlikely: but hts CUES
was right and mine was wrong. Thong
any of these savages could lift a trail i
daylight, following it at top speed Xix
q trained bloodhound, yet now the darl
ness baff1ed them.
So there was some running to and fr
! in the road above our heads, and then til
! troopers galloped down. Followed hastil
a labored confab through the Linguistic
broken in the midst by a fury Of he
oaths from Falconnet: and then the chas
swept on toward the plantations, and "
were left to make their losing Of us SUI
by whatsoever means we chose.
We padded slowly up stream in siienc
keeping we'll within the blacker shadow
the tree fringe. When we came opposi'
the glowing ruins of the hunting lodg
J%ennifer backed upon his paddle.
= you'll go ashore?" said he.
I I said l would, adding: 'They hay
, slaughtered poor old Darius, and l a
loath to leave his bones for the buzzart
D to pick"
He made no comment other than
swear in sympathy. When the prog,
. grounded, the Indian was out like a ca
i. to vanish p~hantom-wise among the tree
I followed in some clumsier fashion, lea
. ing J%ennifer TO keep the canoe; but ha
way up the hill he Joined me, and wou
!. not turn back for all my urging. IN
hang me II I'll let you out of eye-gr
N again." was all he would say; and SO '
n went together, and were together at t
= seeing of what the glowing ember-heI
= would show us.
Dy Poor Tomas had his sculpture alread
30 His cord had burned in two and let hi
down SO close beside the cabin wall til
In. all the blazing debris from the overhan
rtv ing caves had made his funeral pile. .
m. RUS lay as 1 had last seen him; and h:
a. we buried in the maize clearing at t
-. back, with the ember glow for funel
y. lights.
Gu 1t was a chancefui thing to do. Sir
DC, the C~herokees had left their dead a
icy wounded. and Falconnet the body Of
trooper who had yielded me the musk
~ there was small doubt they would
turn. Yet we had time to dig a shall
- grave for my old henchman; to dig a
fill it up again; and afterward to make
circuit around the burning pile to rea
the river side once more.
When we had launched the canoe, a
were aloat and ready for the start,
= Catawba was still missing.
Where Is the chief, th.nk your"
% asked; Dicks answer. If, indeed, he ga
:, me any, was lost In a chorus Of ear sp