Cavalier County farmers press. (Langdon, N.D.) 1920-1921, 1920-12-23

mind began to arouse from blank
stupor. His attention was attracted
by the approach of a horseman trot-
ing steadily up the deserted street TO-
ward the hotel. The rider was a cav
airy soldier in uniform. powdered
with dust. his horse showing evidences
of hard travel.
Shelby watched his coming curious
ly, his memory still lingering upon the
scene within. The man drew up at
the hotel. dropped his rein over he
horses head, swung stiffly to the
ground and advanced up the steps.
He glanced aside at Shelby's motion
less figure, took a step toward the
door and then wheeled suddenly.
Say, amt your lame Shelby?'
The dazed bridegroom turned and
looked into the face confronting him.
his mind swapping back into quick
recognition.
"Sure. Well, thunder, you're Shau.
Messy of the Sixth. What're you do.
ing here?"
The two clasped hands firmly.
Thought / knew you, Tom, when
l hrst came up the steps, but wasn't
quite sure till I got a side view. Must
be six years since you left us, amt it?
What am / doing? Oh, they've showed
us up here from Arizona and I've been
up at the Reservation watchin' 'em
ghost-dance an am headin' now for
Collins to tell the old man the news.
Some fun gOin' to be pulled off pres
ently.'
! You mean the Sioux are goin' on
rampage ag'in?"
"Sure thing, unless I miss my guess,
an reckon I ought to know Injuns
BY this time. It'll either come this
fall or next spring. I figure they'll
never hold in over winter. or Sittin'
Bull has got the game in his hands
an you know that Of devil, I reckon"
Wy" reason to. Any troops up
there?" -
NO; the Injun agent don't believe
there's gOin' to be any trouble: saws
It's just a few young bucks who are
ra!sin HI. He don't know what is
! goin' on. But ] been among 'em an
the whole outfit is blood-mad. een
two of their ghost-dances myself back
in the hills an tell you they mean
business. You livfT here nGW?:"
NO, out on the Cottonwood"
"What-north? Say. old man. that
amt goin' to be no healthy place fer
a white, if those devils break loose;
they'll make that country sure, Got
much of an OUTFIT IS aa2ss sgr.3s.
"A bunch Of cattle an two herders."
Not enough to put up a fight. Well,
If was You, Tom. I'd run those cows
over into the Bad Lands an lie out
there awhile. Well get the Injuns, Of
course: but there is bound to be some
KILN first. unless Pm crazy. I've got
to go in and get something to eat"
He started to turn away. but Shelby
halted him with a question.
HOW long you been in the army,
Pete?"
"Twenty-two years"
And with the Sixth cava1ry?"
"Fifteen." ~~ r~ "A ses.sasas , ExsaasE ;a
DID you ever know a sergeant
named Calkins?" ~---, j.
Jeff Calkins: he was my first ton
after | Joined; he left the service
Dout ten years ago. There was a
stootin' scrape or somethin' down at
Harker. Sorter ugly story. though I've
forgotten just what it was all about
now fD1Einc ont ,,t -, +J,. ~, ~.
onf when his enlistment was up he
quit: he didn't get on good with the
men. Do you know whatever become
of the or HNtfer?"
He was buried here Yesterday
killed himself: left a daughter 'bout
nineteen" 90.
The HI he did, Jeff Calkins new.
er was married not before he left the
army. anyhow. | know because 7
bunked with him nearly two wears an
he told me 4 lot about himself. He
wasn't no lady's man at all. Saw,
what the devil is goin' on here?"
There's been Il wedding" Shelby
started to explain. but the outtlowing
throng cut his sentence in two and
the startled soldier. stepping back to
get out of the way. was instantly
swept aside, while the gang poured
forth between. separating the two
completely. The bridegroom found
himself once more the center of fer
vent congratulations and only escaped
by pushing a passage down the steps
to where his outfit waited for depar-
ture. Some moments later she Joined
him. accompanied by her b%odyguard.
wearing a long luSfer which almost
reached the ground and a close-ftting
cap pulled down over her smooth hair.
He silently helped her into the seat
Of the blackboard. joining her grimly
and gathering up the reins in his fin
gers.
Now. then" he called, "a couple
OF you unite those brutes and lump.
They're bad starters"
The broncos amply justified his pre-
diction and the party went tearing
down the main street, pursued by yells
or enjoyment and cat-hoWls of deri-