The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1913-07-24

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"He Is My Soldier and the Man I
Love-"
Send back a courier at once, but
advance cautiously, careful not to ex-
pose yourselves. There is to be no
attack except in surprise, and with
full force. This is important, Major,
as we are doubtless ou%tnumbered, ten
to one. Was there something else,
Sergeant"
II was going to ask about Miss Nc
Donald, sir?"
"Oh, yes; she Is safely on her way
to Camp Supply, under ample guard.
The convoy was to stop IN the CHM
arron, and pick up the frozen SOL
der you left there, and If possible,
find the bodies of the two dead men"
Long before daylight Elliott's adj
vance camp was under arms, the
chilled and sleepy troopers moving
forward through the drifted snow of
the north bank; the wintry wind,
sweeping down the valley, stung their
faces and benumbed their bodies. The
night had been cold and blustery, pro-
ductive Of little comfort to either man
or beast, but hope of early action ami
mated the troopers and made them OBJ
livious to hardship. There was little
grumbling in the ranks, and by day.
break the head Of the long column
came opposite the opening into the
valley wherein Hamlin had overtaken
the fugitives. With Corbin beside
him, the Sergeant spurred his pony
aside, but there was little to see; the
bodies of the dead lay as they had
fallen, black blotches on the snow,
but there were no fresh trails to
show that either Dupont, or any Indi-
an ally, had returned to the spot.
That's evidence enough, Brick"
commented the scout, staring about
warily, that thar wus no permanent
camp over thar" waving his hand to-
ward the crest of the ridge. Them
redskins was on the march, an that
geeZer had ter follow 'em, er else
starve to death. He'd a bin back afore
this, an on yer trail with a bunch o.
young bucks"
From the top Of the ridge they could
look down on the toiling column of
cavalrymen below in the bluff shadow.
and gaze of over the wide expanse of
valley, through which ran the
half-froZen Canadian. Everywhere
stretched the white, wintry d%esolation.
"Whar wus tibet pony herd?"
Hamlin pointed up the valley to the
place where the swerve came in the
stream.
"Just below that point; do you see
where the wind has swept the ground
bare?"
Sure they weren't buffalo?"
"They we're ponies all right, and
herded."
The two men spurred back across
the hills, and made report to Elliott.
There vas 10 hesitancy in that officer.
The leading squadron was instantly
swung into formation as skirmishers,
and sent forward. From river-bank to
crest of bluff they plowed through the
drifts, overcoats strapped behind and
carbines flung forward in readiness for
action, but as they climbed to that
topmost ridge, eager, ~expectant, it was
only to gaze down upon a deserted
camp, trampled snow, and blackened
embers of numerous fires. Hamlin
was the first to scramble down the
steep bluff, dismount, and drag his
trembling horse sliding after. Behind
plunged Corbin and Elliott, anxious to
read the signs, to open the pages Of
this wilderness book. A glance here
and there, a testing of the ~blackened
embers, a few steps along the broad
trail, and these plainsmen knew the
story. The Major strengthened up, his
hand on his horses neck, his eyes
sweeping those barren plains to the
southwark, and then turned to where
his troopers were swarming down the
ibluff.
"Corbin." he said sharply, ride back
to General Custer at top speed. Tell
him we have discovered a Cheyenne
camp here at the mouth Of Buffalo
Creek of not less than a hundred and
fifty warriors, deserted, and not to
exceed t~wenty-four horses. Their trail
leads south toward the Washita- Re-
port that we shall cross the river In
pursuit at once. and keep on eau
tiously until dark. Take q man with