Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-14

OF dingy, clay-chnSed log cabins. surround.
eu 9y small patches of early corn and melons,
Reservation Yanktons
Inc squaws coming to the door of tent or
cabin, and shading their eyes with their
iai' inands' would stand and look at us, and the
thoe' uhtoie' i ausKy, naked urchins, startled from
their play, dodge behind tents and trees and
peeped c,T9rlously after us, while now and then
a lazy brave" lolling in the shade of his
domlcle, would turn his black eyes toward
US lnqulrlngly, as though scarcely knowing
what to make of our little flying cayalcade
OF horsemen.
AS we had gained all the information neces.
sary for the present, we did not attempt to
question any of the Indians but pushed on
for the agency, which we sighted lust before
sunset as we emerged from grove of timber.
a rev moments more and we found our.
selves drawn up before the long, low agency
building, with its platform on one end and
depot.
Clustered around this were a number OF
log caplns and quite an array of tents. in
haDlted by Indians, and some distance to the
west OF 1t stood peculiar looking structure
having something the appearance of an in.
verted monument, which we could not tell
the nature OF from our present position.
"A frame house, the abode of the agent
stood upon little knoll just to the north
ll1GI1 lnGlG1sed iy by a high picket fence, and the
| Whoe village was surrounded with fields of
waving waving corn, titled by the squaws.
We tied our horses to some posts and
passing into the building through an open
do3r' found ourselves, in the "offce."
The agent, a acknowledgements man.
arose from his desk and saluted us inquir.
ingly. The colonel briefly told our story. and
asked whether either the thieves or Charlie
had been seen at the agency.
aysd ne dgene tIere replied that the young man had
\ ou are Just two days behind him. The
mules dld not pass through here at all. The
rascals were undoubtedly sharp enough to
60 1r1Ina upon the pralries with them You
turns off about ten miles below here and
takes shorter cut"
We conversed few minutes longer, and,
finding lIg that Uncle Ben had been a colonel
as an officer, and that they really knew each
other. he, cordially invited us to put our ami.
mails in his stable and spend the night with
himIan M offer we gladly accepted.
we we're soon seated around the table filled
with all that hungry travellers could ask, the
agent and his wife doing all in their power
to make us feel at home.
The former gave US his opinion that thc
thieves could go no further than Fort Ran
hiding at no great distance from the fort,
and be on the watch for their owners: that
Charlie would neither find them nor the
mules, and we should probably find him
waiting for us at that point.
We arose from the supper table FEELING
very much refreshed and encouraged We
now entertained little fear as to our com.
panlon''s safety, and were quite sanguine that
it would need onl y patience and perseverance
to also enable us to recover the property that
had been stolen from us.
After the meal, l expressed some curiosity
| i'll regard to the queerooking building before
mentioned, and asked for what it had been
erected. "
''It's a blocihousc." said the agent, "and
It will pay you to examine it before it grows
darker"
Jud and Immediately made our way TO
the place, and for the first time in our lives
beheld a genuine blockhouse
1t was built of logs, octagon in shape hay.
ing eight corners The base must be about
twelve feet across, and stands seven feet in
height, but on the top of this is a still larger
structure of the same material and shape 5 e. igt. G
ting out two feet on all sides, and resting
upon heavy beams mortised into the lop logs
of the one below.
The only entrance was through door made
Of heavy oaken slabs, hung upon great iron
hinges, and was such a ponderous arrange
ment that it took both of us to swing it in
ward.
There was nothing inside, no floor in the
lower block, the beams above being laid over
with heavy stakes, evidently split with maui
and wedge.
The structure had no doubt been built MANY
years before. as the butts of the timbers ON
the outside were gray and weather-beaten,
and close examination showed that the door
and logs upon the outside were perforated
with scores Of bullets.
morning, after gratefully parting with the
friendly agent.
''Yo1 will be opposite the fort before noon.'
said he. as We started. ut is only about
twenty-five miles above here, but unless you
happen to catch the ferry upon this side.
will m hnrroxV Slr;H oe