The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1914-12-22

1atsr, the Colonel. WHO was shout p
seek his bed Was caled out 10
found O man II cttiEans' dreag vita
tho onlcer otsthe day and 4 seminal.
The man US rough. unkempt and
fraggeds He vas hungry end footsoFeI
and exhausted
sWhoS 81 It ane:.whats the newsfsl
queried the co1olsel, tnEno agreeable
frame Of mind.
Its Hobsons sir answered = az
rival. asYhe YEARLY saluted.
.Hohson2 Hobson? Why, you are
the deBerter and have come to give
yourself up. Adjutant, why wasn't
this man sent to the guardhouse in.
stead OF disturbing mef'
"He has news, sir" replied the adj
tutant.
Colonel" said the %deserter. as he
leaned heavily against the veranda OF
the commanders quarters, Tive been
living among the Indians, greasers
and outlaws since I deserted. You
may know that the Sioux are ready
for the war.path, but 1 don't believe
you know that old Concha and 600 war.
riors are hiding along the river over
there and will move on you tonight
It has been planned for days, colonel.
and they'll be here to attack in the
gray OF morning. I've known it for
three days past, but / couldn't get
away to give you warning. I lodged
them tonight. and here ! am and my
news Is straight They'll sweep the
valley clear and then rush the fort.
Now, send me to the guardhouse as
q deserter and get ready for trouble"
There was a moments silence as the
deserter finished. There had been a
ring of truth in his every word, and
no one doubted his news.
"Hobson, you are no coward, and
you will not go to the guardhouse,"
frankly replied the colonel, Is he ex.
tended his hand.
Then men went galloptng down into
the valley to warn the settlers and
bring them in, and the fort prepared
for defense. Orders were issued IN
whispers and men moved about like
shadows. In three hours a breast
work Of boxes, bales Of hay, wagons
and turf covered the most exposed
point and the one most likely to be at
tackled. An hour later every man who
could fire a gun was crouching behind
it and waiting for the expected attack
Sergeant" whispered the deserterl
as the non-com. peered into his face
through the darkness, you said 1 was
a coward"
Eyes, l did"
"And you said that Corporal Shan
ley and all the boys believed me a
coward"
"wel1?"
"well, I'll make you all take it bach
tonight or go to HI tryingl"
Moving with the footsteps of ghosts
and leaving the crickets still singing
behind them, Concha's 500 warriors
left their lurking place under cover Of
darkness and swept up the valley
They found 1t deserted Of human life
but, conscious Of their strength, they
pressed on to the fort. At the first
signs Of daylight they raised a savage
cry and made their rush. But<for the
extemporized breastwork the post
would have been carried off-hand. The
rife fire surprised and checked them
but they were not ranic-stricken
They rushed again and again, and al
length, at one point. half a score O
them broke through. Six OF seven OIL
GERS tried to drive them back with
sword and revolver, and the melee hat
become bloody and furious, when 9
man with dubbed musket dashed in
and cheered as he laid about him. Il
was the deserter. He cheered and he
struck, and he struck and he cheered
and every time the musket stock
crashed down 1t shattered a skull. He
did not fight like a man, but like 9
devil. Almost with his own hands he
killed or drove back such as had sur
mounted the works.
All along the line the hostiles had
had enough. Two hundred Of thefl
number lay dead on the green grass az
Concha gave the word to draw of. and
this heavy loss was to break the pres
tige Of the Sioux chieftatn and make
him beg for lasting peace.
"Hobsonl Hobson! Where is Hob
SOM" called the colonel. as the fight
was over and his heart beat with graft
tude for the man who had brought the
warning.
Here, sir" replied Sergeant Davis
as he pointed to one of the 20 dead
men inside the breastwork-a dead
man with three dead warriors lying
within reach Of his hand.
"And I called that man a coward"
"And SO did I, sir, and SO did we
all. and may God forgive US for it,"
;(copyright. 1914. by Daily Story Pub. oo.)