The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1908-03-26

fof heipiH tho younger nan cried I'm.
pulsiyoiy, his voice full Of agony For
Gods sake, Weir, what are you fell
lows waiting here forg"
The other uttered a groar. his hand
nung IN contempt back toward tho
blum summit. "The cowaydly 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 2-skulklng here under cover
while Custer bcgs help? Doesn't tho
man know Doesn't he understand
by heaven. IN face him myself IN
make him act, even II have to damn
him 10 his face
He swung his horse with a jerk 70
the left. but ever. as the spurs touched.
Weir grasped n taut rein firmly.
ITS no use, llrant. ITS 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 were 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?r
Cock wrote u. and addressed It to
Benteen. II read, Come on. Big vii
lage. Be quick. Bring packs. And
then. p. S.-Briny 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.
He leaned over and dropped one hand
heavily on Welr's shoulder. The
rest Of you can do as you please, but
n troop Is going 20 take those ammu-
milton packs to Custer If there's n
possible way 20 get through. orders or
no orders. He Strengthened up Ia the
saddle. and his voice sounded down
the wearied line like the blast Of a
trumpet
Attention, n troopl Right face;
dress. Number four bring forward
the ammunition packs. No. leave the
others where they are; move lively,
mem"
He watched them swing like magic
into formation. their dust-begrimed
faces lighting up with animation. They
knew their officer, and this meant bus
mess.
"Unslins carbines-load,
Weir. the veteran soldier. glanced
down that steady line Of ready troop
ers. and then back to Brant's face.
DO o mean it2 Are you going up
those BLUFFS? Good Heavens. man. II
will mean a courtmartial."
Custer commands the Seventh. l
command the pack-train. said Brant.
His orders are to bring up the packs,
Perhaps / can't get through alone, but
III try. Better a courtmartial than 10
fail those men out there. Going? OF
course I'm going. Into lRe-take In.
tervals forward"
Attention. d troop" II was Wcir's
voice. eager and determined now. Like
an undammed current his orders rams
out above the uproaT. and IN a moment
the gallant troopers Of y and ID. some
IN foot. some In saddle. were rushing
up the face OF the blum. their officers
leading, the precious ammunition
packs It the center. an alike scram.
bling for the summit. IN spite Of the
cracking OF Indian rides from every
side. Painting, breathless from the
hard climb. their ~carbines splitting fire
while the rapidly massing sayages be.
gan circling their exposed position.
the little band fought their way for
ward a hundred yards. Then they
halted. blocked by the numbers bar,
ring their path. glancing back anx.
iously I'm hope that their EFFORT would
encourage others 10 join them. They
could do Il: they could do Il n only
the rest Of the boys would come. They
poured in their volieys aud waited
But Reno made no move. Weir and
Brant. determined to hold every inch
thus gained. threw the dlsmounted
men on their faces behind every pro
lection OF earth. and enclrcled the
ridge with flame. II they could moi
advance. they would not be driven
back. Messenger after messenger
taking life IN hand. was sent Hkurry
ing down the hluh. 90 beg reinforce
ments to push on for the rescue
swearing It was possible. But q va'
after nye o'clock before Reno moved
Then cautiously he advanced his col
umn toward where \ and u troops YET
held desperately 70 the exposed ridge
He came too late. That distant firms
had ceased, ana all need for further
advance had ended Scarcely had ~
Inducements attained the summit be-
fore the torrent of aayagcry burs.
s|ereeching on their front.
From point 20 point the grim strug
gle ragged. til nightiall wrought par
tial cessation. The wearicd trooper
stretched out their lines 80 as 10 pro
toct the packs and the field hospital
threw themselves on the ground, dig
cling rine-pits with knives and ia