The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1907-11-01
CHAPT Err I.
Hampton. Of Placer.

survive, IL must be discovered amOnE
the musty and nearly forgotten rec
ords OF the Eighteenth regiment OF in
fantry
Yet the tale Is worth telling now
when such days are past and gone
There were 16 OF them when, like SC
many hunted rabbits. they were first
securely trapped among the frownine
rocks. and forced relentlessly back
ward from off the narrow trail until
the PERCEPTIONS canyon walls finally
halted their disorganized flight, and
from sheer necessity compelled a rally
IN hopeless battle. Sxteen-ten in.
fantrymen from old Fort Bethune. un.
der command OF sgd. Wyman, a gray.
headed sergeant Of 30 years continu.
Gus service in the regulars, two cow
punchers from the XXI" ranch, a
stranger who had Joined them unin-
vited at the ford over the Bear Water.
together with old Gilis. the post
trader and his silent chit of a girl.
Sxteen-but that was three days be-
fore, and In the meanwhile not a few
Of those speeding Sioux bullets had
found softer billet than the limestone
rocks. Six of the soldiers, four al
ready dead, two dying. lay out
stretched in CHASTITY silence where they
fell
Then the taciturn ellis gave sud
den utterance TO a sobbing cry, and a
burst Of red spurted across his white
beard as he reeled backward, knock
ing the girl PROSTATE when he fell.
Eight remained one helpless. one
mere lass OF IS. 1t was the morning
Of the third day.
The beginning Of the affair had burst
upon them so suddenly that no two in
that stricken company would have
told the same tale None among them
had anticipated trouble.
In all the fancied security OF I'M
Questioned peace these chance trav
elers had slowly toiled along the steep
trail leading toward the foothills
ellis and the girl. as well as the two
cattleherders, were on horseback; the
remainder soberly trudged forward on
foot, with guns slung to their shout
ders Wyman was somewhat in ad-
vance. walking beside the stranger.
the latter a man OF uncertain age
smoothly shaven, quietly dressed in
garments bespeaking an eastern tailor,
q biz grizzled of hair along the TEN
pies and possessing a pair OF cool.
gray eyes. He had introduced himself
by the name OF Hampton, but had vol
unteered no further information, nor
was it customary in that country to
question impertinently.
Hampton. through the medium OF
easy conversation, early discovered in
the sergeant an intelligent mind, pos
sessing some knowledge of literature.
They had been discussing books with
rare enthusiasm, and the former had
drawn from the concealment of an
inner pocket a diminutive copy of THE
Merchant OF Venice" from which he
was reading aloud a disputed passage,
when the faint trail they followed sud-
oenly dipped into the yawning mouth
OF black canyon. II was a narrow,
gloomy. contracted gorge, a mere cash
between those towering hills shadow
Ing It's depths on either hand. A swift |
mountain stream, noisy and clear as
crystal, dashed from rock to rock close |
beside the more northern wall. while |
the ill-defined pathway, strewn with |
powders and guarded by underbrush. |
clnng TO the opposite side, where low |
scrub trees partially obscured the |
view.
All was silent as death when they |
entered. yet they had barely advanced |
short hundred PAGES when those APP
parently bare rocks in front famed
RED the narrow defle echoed to wild
screeches and became instantly crowd
co with weird. leaping figures. II was
IKE a plunge from heaven into hell.
blalne and Endicott sank at the first
nfe while Wymans stricken arm
orlpped blood Indeed under that
sudden shock, he fell. and was barely
rescued by the prompt action of the
.ll"h beside him. Dropping the opened
DouN and firing madly TO left and
li-At with a revolver which appeared
" spring into his hand as by magic,
N'NAiN AiaEt1'h Nnt
s'lller across the more exposed space,
uhll the two found partial security
among q mass of loosened rocks litter.
'hE The base of the precipice. The
tuners who survived that first scorch.
ils discharge also raced toward this
same shelter, impelled thereto by the
uncIflng instinct Of border fighting.
ana hinging themselves fiat behind
projecting powders. began responding
80 me hot fire rained upon them.
scattered and hurried as these first
NoHeys We're, they proved sufficient TO
meek the bowling demons in the open.
~ mas never been Indian nature TO
ace unprotected the aim Of the white
ul'h' and those dark figures. which
Ouiy moment before thronged the
uairow gorge. leaping crafty In the
- OF apparent victory, suddenly
h'e.'ed from sight, sinking down into
,ea'y coVerts beside the stream or into
'es among the rocks. like SO many