The Irish standard., 1907-11-09

down the river, enough renamed TO
keep up CALLING fire, and hold Reno
strictly on the defensive
AS the men lay exposed to the con.
tfnuous shipping fire, above the sur.
rounding din were borne to their ears
the reports of distant guns. 1t came
distinctly from the northward, grow
ing heavier and more continuous.
None among them doubted its ominous
meaning. Custer was already engaged
in hot action at the right of the Indian
village. Why were they kept lying
there in idleness? Why we're they not
pushed forward to do their part? They
looked into each others faces. God!
They were 800 now; they could sweep
aside like chaff that fringe of red
skirmishers if only they got the word!
Officer after officer, unable to restrain
his impatience, strobe back across the
bluff summit, amid whistling bullets,
and personally begged the major to
speak the one word which should hurl
them to the rescue. They cried like
women. they swore through clinched
teeth, they openly exhibited their con.
tempt for such commander, yet the
discipline of army service made active
disobedience impossible. They went
reluctantly back, as helpless as chill
drer.
1t was four o'clock. the shadows of
the western bluffs already darkening
the river bank. Suddenly faint cheer
ran along the lines, and the men lifted
themselves to gaze up the river. Urg-
ing the tired animals to a trot, the
strong hand of trooper grasping
every halter-strap, Brant was swing
ing his long pack-train up the smoke
wreathed valley. The outriding flank
ers exchanged constant shots with the
skulking savages hiding in. every ra-
vine and coulee. Pausing only to pro-
tect their wounded, fighting their way
step by step, N troop ran the gantlet
and came charging into the cheering
lines with every pound. Of their treas
/ ure safe. Weir of d, whose dismount-
ed troopers held that portion of the
line. strode pace forward to greet
the leader, and as the extended hands
of the officers met, there echoed down
to them from the north the reports of
two heavy volleys, fired in rapid sue
cession. The sounds were clear, dis
tinctly audible even above the uproar
of the valley. The heavy eyes of the
/ two soldiers met, their dust-streaked
faces flushed.
THAT was signal. Clusters signal
| for help!" the younger man cried. i'm
/, pulsively, his voice full of agony. For
i Gods sake, Weir, what are you fel.
lows waiting here for?'
The other uttered groan, his hand
flung in contempt back toward the
bluff summit. "The cowardly fool
won't move; he's whipped to death
now"
Reno, you mean? Whipped? You
haven't lost 20 men. Is this the Sew
enth ?-skulking here under cover
while Custer begs help? Doesn't the
man know? Doesn't he understand?
BY heaven, I'll face him myself! I'll
make him act, even If I have to damn
him to his face" t-
He swung his horse with jerk to
|
Weir grasped the taut rein firmly.
"It's no use, Brant. It's been done;
we've all been at him. He's simply
lost his head. Know? OF course he
knows. Martini struck us just below
here. as we we're coming in, with a
message from Custer. 1t would have
stirred the blood of anyone but him
oh, God! it's terrible"
"A message? What was it,"
Cook wrote it, and addressed it to
Benteen. 1t read: Come on. Big viii
lage. Be quick. Bring packs. And
then, p. S.-Bring packs That means
they want ammunition badly; they're
fighting to the death out yonder, and
they need powder Oh, the coward!"
Brant's eyes ran down the waiting
line of his own men, sitting their sad
dies beside the halted pack animals.
Il x1ssS|(|E::1