Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-03-07
CHAPTER III.

Comforted by abundant food, re-
 freshed and stimulated by more than
 two or three enthusiastic toasts to
 the health of the major, the men so
 loved, Trooper Kennedy, like a born
 dragoon and son of the ould sod, be-
 thought him of the gallant bay that
 had borne him bravely and with hard
 ly a halt all the long way from Beech
 er to Frayne. The field telegraph had indeed been stretched, but it afforded
 more fun for the Sioux than aid to
 the outlying posts on the Powder and Little Horn. for it was down 10 days out of 12. Fodder, lieutenant colonel
 of infantry commanding at Beecher, had been badly worried by the ugly
 demonstrations of the Indians for ten
 days past. He was forever seeing in minds eye the hideous details of the massacre at Fort Phil Kearney, few
 miles further on around the shoulder of the mountains, planned and carried
 out by Red Cloud with such dreadful
 success in '67. Fodder had strong men at his back, whom even hordes of
 painted Sioux could never stampede,
 but they were few in number, and
 there were those ever present help less, dependent women and children. His call for aid was natural enough, and his choice of Kennedy, daring, dashing lad who had learned to ride in Galway, was the best that could be made. No peril could daunt the
 fellow, already proud
 wearer of the medal of honor; but, duty done, it was Kennedy's creed
 that, the soldier merited reward and If he went to bed at "F''
 troops barracks, there would be mo more good cakes and ale, no
 more of the majors good grub and rye. If he went down to look after the gallant steed he to it that Kilmaine was rubbed down, bedded, given abun- dant hay, and later water-sure, then, with clear conscience, he could accept the majors "bid," and call again on his backward way and toast the ma jor to his Irish hearts and stomach's content. Full of pluck and fight and enthusiasm, and only quarter full, he would insist, of rye, was Kennedy as he strode whistling down the we'll road to the flats, for he, with Capt. Truscott's famous troop, had served some months at Frayne before launching forth to Indian story land in the shadows of the Big Horn range. Kennedy, in fact, es- sayed to sing when once out of ear shot of the guard-house, and singing, he strolled on past the fork of the winding road where he found he should have turned to his right, and In the fullness of his heart went striding southward down the slope, past the once familiar haunt, the store, now dark and deserted, past the big house of the post trader, past the traders roomy stables and cor ral, and so wended his moonlit way along the Rawlins rrail, never not Ing until he had chanted over half mile and most of the songs he knew, that Frayne was we'll behind him and the rise to the Medicine Bow in front. Then Kennedy began to laugh and call himself names, and then, as he turned about tp retrace his steps by a short cut over the bottom, he was presently surprised, but in no wise disconcerted, to find himself face to face with painted Sioux. There by .' path side, cropping the dewey pr was the trained pony. Here, lo,. .ngIng by the trail, the thick black braids of hair interlaced with beads, the quill gorget heaving at his mas sive throat; the heavy blanket slung gracefully about his stal- wart form: his neither limbs and feet in embroidered buckskin, his long lashed guirt in hand: here stood, al- most confronting him, as fine spec linen of the warrior of the plains as 1t had been Trooper Kennedy's lot to see, and see them he had-many time and oft.
 "How, John." said he, with m Irish mans easy insolence, "Lookin' for chance tO steal somethin'-is it? And then Kennedy was both amazed and enraptured at the prompt reply in the fervent English of the far frontier.
 "Go to hell. you pock-marked son
 d-a-scut! where'd yO1 steal your shisky?"
 For five seconds Kennedy thought Se was dreaming. Then. convinced snat he was awake. an lrishman .corned and insuIted. he dashed into she attack. Both fists shot out from the brawny shoulders: both missed the agile dodger; then of went the
 blanket. and with two lean. red
 liueNy arms the Sioux had "locked
 ,is foeman round" and the two were Itraining and swsying in a magnif- sent grappIe. Al arms length Pat e-us5 easily have had the best of it, for, the Indian never boxes; but, in q bear hug and a wrestle. all chances favored the Sioux. Cursing and strain ing. honors even on both for a while. and wild Wyoming strOve for the mastery. Whisky is a won 5erfuI starter but a mighty poor stayer of a fight. Kennedy loOsed his grip from time to time to batter wildly with his cIinched fists at such sections of Sioux anatomy as he rOuld reach. but. at range sO close bis blows lsrked both swing and steam. and fell harraIess "n sinsWy lack an.i IeSn. unusruisT asnks- Then he tried Galway hitch and trip. but his Hthe aursgUnfst knew a trek ,rorrh se, 1F that EswrrrTr tired