Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-03-16

his quartermaster ana the guard,
 four or five of the latter being
 grouped without. The major retired
 to his front room, where, with Will.
 kins, he received the doctor.
 Mai. Flint" said Waller, ''those
 overcoats belong to MT. Hays stable.
 men, Pete and Crapaud. Will you or.
 der their immediate arrest?"
 Il would. doctor," was the answer
 "but they are not at the corral. We
 know how to account for the hoof-
 beats in the valley. Those scoundrels
 have got nearly an hours start, and
 we've nobody to send in chase"
 Then it presently appeared that the
 post commander desired to continue
 conference with his staff officer, for
 he failed to invite the surgeon to be
 seated. Indeed, he looked up into the
 doctors kindling eyes with odd mix
 ture of impatience and embarrass-
 ment in his own, and the veteran
 practitioner felt the slight; flushed instantly, and, with much hauteur of
 manner, took prompt but ceremoni- ous leave.
 And when morning came and Fort Frayne awoke to another busy day, as if the settlements of the night gone by had not been enough for it, a new story went buzzing, with the first call for guard mount, about the garrison; and, bigger even than yes terday, the two details, in soldier si- lence, began to gather in front of the infantry quarters. Maj. Flint had or dered sentries posted at the traders home, with directions that Mrs. Hay was not to be allowed outside of her gate, and no one, man or woman, permitted to approach her from with out, except by express permission of the post commander. "Gen. Harney" and 'Dan," the two best horses of the traders stable, despite the pres ence of the sentry at the front, had been abstracted some time during the earlier hours of the night, and later traced to the ford at Stabber's old | camp, and with Pete and Crapaud, | doubtless, were gone.
 That day the major wired to Omaha that he should be reinforced at once. 0ne-half his little force. he said, was now mounted each day for guard, and the men couldn't stand it. The l general, of course, was in the field, but his chief of staff remained at | headquarters and was empowered to order troops from post to post with | In the limits of the department. Flint | hoped two more companies could | come at once, and he did not care l what post was denuded in his favor. His, he said, was close to the Indian | lands-separated from. them, in fact, | only by a narrow and fordable river. The Indians were all on the warpath, and. aware of his puny numbers, might be tempted at any moment to quit the mountains and concentrate on him.
 And so another restless day went by and no more news came from either front or rear-from the range to the north or Rock Springs at the | south, and Flint was just formulating another fervid appeal to that i'm passive functionary, the adjutant gen. eral at Omaha, when toward evening word came whistling down the line in the person of Master Sanford Ray. that two couriers were in sight 1 "sc6oting- in from Moccasin Ridge, ! and Flint and fully half the soldier strength of Fort Frayne gathered on the northward bluf like the "wan burghers- of ancient Rome, to watch | and speed their coming. Who could tell what the day might yet bring forth?
 It was wefl-nigh dark before the foremost reached the ford-a scout in worn and tawdry buckskin. wearied and impressive. He gave his dispatch to the care of the first officer to sc- l cost him. and took the way to the store, briefly saying in reply to ques- tions, that he was "too dry to speak the truth" So they focked, at re- spectfuI distance, about the major. as he read the hurried lines. The . general bade the post commander wire the entire message to Washing ton, and to "take all precautions for the protection of the few settlers about him. The columns under Col. < Henry and Maj Webb had united near the head waters of the Clear Fork of the Powder. had had a rat ting running fight with Lame Wolfs people; had driien them into the and were following hot on the trail. but that stabber's band and certain dissFected sioux had cut loose from the main body and gone south whisfling Elk. young chief of much ambition hsd qusrrelsd with certain of the Red Cloud element. and joined s.abb-r. vitk his entire band Look out for them ssd watch for sig nals any day or night from Eagle Butte
 Flint read with sinking hesrt In 5is- fxhfinx vas so-ne.hing far too for lis martial educztion. and too nzueh for hfs skeEeton com mad h the ezfherfnr dusk his face iookk5 vhif< and drs~n- and oId vii d.a broesz.E kis VI P tAs dsRs