Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-26

It paced FOrC LlncOln OmCeI. LOunS- bury stopped him for news.
 "You ought to be chuck full of it." returned the officer, pumping the storekeeper's arm, "just in from New York"
 '"rhe redskins? } 2. Daytime sortie on us yesterday"
 Pretty sassy. How about Bran nonY :.
 Nothing since old Lancaster''-
 q heard that-Fraser wrote me-" Lounsbury gritted his teeth.
 And our poor Custer?'
 "Ah, poor Custer! The casts talk ing about nothing else"
 Awful! Awful" The officer turn ed away to hide the twitching of his face. r| ..
 "Going to Lincoln nowT' asked Lounsbury.
 "Not right away"
 "Then Pm off,"
 "For Lincoln"
 "No; for Brannon."
 "Brannon! Alone? Lounsbury? Why, the Indians"-
 "I'm going just the same" He hail. ed neighbor to bargain for cayuse of reputed wind and speed, and in an other half hour he was ready.
 He rode as light as possible. Behind the cantle rolled in poncho he tied some hard tack, jerked beef and brandy. His revolver was re-enforced by a Henry, which he carried in a holster under his leg. For the ".45'' he took fifty rounds. A second fifty, designed for the rife, occupied the loops of his belt. Thus armed and pro- visioned he logged out of town.
 Good fortune made the journey al- most uneventful. He saw but one h. dian, who loped into sight from a wooded bottom and turned tail when Lounsbury leveled his gun. Twice only did he come upon signs of savages. Toward the middle of the first night he passed pile of glowing embers, l where food had been cooked and eaten, and fifty miles lower down, the next afternoon, as he dismounted at rivu- let, the cayuse shied from an antelope kid that had dragged itself to the wa ter for last drink. There was an ar row through its neck, and the little body was still Timber.
 Just before dawn the second morn ing he turned with the river, crossed the coulee and refined upon the yellow l ;,, To h te Toe stood the shack. Three smaller dots were near it-Simon and the mule team. South, on the opposite bank. were the low, whitewashed buildings of Fort Brannon. He barred his dust powdered head In thanksgiving.
 The cayuse was warm and dripping. He rode to Shanty Town, loosened the cinch and led the animal up and down before the deserted huts. When ir stopped blowing and reached for grass he picketed it on lariat north of the Troopers Delight. Then he descended to the building. The light was grow ing Already he had been seen from the post. On his hallooing a small boat showed off toward him, dancing its way against the current Old Mi chael was not in 1t, only his citizen helpers. Fearing their tittle-tattle, Lounsbury curbed his impatience to ask about the shack. Landed, he made for the "bach" quarters on the line.
 Fraser was not up. To his Come in" Lounsbury entered. They shook hands without a word, and the store keeper sat down on the edge of the bed.
 After awhile the lieutenant reached out to put a hand on the others knee.
 "Lounsbury," he said, q feel like a criminal, but I never dreamed any thing would go wrong if kept track of Matthews"
 "Why, we both thought that, Fraser. You're not to blame any more than I am."
 "Oh, if I'd only"-
 But we can't spend any time kick ing ourselves. After this there mustn't be a loophole. Besides watching Mat thews, we must'-
 Matthews isn't here." "WhatT'
 Kicked out. We don't know where he is." Rapidly Fraser related the story of SImon's gallantry.
 There was another piece of news of lesser importance An Indian girl named Brown Mink was seriously i'll. Her wigwam had been moved to the western curve of the stockade, where the ground was clear, and been changed from tepee shape to the form of a wallsd wickIup. Mrs. Cum mings, touched with pity. had sent her comfortable bed, while Captain OIL yer, touched no less and pleased by the good humor of his prisoners. had ordered that during the daily search of the incIOsure the tent of the sick girl be left entirely undisturbed. The young officer omitted to tell of his share in the interpreters departure and was distracted over an accident that had befallen him. On visiting his wild pets the previous evening he had found that a box containing reptiles had been broken open somehow and that all his rattIesnakes were gone.
 With the first call for the trumpet CTS Lounsbury routed the sutler in a quest for breakfast. Then once more he sought the river. There was no waiting for men to TOW him He found the small boat, headed for the beach below shanty Town. mounted