The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1907-10-17
CHAPTER 1.
Hampton. Of Placer.

survive. il must be discovered among
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 so
many hunted rabbits. they were FIRST
securely trapped among the frowning
rocks, and forced relentlessly back
ward from OF the narrow trail until
the PERCEPTIONS canyon walls finally
halted their -disorganized flight, and
from sheer necessity compelled a rally
in hopeless battle. Sixteon.-ten In.
f%antrymen from old Fort Bethune, I'M
der command OF sgd. wyman, a gray
headed sergeant Of 80 years continu-
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 ellis. the post
trader. and his silent chit Of a girl.
Sixteen-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. W dying. lay out
stretched in CHASTITY silence where they
fell.
Then the taciturn Gmls 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, q helpless, one a
mere lass OF Is. Il was the morning
Of the third day.
The beginning OF the affair had burst
upon them so suddenly that no two in
hat stricken company would have
told the same tale. None among them
had anticipated trouble.
In all the fancied security Of d
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
c~attleherders. were on horseback; the
remainder soberly trudged forward on
foot. with guns slung TO their shoul-
ders. Wyman was somewhat IN ad-
vance, walking beside the stranger.
the latter a man Of uncertain age.
smoothly shayen. quietly dressed in
garments ~bespeaking an eastern tailor.
a bit 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 10
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
vas reading aloud a disputed passage.
when the faint uail they followed sud.
denly dipped into the yawnlnG mouth
of a black canyon. II was a narrow.
gloomy. contracted gorge, a mere cash
between those towering hnla shadow.
ing IFS depths ON either hand. A swift
mountain stream. noisy and clear as
crystal, dashed from rock 10 rock close
boside the more northern wall. while
the ill-dehned pathway, strewB with
powders and guarded by u~ndcrbrush.
clung 10 the opposite side. whore low
scrub trees partially obscured the
view.
All was silent as death when they
entered. yet they had barely advanced
a short hundred PAGES when those sp.
parently bare rocks IN front famed
red. the narrow dehle echoed TO wild
screeches and became instantly crowd.
ed with weird, leaping figures. IL was
like a plunge from heaven into hell
Blaine and Endicptt sank az the first
FIRE. while Wyman's stricken arm
dripped blood. Indeed. under thai
sudden shock, he fell. and was barely
rescued by the prompt action Of the
man beside him, Dropping the opened
book. and firing madly to left and
right with a revolver which appeared
10 spring into his hand as by magic
the latter coolly dragged the ~faintinF
soldier across the more exposed space
until the two found partial security
among a mass Of loosened rocks Hitter
ing the base of the precipice. The
others who survived that first scorch
ing discharge also raced toward this
same shelter. impelled thereto by The
unerring instinct of border fighting
and ninging themselves hat behind
~proteciing powders. began responding
90 the not fire rained apon them.
Scattered and huF d as these hrsl
volieys were, they + wed sufficient tC
check the bowling mons IN the open
IL has tqpeg been Indian nature "a
face unprotected the aim Of the white
moia and those dark ngures. which
only a moment before t%hronged the
narfUw gorge. leaping crafty IN the
rios og %npparent victory, suddenly
melted from sight Sinking down into
iaafg coyorta beside the stream or into