Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-05-18
A Reversal
By SAMUEL E. BRANT
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

A Iar nalreQ, Oiue eyeu young OWcer
Of the United States army knelt in q
narrow canyon in the far west. Before
him was an improvised fort about the
size of those made by boys out of
snow, though Lieutenant OsbOrne's
redoubt was composed Of loose stones
gathered from the dry bed of creek
in which it was located. In its center
an opening had been left. through
which protruded the muzzle Of the
officers rifle, the butt Of which rested
against his shoulder.
There was no sound save the rustic
of the leaves Of the trees, no motion
save a slight swaying Of the branches
and the hopping about Of a chipmunk
which finally stopped on limb, sat
upon its launches. looked at Osborne
out of the side Of its head with one of
its bright little eyes and seemed to
say:
what are you doing there?"
This was what the lieutenant was
doing there: He was one Of the garri-
son Of fort not many miles distant.
Rosa Hammond, who had been visit
ing her married sister. had that day
left the fort to return to the east. o.
borne had the evening before offered
her his heart and hand. Not being Ger
tain OF her feelings for him-she was
conscientious girl-she had taken the
benefit Of the doubt and refused him.
Her refusal did not make any differ.
ence in her lovers feelings for her.
He had his doubts as to the safety of
her Journey to the railroad terminal.
Rumors were current that Indians
whom the garrison was intended to
keep in order were meditating rebel
lion. Rebellion meant murder and
scalps. The colonel commanding pooh.
poohed. Nevertheless on the morning
Of Miss Hammond's departure Osborne
arose long before reveille. took his RI
fle and a belt Of ammunition, mounted
his horse and started alone to act as
a skirmish line over the route the girl
he loved would pass. She was to trav.
el in an ambulance with an escort of
half dozen mounted outriders and to
start at o'clock in the morning.
Osborne had ridden over the route
Miss Hammond was to travel along q
ridge looking down on to the plains.
Not caring to put too great a distance
between himself and the ambulance, he
turned to ride back when below on
the open ground he saw band Of not
less than fifty warriors huddled to.
gether looking up at the ridge on
which be stood. but at point between
him and the fort. With the quick in
stjnct Of one used to such life. he in
ferred ut once that they were looking
at the ambulance containing what was
Clearer to bin than his life.
Osborne was peering through foliage
and consequently Invisible to the In
dams. As he looked they dashed off:
making straight for the mouth Of a
canyon leading from the plain up to
the ridge, their purpose evidently be-
ing to come up through the canyon and
ambush the party with the ambulance
when IL ca me along. Osborne hesitat-
ed for a moment between two plans.
Should he ride back and warn the par
ty, or should be 60 down the canyon,
fortify himself In q narrow gorge and
delay the Indians till the party had
passed? A move Of the Indians decid.
ed him. A dozen or more bucks broke
away from the body Of the savages
aud rode toward the mouth Of can
yon leading up to the rear Of the trav.
elers Osborne dismounted and tied
bis horse to q tree. He could not use
the animal in the canyon. and when the
travellers came along the horse would
serve a. a warning to them. Then the
lieutena Mt dropped down into the can
yon.
The route up the canyon from its
mouth was difficult. and. though the
distance was not great. the Indians
made slow progress. The point chosen
for the tmprovised fortress command
ed an open space widening downward.
Hearing the breaking Of underbrush
at the fart her end Of the open, (kbornc
put himself on the alert and when a
redskin broke through fired. Tbe buck
pitched forward Oh bis face. Two OF
three more Indians broke into the open
At brief intervals. and Osborne dropped
every one Of them ~ he appeared.
Indians are not prone to lighting
what they have no knowledge Of. and
not another one Of them came into the
open. They were reconDoiterin9 the
toy fort with one man In It, though
they could not gee the man. and be
might be one or dozen. besides more
to come.
It was about this time that the am
bulance approached the point where
the young officer had taken to the
canyon The first ef this second Sc
RES Of shots came up to the travellers.
The driver drew rein. One OF the es'
cort rode ahead. saw and recognized
Osborne's horse. Riding back. be
rallied to the other armed men:
For heavens sake. come! Lleuten
ant Osborne Is down there lighting"
Osborne had dropped several Of the
redskins. who were trying to divide