Mower County transcript., 1907-08-21
CHAPTER ~.
On the Naked Plain,

CHAPTER ~.
On the Naked Plain.
It was 218 miles, as the crow flies,
| between old Fort Bethune and the
! rock ford crossing the Bear Water,
every foot of that dreary, treeless
distance Indian-haunted, the favorite
skulking place and hunting ground of
the restless Sioux. Winter and sum-
mer this wide expanse had to be sus-
piciously patroled by numerous mill
tary scouting parties, anxious to learn
more regarding the uncertain where
abouts of wandering bands and the
| purposes of malcontents.
One such company, composed of a
dozen mounted infantrymen, accom-
panied by three Cree trailers, rode
slowly and wearily across the brown
exposed uplands down into the longer,
greener grass of the wide valley bot
tom, until they emerged upon barely
perceptible trail which wound away in
snake-like twistings, toward those
high, barren hills whose blue masses
were darkly silhouetted against the
! western sky. The animals moved
steadily forward, reluctant and weary,
their heads dropping dejectedly, their
! distended nostri1s red and Quivering,
the oily perspiration streaking their
busted sides. The tired men, half
blinded by the glare, lolled heavily in
their deep cavalry saddles with en-.
crusted eyes staring moodily ahead.
Riding alone, and slightly in ad-
vance of the main body, his mount
rangy, broad-chested roam, streaked
with alkaM dust, the dropping head
telling plainly of wearied muscles, was
the officer in command. = He was q
pleasantfaced, stalwart young fellow,
with the trim figure of trained ath-
lete, possessing a square chin smooth
ly shaven, his intelligent blue eyes
half concealed beneath his hat brim,
! which had been drawn low to shade
them from the glare, one hand press
ing upon his saddle holster as he
leaned over to rest. No insignia of
rank served to distinguish him from
those equally dusty fellows plodding
gloomily behind, but broad stripe of
yellow running down the seams of his
trousers, together with his high boots,
bespoke the cavalry service, while the
front of his battered campaign hat
bore the decorations of two crossed
sabers, with gilded '7" prominent
between. His attire was completed by
a coarse blue shirt, unbottoned at the
throat, about which had been loosely
knotted a darker colored- silk handker-
chief, and across the back of the sad:
die was fastened a uniform jacket, the
single shoulder strap revealed pre-
senting the plain yellow of second
lieutenant. --.. ~ ~ g.a
Attaining to the summit of slight
knoll, whence somewhat wider vista
lay outspread, he partially turned his
face toward the men struggling along
in the rear, while his hand swept
across the dreary scene.
If that line of trees over yonder
indicates the course of the Bear Wa
ter, Carson" he questioned quietly.
where are we expected to hit the trail
leading down to the ford?"
The sergeant, thus addressed, lit
tie stocky fellow wearing a closely
clipped gray moustache, spurred his
exhausted horse into brief trot, and
drew up short by the officers side his
heavy eyes scanning the vague dis
tance, even while his right hand was
uplifted in perfunctory salute
There's no trail know about along
this bank, sir" he replied respectfully,
"but the big cottonwood with the dead
branch forking out at the top is the
ford guide"
They rode down in moody silence
into the next depression, and began
wearily climbing the long hill opposite,
apparently the last before coming di- !
rectly down the banks of the stream.
AS his barely moving horse topped the
uneven summit, the lieutenant sudden
ly drew in his rein, and uttering an
exclamation of surprise bent forward
staring intently down in his immedi-
ate front For a single instant he ap-
peared to doubt the evidence of his
own eyes; then he swung hastily from
out the saddle, all WEAKNESS forgotten.
my Godp he cried, sharply, his
eyes suspiciously sweeping the bare
slope. There are two bodies lying
hereWhite people!"
They lay all doubled up in the coarse
grass, exactly as they had fallen, the
man resting face downward, the
slender figure Of the girl clasped vice
like in his arms, with her, tightly
closed eyes upturned toward the glar-
Ing sun. Never once questioning but
that he was confronting the closing
scene Of . grewsome tragedy, the thor
soughly aroused lieutenant dropped 4
upon his knees beside them. his eyes