Year: 1874

saw, they started over the divide and were
out OF sight at once. The cavalry contin-
ucd on, however, to the spot where the In
dlans were first seen, but it was not con-
sldercd prudent to chase them any further
and leave the train without all of it's escort,
as this move on the part of the Indians
VINO could no longer be seen, might only
pc 11tSc to draw a portion of the troops
away, while another war party could dash
IN and stampede the mules, and cut off
some OF the wagons, the sand hills on the
river being peculiarly favorable to such
strategy.


SO after reaching the high sand knoll
from which the Indians had been watch
ing the train, the squadron halted, and
there discovered the first link in the chain
OF mystery that surrounded the fate of
Mcdonald and Davis


In a little ravine under clump of box
elders, three roughly made graves were
found, which the men tore open, and
resurrected the bodies of three Arrapahoe
warriors wrapped in heavily porcupined
buffalo robes and red blankets.


The war paint was still fresh on their
faces. and their raw-hide shields We're ly-
ING on their breasts. their bows, arrows,
and redStone pipes were found at their
sides, and around the neck of one was a
string of polished wo.t teeth ornamented
with the rattles Of the rattlesnake.


Bullet holes through the bodies OF two
OF the Indians. and one through the neck
of the other plainly told how they had
found their DEATH but by whose hand and
where and why were they left there among
the barren sand hillso


The trail of large war party was dis
covered u few rods off, leading from the
north. and their moccasin tracks showed
they had rested there, and that fact with
other well understood signs connected the
death OF the Indians buried there. with
the death Of Mcdonald and Davis, and
that their bones were bleaching some
where between the Cimmaron and the Ar
kansas.


The dead Indians We're stripped of their
trinkcts, hllrriedly rolled back in their
holes. and the cavalry rode back to the
river where they found the men cutting
the ice, and the train ready to cross.
A new interest was now awakened
among the command. and every man was
untring in his efforts to find ont something
more definite in relation to the death of
the missing s'ScoutS,' the whole country
within protecting distance of the train
was carefully hunted over as they moved
along. but another day passed away with
out any further clue.


On the afternoon of the second day after
leaving the Cimmaron. as the train was
nearing Mulberry Greek, twelve miles
from Fort Dodge. further evidence was
discovered.


The commanding officer was riding
along in advance Of the column, intently
watching q large pack Of gray wolves on
the left of the TRAIL that had been fiji CHIT
ened out of the bush by an erratic trooper.
and were scampering over the prairie with
all the dogs of the train in full pursuit,
when suddenly his meditations were inter-
rupted by young lieutenant who came
galloping up to him, holding in his hand
part of a new pair of pantaloons that had
been saturated with blood but which was
now dry, and said:


''Maior, one Of my men found this piece
of pantaloons near the creek and | think
from its appearance. it has a story if we
can read it, that will tell us something
more about the fate of Mcdonald and
Davis Had we not better caml, at this
place, there is plenty Of water and wood,
and look around here?@


The major scanned the bloody cloth Il
moment and replied; "Evidently those
pantaloons have been torn from their own
cr they We're never taken off in the usual
manner, You can see that, for they are still
buttoned, and | imagine the Indians and
Coyotes have had something to do with it,
| was Just wondering what so many
wolves pointing to the pack in the dis
tance-''wepe doing here, but now they
only confirm your suspicious, and believe
myself, we shall find out something here
either in regard to the two ''Scouts" or
some one else who has been murdered by
the Indians. You may stop the train and
we will 90 into camp on this creek it is
early yet, and perhaps we can find out all
about the matter before dark A soon as
the men get their dinner will order every
one who can leave safely to search thor
oughly up and down the creek"


The lieutenant rode back. stopped the
train, and the command went into camp
and cooked their dinners rs quickly as
possible, in order to get all the daylight
they could to learn something more about
the death of Mcdonald and Davis.


As soon as dinner was over, the guards
posted and the mules and horses picketed
near the wagons, several details were
made to hunt through the brush in the
creek bottom, and Il part Of the cavalry
We're sent on the open prairie to find out
ifpossible the secret of the bloody trousers.


In about halt an hour after all the de-
tails had lett the camp, one of the cavalry
soldiers returned, rode up to the group of
officers who We're smoking their pipes
round blazing fire of old logs near the
bank of the creek, and told them that
some Of tho infantry had found two dead
4 a
bottom; ''the letters have been torn open
said he. land are scattered all over the
grcund. here is one picked up"-hand-
ing it to the adiutant who stood there
''Signed by Colonel Crosby; three or four
of the men appear to know the horses,
and say they are the same ones that Me
Donald and DAVIS rode away from Camp
Supply; they are nearly eaten up by the
wolves, but ] guess there is enough of
their skin left to tell what color they are"


'In which direction said the adiutant,
cup or down the stream?"


Sup the creek, he replied. "You see
that dead cottonwood ?" pointing to the
tree whose top could Just be seen above
the banks of the creek less than an eighth
of a mile away. "Well there is y little
open spot right near that tree, and two or
| tllfee rouS up tlle creek Ifonl IL. are tnt
horses in the brush, you can't miss it be
cause a good many of the men are stand
ING round there.


The soldier rode up the creek to Join the
rest Of the cavalry. and all of the officers
who were not on duty ordered their
horses, and started for the ;'dead cotton
wood"


In 4 few minutes they reached the place
indicated and found the commanding of1i-
Ger and about twenty of the men there
already


Two horses with the flesh partially
eaten off their bones were lying close to
the water in & thicket of hazel, and u can
vass mail bag fastened to an overhangng
limb was dragging in the stream where it
had evidently caught in an attempt to
| throw it in.


The contents q the bag were strewed