River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1911-07-20
CHAPTER !.
The PIainsnan.


vision. Both horse and rider plainly
exhibited signs of WEAKNESS, but
every movement of the latter showed
ceaseless vigilance, his glance roam
ing tae barren ridges, a brown Win
chester lying cooked across the saddle
pommel his left hand taut on the
rein. Yet the horse he bestrode
scarcely required restraint, advancing
slowly, with head hanging low, and
only occasionally breaking into
brief trot under the impetus of the
spur.
The rider was a man approaching
thirty, somewhat slender and long OF
limb, but possessing broad, squared
shoulders above deep chest. sitting
the saddle easily in plainsman fash
ion. yet with an erectness of carriage
which suggested military training.
The face under the wide brim of the
weather-worn SLOUGH hat was clean
shaven, Drowned by sun and wind,
and strongly marked, the chin slight
~ prominent. the mouth firm, the gray
eyes full of character and daring. His
dress was that of rough service, plain
leather chaps" showing marks of
hard usage, gray wooden shirt turn
ed low at the neck, with a kerchief
knotted loosely about the sinewy
bronzed throat. At one hip dangled
the holster of a "forty-five," on the
other hung a canvas-covered canteen.
His was figure and face to be noted
anywhere, a man from whom you
would expect both thought and action,
and one who seemed to exactly fit
into his wild environment
Where he rode was the very west
ern extreme Of the prairie country,
beloved like the sea, and from off the
crest of it's higher ridges, the wide
level sweep of the plains was visible.
extending like a vast brown ocean to
the foothills of the far-away noun
tains Yet the actual commencement
of that drear, barren eXpanse was
fully ten miles distant, while all
about where he rode the conformation
was irregular, comprising narrow val
leys and swelling mounds. with here
and there a sharp ravine, riven from
the rock and invisible until one drew
up startled at its very brink. The
general trend of depression was IN
doubtedly southwark leading toward
lar ridges occasionally cut across,
adding to the confusion. The entire
surrounding landscape presented the
same aspect, with no special object
upon which the eye could rest for
guidance-no tree, no upheaval of
rock, no popularity of summit, no
snake-like trail-all about extended
the same dull, dead monotony of
brown, sun-baked hills, with slightly
greener depressions lying between.
interspersed by patches of sand or the
white CLEAN of alkali. 1t was a
dreary, deserted land, parched under
the hot summer sun, frightened by no
vegetation, excepting sparse punches
of buffalo grass or an occasional
stunted sage bush, and disclosing no.
where the slightest sign of human
habitatiOn
The rising sun Redeemed the crest
of the hills, and the rider, halting lis
willing horse, sat motionless, gazing
steadily into the southwest Appar
emily he perceived nothing there un-
usual, for he slowly turned his body
about in the saddle. sweeping his
eyes. inch by inch, along the line of
the horizon, until the entire circuit
had been completed Then his com
pressed lips smiled slightly, his hand
unconsciously pattinC the horses
neck.
Il reckon we're still alone, old girl"
he said quietly, bit of Southern
drawl in the voice. Wen try for
the trail and take it easy"
He swung stif1y out of the saddle
and with reins dangling over his
shoulder, began the slower advance
on foot, the exhausted horse trailing
behind. His was not a situation in
which one could feel certain of safety.
for any ridge might conceal the wary
foemen he sought to avoid, yet he pro-
ceeded now with renewed confidence
1t was the summer of 1868, and the
place the very heart of the Indian
country. with every separate tribe
ranging between the Yellowstone and
the BraZos, either restless or openly
on the war-path. Rumors of atrocities
were being retold the length and
breadth of the border, and every re-
port drifting in to either fort or set.
Element only added to the alarm. For
once at least the Plains Indians had
discovered a common cause, tribal diff
ferences had been adjusted in war
against the white invaders, and Kio-
was. Comanches. Arapahoes. Chey-
enneS and Sioux had become welded
together in savage brotherhood. To
oppose them were the scattered and
unorganized settlers lining the more
eastern streams. guarded by small de-
tachments of regular troops posted
here and there amid that 'oad will
derness, scarcely within toucn of each
other
Everywhere beyond these lines of
patrol wandered roaming war parties.
attacking travellers on the trails. raid
ing exposed settlements, and occa-
sionally venturing to try open battle
with the small squads of armed men.
In this stress Of sudden emergency
every available soldier on active duty
civilians had been pressed into serv-
ice. and hastily despatched to warn
exposed settlers, guide wagon trains.
or carry dispatches between outposts
And thus our rider. Jack Keith, who
knew every foot of the plains lying
between the Republican and the Can
adam rivers, was one of these thus
S,1Cdon1u rn0l1icifiopod ,ooraIv he