The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1912-03-15
p I.
The PIainsman.

8ImfnIL OF LUt Ilu6t, OCNoptOh"NF -
lifting his head SO as to gaze across
the crest. shading his eyes with one
hand. to thus better concentrate his
vision. Both horse and rider plainly
exhibited signs OF WEAKNESS, Jut
every movement Of the latter showed
ceaseless vigilance. his glance roam
ing the barren ridges, a brown wan
chester lying cooked across the saddle
polnmel. 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 a
brief trot under the impetus or the
spur.
The rider was a man approaching
thirty, somewhat slender and lonS or
limb. but possessing broad. squared
shoulders above a deep chest. sitting
the saddle easily In plaiDsman fash-
ion, yet with an e%rectness Of carriage
which suggested military training
The face under the wide brim or the
weather-worn SLOUGH hat was clean
shaven. Drowned by sun and wind,
and strongly marked, the chin slight
ly prominent, the mouth firm. b gray
eyes full Of character and daring. His
dress was that of rough service, plain
leather chaps" showing marks or
hard usage a gray WOODEN shirt turn
ed low at the neck. with a kerchief
knotted loosely about the sineWy
bronzed throat. At II hip danS!ed
the holster of a ~'forty-fve," on the
other hung a canvas-covered canteen.
His was figure and face to be noted
anywhere, a man from whom o
would expect both thought and action.
and one who seemed to exactly ft
into his wild environment.
Where he rode was the YER west
ern extreme of the prairie country.
billowed like the sea. and from of the
crest Of its 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 un-
doubtedly southwark leading toward
the valley Of the Arkansas. yet irregu-
lar ridges occasionally cut across,
adding to the confusion. The entire
surrounding landscape presented the
M aspect, with no special object
upon which the eye could rest for
gu~idance-no tree, no upheaval OF
rock. no popularity of summit, no
sn2ke-like trail-all about extended
the same dull, dead monotony of
brown. sun-baked hills, with slightly
greener depressions lying between,
interpreted 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, hating 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 patting the horses
neck.
Il reckon we're still alone, old girl"
he said quietly, a bit Of Southern
drawl in the voice. Wen try for
the trail. and take 1t easy"
He swung stinly out of the saddle.
and with reins dangling over hts
shoulder, began the slower advance
on foot. the exhausted horse trailing
behind. His a not a situation In
which n 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.
II 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 Braxos. either restless or openly
On the war-path. Rumors Of atrocities
were being retold the length and
breadth ~ the border. and every re-
port drifting In to either fort or set
tlemeat only added to the alarm. For
once at least the Plains Indians had
discovered . common cause. tribal diff.
0Drences had been adjusted In war
against the white invaders, and Kio-
was. Comanches. Arapahoes. Chey-
snnss and Sioux had become welded
tegether In savage brotherhood. To
oppose them were the scattered and
unorGanixed settlers lining the moro
eastern streams. guarded by small de-
tachments Of regular troops posted
here and there amid that broad will.
derness. scarcely within touch Of each
ether.
Everywhere beyond these limos Of
satrol wandered roaming war parties,