The Western news., 1908-06-17
CHAPTER |.

II Nsto lloI OH ullColllluOll tIdStuy VI
the West. If the slightest chronicle of
it survive, it must be discovered
among the musty and nearly forgotten
records of the Eighteenth regiment
of infantry.
Yet tie 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 off the narrow trail until
the precipitous canyon walls finally
halted their disorganized flight, and
from sheer necessity compelled a rally
in hopeless battle. Sixteen-ten in
fantrymen from old Fort Bethune, un-
der command of Sgd. Wyman, a gray
headed sergeant of 80 years continu-
GUS service in the regulars, two cow
punchers from the "XL" ranch, a
stranger who had joined them unin-
vited at the ford over the Bear Water,
together with old Gillis, the post
trader, and his silent chit of a girl
Sixteen-bLt 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, two dying, lay out
stretched in CHASTITY silence where
they fell
Then the taciturn Gillis gave sudden
utterance to sobbing cry, and burst
of red spurtcd across his white beard
as he reeled backward, knocking the
.. girl PROSTATE when he fell Eight
remained, one helpless, one a mere
lass of IS. 1t was the morning of
the third day.
The beginning of the affair had
burst upcn them so suddenly that no
two in that stricken company would
! have told the same tale. None among
them had anticipated trouble.
In all the fancied security of un-
questioned peace these chance travel
ers had slowly toiled along the steer
trail leading toward the foothills. Gil
lis and the girl, as we'll as the two
cattle hcrders, 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 man of uncertain age
smoothly shaven. quietly dressed ir
garments bespeaking an eastern tailor
a bit grizzled of hair along the tenn
1 pies, and possessing a pair of cool
gray eyes. He had introduced him
| self by the name of Hampton. bu
had volunteered no further informa
| tion, nor was it customary in thai
country to question impertinently.
Hampton, through the medium O
easy conversation, early discovered il
the sergeant an intelligent mind, pos
scssing some knowledge of literature
They had been discussing books will
rare enthusiasm, and the former hat
drawn from the concealment of an in
ner pocket diminutive copy of "Tht
Merchant of Venice" from which HI
was reading aloud a disputed passage
wher the faint trail they followed sud
denly dipped into the yawning moutl
of black canyon. 1t was a narrow
gloomy, contracted gorge, a mere gasl
between those towering hills shadow
ing it's depths on either hand. A swif
mountain stream, noisy and clear a
crystal, dashed from rock to rock clos
beside the more northern wall. Will
the ill-defined pathway strewn wit
boulders ard guarded by udnerbrusf
clung to the opposite side, where 10y
scrub trees partially obscured tn
view.
All was silent as death when the
entered, yet they had barely advance
a short hundred PAGES when those al
parently bare rocks in front flame
red, the narrow defile echoed to viii
screeches and became instantly crow
ed with weird, leaping figures. 1t We
like plunge from heaven into he
n Blaine and Endicott sank at the fir
fire, while Wyman's stricken ar
dripped blood. Indeed, under th
sudden shock, he fell. and was bare
rescued by the prompt action of Il
man beside him. Dropping the opent
book and firing madly to left al
= right with revolved which appeart
to spring into his hand as by magi
the latter coolly dragged the faintiI
- soldier across the more exposed spac
. until the two found partial securi
to among mass of loosened rocks little
on ing the base of the precipice tt
others who survived that first score
ing discharge also raced toward tn
lps same shelter, impelled thereto by Il