Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-12-28


the May morning was rising
n straight blue column of smoke.
A nag wigwagged from the southern
lookout station to herald the phenome-
mon, and in a moment the post was
4mgpg. Keen sighted scouts hurried to
points of vantage, where they studied
the mounting plume. Far reaching
glasses were trained, amid lively sur
mise from the galleries fronting the
parade, while at barracks, blocking the
windows and through the porch. the
eager troopers gossiped and craned.
But In the stockade interest reached
ptS highest pitch. Braves, squaws and
children were strung along the upper
end of the Enclosure breathlessly watch
ing the vapor thread. Each swarthy
face had dropped the mask of listless-
mess. Each figure was rooted. Not an
eye forsook a straight line to the
belching mountain top.
For full three minutes the distant
Are sent up steady pillar. Then fort
and stockade saw that pillar suddenly
lwabble, as IL caught in the vagaries
l0f dtful breeze-saw 1t wabble,
lthicken, break and disappear, when
the butte again stood, Jagged tooth,
! against the sky. Above It, innocently
sEhite, foated q hands breadth Of
cloud. y
Apd how the trumpet rang Obey.
ing 1t, two detachments mounted. One
bpnrred away down river, keeping
1elose In the lee Of the bluffs; the other
boarded the ferry and was landed at
the cut north Of Shanty Town, from
where 1t made toward the Norwe-
Igian's. Behind an envious but fever.
hahly happy garrison set about putting
an extra polish on its arms. The
grass was too short for war pony.
ACTIVE duty had not been expected
within the month, yet the time Of
ldreary waiting was up at last, for here
within striking distance were the hos
lGile reds.
The warriors In the stockade knew
better. Like so many whipped dogs,
they were scattered to cover, there to
hide their bitter chagrin No war par
ny was come to harry Brannon, to lure
lthe troopers into battle, to free the
captive village. A lone Indian-the
Hooked for messenger-had famed that
signal fire on the mountain, and by q
wave Of his blanket he had told them
Ievii news.
TO Colonel Cummings the seeming
early holiness of the enemy gave an
Ankling Of what might be expect ted lat
eR on-in the summer, when there
would be good grazing and smaller
Ok "a 1u hn
for the safety OF the settlers living
within sight of the garrison flag. The
detachment landed at the cut was or
dered to warn two of them. The third
was Evan Lancaster. To him the COM
manding officer sent David Bond
But it was Dallas whom the evangel-
Est sought. He found her at work up
ON the plowed strip, cross dragging it
IN preparation for the planting of the
corn. AS she drove up and down she
walked hatless in the sun. Her hair
was down and hung forward in two
braids. She wore the snug jersey that
had been her mothers. Her skirt was
tucked up back and front, to be out
of the way. 1t disclosed no red fam
mel petticoat, however.
Not far away was Simon, a starting
riding him to gobble the greenheads as
they bit. The bull was revolving sulk-
fly on his picket rope and shedding his
long winter coat upon the new grass.
In Difference to his Unborn dislike Dali
Las was wearing an underskirt of blue.
Though the evangelist had never
seen her trudging behind the mules, he
- - ia -
as he came toward her now he felt
only an unbounded pride in her unself-
1shness and in her brave efforts to
wrest living from the soil.
"A splendid Ruth" he murmured,
E advancing; "a splendid Ruth toiling
In the fieldsr'
Seeing him, she gave a swift, trou-
bled glance at the shack. Then, avoid
IN his eyes and without speaking,
she pulled up Ben and Betty and
held out hand.
When he took it the pride of a mo-
nent before changed to compassion.
BE remembered that he must tell her
what would alarm, for in her face he
saw traces of many sleepless night
and of a sapping worry.
daughter, you are i'll" he declared
and kept tight hold on her fingers.
mo; there amt anything the matter
with me, only"-still avoiding his eyes,
she turned to survey the narrowed
land-"only I'm some put out. This
sod
"Never mind the Sod" he said grave
y. Il want to ask-did you see the
mountain He loosed her fingers and
pointed an arm to the south.
She laughed, following his pointing.
Yes, / did. Looks as If claims are
getting scarce, don't It'll When a nest
sr has to file up therew
Midway between shack and butte
vas an OK team that had been tray