The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-08-01

theyn endeavor to creep m, and take
US by surprise. It's going to be 9
clear night. and there is small chance
for even an Indian to hide in that buf
falo-grass with the stars shining. They
have got to come up from below, fol
10 buck could climb down this blum
without making a noise. ! don't see
why, with decent luck, we can't hold
out as we are until help gets here;
those fellows who rode away will re-
port at Canon Bluff and send a rider
on to Dodge for help. There ought to
be soldiers out here by noon tomor-
row. What troops are at Dodge now
Only a single company-infantry.'
replied Moyfan gloomily. "All the rest
are out scouting long the Solomon.
Damned il | believe they'll send us a
man. Those two towards will likely
report us all dead-otherwise they
wouldn't have any excuse for runnin'
away-and the commander will satisfy
himself by sendin' a courier to the fel-
lers In the field"
We'll, then" commented the Ser
geant, his eyes cleaning, we've sim
ply got to fight 1t out alone, ! reckon,
and hang on to our last shots. What
do you make Of those redso"
The three men stared for some time
at the distant group over their rifles,
in silence.
They amt all Arapahoes, that's cer
TAIN" said Moylan at last. Some of
EN- are ~Cheyennes. I've seen that
chief before-it's Roman Nose"
The big buck bumped up on the
roam"
That's the one, and he is a bad
actor; saw him once over at Fort
kearney W years ago. Had a coun-
Gil there. Say" in surprise, "ain't
that ar Ogalla Sioux war bonnet bob
bin there to the right, Sergeant"
Hamlin studied the distant feath-
cred head-dress indicated, shading his
eyes with one hand.
Il reckon maybe 1t is Moylan," he
acknowledged at last gravely. Those
fellows have evidently got together:
we're going to have the biggest scrap
this summer the Old army has had yet.
Looks as though it was going to begin
right here-and now. See there! The
dance is IN, boys; there they come;
they will try 1t on foot this time"
He tested his rifle, resting one knee
on the seat; Moylan pushed the bar
rel Of HIS Winchester out through the
rnounI hn1o ~ tho h,ob 80 +Lo ,a-aL
and the little Mexican lay fiat, his
Eyes on the level with the window-cas-
ing. The girl alone remained notion
less, crouchel on the floor, her white
face uplifted.
The entire field stretching to the
river was clear to the view, the short.
dry buffalo-grass offering no conceal
ment. To the right vr the coach, some
fifty feet away, was the only depres-
sion, a shallow gully leading down
from the bluff, but this slight advan.
tage was unavailable. The sun had al
ready dropped from view, and the
gathering twilight distorted the fig
ures, making them almost ~grotesque
in their savagery. Yet they could be
clearly distinguished, stealing silent
~ forward, guns in hand, spreading
out In a wide half-circle, obedient to
the gestures OF Roman Nose, who, still
mounted upon his pony, was ~travers-
Ing the river bank, his every motion
outlined against the dull CLEAN Of wa
ter behind him. From the black
depths Of the coach the three men
watched in almost breathless silence,
gripping their weapons, fascinated.
determined not to waste a shot. Con-
zales, under the strain, uttered a fierce
Spanish curse. but Hamlin crushed his
arm between iron fingers.
Keep still. you fool!" he muttered,
never glancing around. Let your gun
The assailants came creeping on,
rather than men, appearing
less and less human in the increasing
shadows. Twice the Sergeant lifted
Henry. sighting along the brown
barrel, lowering the weapon again in
doubt Of the distance. He was con
scious OF e%xultation, Of a swifter pulse
Of the heart, yet his nerves we're like
steel, his grip steady. Only a dim
fleeting memory Of the girl, half hid
den In the darkness behind, gave him
uneasiness-he could not turn and
look into her eyes. Roman Nose was
now at the center of that
creeping half circle, a hulking figure
on his pony's back, yet well
out of rifle range. He spread his
hands apart. clasping a blanket, look.
ing like a great bird tapping it's wings,
and the ground In front famed, the
red fare splitting the gray gloom. The
speeding bullets crashed through the
leather OF the coach, splintering the
wood; the Mexican rolled to the door,
uttering inhuman cry. and lay mo
tionless: a great volume OF black
smoke wavered In the still air.
Wait! Wait until they get to their
Hamlin cried eagerly. "Ah!
there they come--now unlimber."
He saw only those black, indistinct
figures. leaping out of the smoke, con
verging on the coach, their naked
arms uplifted, their voices mingling ir
savage yells. Like lightning he worked