Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-27
The VANGUARD
ATALE OF THE OLD FRONTIER
BY Edgar Beecher Bronson
Author "Reminiscences Of 1.-THE Red 5oodeo,"
In Territory"
1 Fifth Ave, New York City
A TALE OF THE OLD FRONTIER
BY Edgar Beecher Bronson
CHAPTER vI.--(Continued.)

(CHAPTER Vl.-(COntlnued.)
No sooner did Fountain realize the
mixed lot of harm and help the horse
had handed him. than, quickly reload
ing, he painfully dragged himself with
in reach of Arollo, firing at random as
he advanced to keep the enemy under
cover, and seized his mate and drew
him beneath the shelter. Aroilo had
fanted from loss of blood.
There beside his unconscious com
panion sat Fountain, his pain-racked
frame backed by the rear wall OF the
recess, weakening fast of his wounds
but struggling manfully to resist loss
OF consciousness from which he We'll
knew there was small chance OF ava
kening.
Nor was his desperate fight to main
tcin an alert guard against surprise
without reward Twice, at long inter
walls, encouraged by the unbroken 81
lence of their quarry, slender SHADOW
came slowly worming along toward
the entrance and both finished alike.
as an added barricade of his front.
At last toward morning, When near
Ing lapse into that Indifference to con-
sequences of which the freezing per-
nit themselves to fall asleep, Foun'
tain's ear caught distant sound.
Could it be? Yes, it could be nothing
but the rhythmic beat Of the hoofs OF
a troop OF cavalry, advancing at
sharp trot and in close column.
Heard for a moment during the
brief passage of dry watercourse,
he nevertheless could not be nlistak-
en-: the loose order OF no movement
of mounted Indians could so nearly du-
plicate that sound as to deceive
trained ears.
Silence ensued for no more than five
minutes, perhaps, although 1t seemed
to him five years, and then again ne
heard the sound plainer-nearer.
Was their approach accident! or
had they rightly marked down his po-
sition by the firing? Surely not the
latter, as for more than two hours the
silence Of the dead that lay In front
of the recess had reigned around MIN.
He must take no chances on his own
account or theirs. The troop must be
ignorant of the presence OF the two
score or more Navajos, who lay IN am
bush around him and near to the line
of march along which they were ad'
vancing. He must warn them.
Three times he fred his plstoi al
five seconds intervals; waited ten sec
onds and then fred three times; again
with Ave second internlissions, in the
hope the regularity Of the fire would
be recognized by them as signal OF
soldiers in distress.
And that 1t was so recognized ne
soon had evidence, for again the still
ness of the night was broken by the
sound of hoofs, now crashing at a gal.
lop across another ribbon of single.
From above and to right and left OF
him he now heard the sibilant hiss OF
soft Navajo voices counciling IN 10"
tones for a. few seconds; then, he
thought, the faint rustic Of movement
all around him, intangible as a flight
of spirits; then the beat Of the hoofs
of Indian ponies, racing away to the
north. Then again and for the last
time, the rhythmic thunder OF gallop-
ing cavalry.
With his last remaining wisp of will,
Fountain once more pulled the trigger
of his pistol and then dropped uncon-
scious across the body Of Arollo, not
to awaken until the scouting troop
that was bringing them in was nearing
Fort McRae.