Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1913-04-24
CHAPTER il-Continuec.

CHAPTER ii-Continved.
No, oh. OF course not Nothing
that goes on out here ever drifts east
Of the Missouri Lord, We might as
well be serving q foreign country.
Well, listen: Was at Wsshita then.
and had the story first hand Dussn
~As Q lieutenant in d Troop, out
with his first in-spendent command
scouting along the Canadian He
knew as much about Indians as a COW
does OF mus, One morning the
young idiot let camp with only one
trooper along-Hamlin here-and he
was . rookie to follow up what look
ed like fresh trail Two hours later
they rode slap into a war party. and
the 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 VAS up to
Hamlin You ought to have heard
Duean tell II when he got SO he could
speak Hsmlin dragged the boy down
into . buffalo wallow. shot both
horses. and got behind them. II was
all done In the jerk of q lambs tail.
They had two Henry rifles. and the
rookie kept them both hot He got
some OF the bucks. loo. but Of course.
We never knew how many There
were twenty In the party, and they
charged twice. riding their ponies al
most to the edge OF the wallow. but
Hsmlin had fourteen shots without re-
loading. and they couldn't quite make
II. Dugan said there were nine dead
ponies within a radium Of thirty feet,
Anyhow II was FIVE hours before ID
troop came up. and that's what they
found when they got there-Dugan
laid out. as good as dead. and Hamlin
shot twice. and only ten cartridges
left. He'll" he added disgustedly.
and you never even heard OF 1t 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 | was May | ask" his eyes
first upon one and then the other In.
quiringly, what II was you wanted
OF me?"
Mcdonald drew a long breath
Certainly. sergeant. sit down-yes.
take that chair"
He described the situation In q few
words, and the trooper listened quiet
ly until he was done Travers inter
rupted once. his voice emerging from
a cloud OF smoke. AS the major con-
cluded. Hamlin asked q question or
two gravely
How old is your daughter. sir,"
In her twentieth year"
Have you q picture Of the young
LADY,"
The major crossed over to his Ia
tiGue coat hanging on the wall. and
extracted a small photograph from an
inside pocket
This was taken a year ago." he ex-
plainsd. and was considered Q good
likeness then"
Hamlin took the card In his hands,
plf ID IT upon the table
You figure she ought to leave Rip
ly on the 18TH" he said slowly. Then
l shall need to start at once to make
Dodge In time"
You mean to 90 then? or course.
you realize / have no authority to or
der you on such private service"
That's true. I'm q volunteer. but
Ill ask you for written order just
the same In case my troop command
er should ever object. and I'll need a
fresh horse: | rode mine pretty hard
coming up here"
You shall have the pick Of the
stables. sergeant" interjected 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 require will be
two days rations. and a few more re
volver cartridges. The sooner I'm on
the better
II he heard Trayers' attempt At
conversation as the two stumbled to
gesher down the dark hill. he paid
small attention. At the stables. aided
by a smoky lantern. he picked out
tough-looking buckskin mustang. with
IN evil eye: and using his own saddle
aad bride. he finally led the half brok.
- animal outside.
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