The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-07-18
it-continued.

CHAPTER it-continued.
No! On, OF course lot. Nothing
hat goes on out here ever drifts east
II the Missouri. Lord! We might as
we'll be serving a foreign country.
Well, listen: ! was at Washita then,
and had the story first hand. Dugan
q lieutenant IN ID Troop, out
with his first independent command
scouting along the Canadian. He
knew as much about Indians as a COW
Toes OF music. One morning the
young idiot left camp with only one
..rooper along-Ham'in here-and he
was a rookie to follow UP what look
I'd like a fresh trail. Two hours later
hey rode slap into n war party, and
he fracas was on. Dugan got a ball
through the body at the first fire that
paralyzed him. He was conscious, but
couldn't move. The rest was up to
Hamlin. You ought to have heard
Dugan tell it when he got SO he could
speak. Hamlin dragged the boy down
into a buffalo wallow, shot both
horses, and got behind them. 1t was
all done in the jerk Of a lambs tail.
They had two Henry rifles, and the
rookie kept them both hot. He got
we never knew how many. There
we're twenty in the party, and th1v
charged twice, riding their ponies al
most to the edge Of the wallow, but
Hamlin had fourteen shots without re-
loading, and they couldn't quite make
t. Dugan said there were nine dead
ponies within a radium of thirty feet.
Anyhow 1t was five hours before ID
troop came up, and that's what they
found when they got there-Dugan
laid out, as good Is dead, and Hamlin
shot twice, and only ten cartridges
left. HE'LL" he added disgustedly.
and you never even heard Of it east
Of the Missouri"
There was a flush of color on the
sergeant's cheeks, but he never NOV
ed.
There was nothing else to do but
what / did," he explained simply. ANY
OF the fellows would have done the
same II they had been up against II
the way l was. May | ask" his eyes
first upon one and then the other in
quiringly. what it was you wanted
of me?"
Mcdonald drew q long breath.
Certainly, sergeant, sit down-yes
take that chair"
He described the situation in a few
words. and the trooper listened quiet
sty until he was done. Travers inter
rupted once, his voice emerging from
I cloud OF smoke. AS the major con
cluded. Hamlin asked q question OF
two gravely.
How old is your daughter. SIR"
In her twentieth year"
Have you a picture of the young
LADY,"
The major crossed over to his ia
tigue coat hanging on the wall, ant
extracted a small photograph from ar
inside pocket.
This was taken a year ago." he ex
planned. land was considered a gooC
likeness then"
Hamlin took the card in his hands
studied the face a moment. and thel
placed it upon the table.
You figure she ought to leave Rip
" on the 18TH" he said slowly. Their
shall need to start at once to make
Dodge In time"
"You mean to 60 then? OF course
you realize l have no authority to or
der you on such private service"
That's true. I'm q volunteer, but
I'll ask you for a written order just
the same In case my troop command
er should aver object. and I'll need
fresh horse: l rode mine pretty hard
coming up here"
"You shall have the pick OF the
stables, sergeant" interjectod the cav
airy captain. knocking the ashes
from his pipe. Anything else? Have
you had rest enough"
-Four hours" and the sergeant
stood up again. All l require will be
two days rations. and q few mor re
volver cartridges. The sooner I'm on
the better"
It he heard Travers' attempt al
conversation as the two stumbled to
gether down the dark hill. he paid
small attention. At the stables, aided
BY q smoky lantern, he picked out 9
tough-looking buckskin mustang. with
m evil eye; and, using his " saddle
and bride, he finally led the half-brok'
o. animal outside.
That buckskin's the devils own