Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-09-13
CHAPTER I.
The Little Major.

YES major"
It was a dreamy, sunshiny after
noon early in June. A soft haze hung
over the bluffs, outlined like dim pur-
pie silhouettes against the pale-blue
sky, and enveloped the long stretch
Of plain below, barren Of all vegeta-
ton save the bunch grasses, artemisia
and cacti.
The lovely day seemed to have cast
its languorous spell over the inhab-
itants Of the enclosure known as Fort
Terry, with it's groups of white build
ings and its surrounding picket fence,
cordoned by hlue-coated sentries.
Over at their quarters many Of the
men were browsing in the afternoon
sunshine, taking advantage Of the alb
sence of the colonel, who was away
from the fort. having gone with al
small escort OF picked men to meet
the coach from Helena which was ex-
pected to arrive that afternoon or
evening. The senior captain, who was
left in comand, was an easy-going fell
low, not nearly so strict a martinez
the horses were doing, with dropped
heads and lazily switching tails.
Almost the only sign of activity
about the place was the corporal OF
the guard and his party, as they went
their round relieving the sentries.
These latter were more numerous
than usual, and they had received or
ders to exercise the utmost vigilance,
as rumors had reached the fort that
the Brules in the neighboring reserva-
ton were meditating an outbreak.
This report had worried Colonel
Gray not a little, and with his knowl-
edge Of Indian superstitions, there
was one thing that greatly inclined
him to give credence to 1t. Two
nights before that beautiful phenome-
ma known as Northern Lights had ap-
peared family in the sky. The colo
mel remembered vividly that when
the comet sailed oyer the hills few
years previous, the Ogallallas had
been commanded by their great med
icine man to go upon the war-path,
and they had done so, burning the
forts and scattering death and de-
struction down the Wyoming valleys
Now it was more than probable
that something Of the same sort
would happen among the Brules; for
II was a most unusual thing for the
aurora to appear in the Montana
heavens at that time of the year, and
the reds would almost undoubtedly
believe that the appearance of the
lights was for the sole purpose of
showing them where to find their en-
emies.
There was little danger, however,
Of the garrison being attacked by day.
light, as the Indians much preferred
darkness for such operations. But 1t
was quite possible that the coach
might be assailed in one Of the gloomy
ravines through which it would be
obliged to pass. After mature delib-
Grafton, therefore, Colonel Gray de-
termined to sally forth to meet 1t,
and, as events turned out, this was
an exceedingly fortunate move on his
part.
We have said that with the eXcep-
tion Of the sentries on guard and
those soldiers who were in the act
of relieving them, those within Fort
Terry were in state Of semi-somno-
lence; but there was another glaring
exception to this rule, and that excep-
ton was embraced in the person of
the one addressed by the corporal Of
the guard as major.
Most certainly this one had escap-
ed the general drowsiness, for no one
could be more wide-awake and alert
than. But first we must give a
few words Of explanation.
Any one who had heard the title
of major. without seeing the person to
whom it was addressed, would prob
ably have pictured to himself big.
bluff, red-faced officer, and would
have been intensely surprised, at
turning, to see a slim girl of almost
fairy-like proportions. with bright,
laughing blue eyes, and a soldiers
cap perched jauntily upon her curly
head.
From the very first moment of her
arrival at the fort, about two years
previous, Dorothy Dunbar, the colo
nels ward, had been a great favorite
with officers and men; and, from the
way in which one and all strove to
obey her slightest behest, she became
universally known by the sobriquet
of "the Little Major"
Captain Dunbar a brave officer,
and highly esteemed friend of Col
onel Gray's had been killed in battle
close to the colonels elbow, and ever
since then, five or six years previous
to the opening Of our story. the colo
mel had taken care of his friends or
phaned daughters, Dorothy and her
elder sister, Florence. and had seen
that they wanted for nothing. He had
sent them to one of the best schools
in the east, and, after their education
was finished, had brought them out
to Montana to be with him. He felt
that his kindness had been repaid. for
they were both lovable girls. and the
colonel, who had a tender heart un-
der his stern exterior, soon grew 10
care for them as much as if they had
been his own flesh and blood.
About six months after their arrival
at the fort. Florence had been mar
ried to DR.. Sidney Sherwood. the chief
surgeon of the regiment. This mar
riage had been a great surprise to lit
tie Dorothy, knowing as she did,
something of certain passages in her
sisters life while yet in the east. She
felt confident that the alliance could
not be one of love on her sisters part.
but Florence seemed to be centented
enough in her new estate, at all events
she never complained. The only cause
for anxiety that Dorothy had was the
state of her sisters health. While not
avootly q confirmed invalid Mrs