Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-03-13

whisked away toward the breaks of the old South Cheyenne and it was no longer possible for old Sioux cam paigners to catch word of the dis cussion. The leaves of the cotton woods whistled in the rising gale, and every time pony crossed the stream bed and clambered the steep banks out to the west, little clouds of dun colored dust came sailing toward the grove, scattered and spent, however, far from the lair of the defense.
 But, while the discussion seemed endless among the Indians on the northward side, never for moment was the vigilance of the circle re- faxed. South, east and west the slopes and lowlands were dotted with restless horsemen, and from young Clayton came the word that through his glass he could make out three or four warriors far away toward the Moccasin ridge. That's good" said Ray. Ut means that they, too, are looking for column coming out from Frayne. But where on earth did all these rascals come from? There must be 400 now in sight"
 We'll might he ask and marvel! Stabber's little village had never more than 50 warriors. Lame Wolf's band was counted at less than 240
 fighting men, and these, so said the agents of the omniscient bureau, were all the Ogallalas away from the shelter of the reservation when the trouble started. No more shoulls be allowed to go, was the confident promise, yet fortnight nearly had elapsed since the frontier fun be- gan. News of battle sweeps with marvellous speed through Indian haunted lands, and here were war riors by the. score, come to strength en the hands of kindred in the field, and, more were coming. The mirror signals plainly told them that. Yet it was we'll nigh one o'clock and not an other hostile move was made. Fox then was being held by stronger hands. It meant that Lame Wolf had listened to reason-and Stabber, and would permit no fresh attack un- til his numbers should be so in- creased that resistance, would prac- tically be vain. It meant even more, that the Indian leader in chief com mand felt sure no force was yet within helping distance of the cor raled troopers. He could, therefore, take his time.
 But this was theory Ray would not whisper to his men. He knew Webb. He knew Webb would soon read the signs from the north and be coming to his relief, and Ray was right. Even as he reasoned there came a message from across the grove. Lieutenant Clayton said the Indians he had seen away to the south were racing back. "Thank God!" was the murmured answer no man heard. "Now lads, be readyl" was the ringing word that reused the little troop, like bugle call ito arms" And even as eager faces lifted over the low parapets to scan the distant foe, fresh signals came flashing down from the northward ridge, fresh bands of warriors came darting to join the martial throng about the still wrangling chieftains, and then, all of sudden, with mighty yelling and shrill commotion, that savage council burst asunder, and, riding at speed, a dozen braves went flashing away to the westward side, while with fierce brandishing of arms and shields and much curveting and prancing of excited ponies, the wild battle lines were formed again. The Sioux were coming for the second trial. '..r i
 Meet them as before! Make ev- cry shot tell" were the orders passed from man to man and heard and noted amidst the 'whistling of the wind and the sounds of scurry and commotion at the front. Then, si- lent and crouching low, the soldiers showed the brown barrels of their carbines forth again and waited. And then the grim silence of the little fortress was broken, as, with start, ling, sudden force there went up shot from the westward side:
 My God, boys, they're setting fire to the prairie!"
 Ray sprang to his feet and gazed. Away out to the west and southwest, whence came the strong breeze blow ing from the Sweetwater hills, half dozen dark, agile forms, bending low, were scudding afoot over the sward, and everywhere they moved there sprang up in their tracks little sheets of lambent flame, little clouds of bluish, .blinding smoke, and al- most in less time than it takes to tell it, low wall of fire, started in a dozen places, reaching far across the low ground, fencing the valley from stream bed to the southward slopes, crowned by its swift-sailing crest of hot, stifing fume, came tapping and seething and sweeping across the level, licking up the dry buffalo grass i like so much tow, mounting higher and fiercer with every second, and bearing down upon the little grove and its almost helpless defenders in fearful force, in resistless fury-a charge no bullet could stop, an enemy no human valor could hope to daunt or down.
 Quick, meni" yelled Ray. Out l with you, you on the west front. . Stay you here, you others! Watch the Sioux, They'll be on us in an in- stanti" And away he sped from the shelter of the bank, out from the thick of the cottonwoods. out to the