Starlight Ranch, and Other Stories of Army Life on the Frontier

ek a march of about twenty-five miles had been made, which is an average d

ets sounded "halt" and "dismount," and in five minutes the horses, unsaddled, were rolling on the springy turf, and then were driven out in herds, each company's by itself, to graze duri

oyment of freedom from harness, were driven out and disposed upon the slopes at a safe distance from the horses. The smokes of little fires began to flo

tain air! Some of the soldiers-old plainsmen-are already prone upon the turf, their heads pillowed on their saddles, their sl

y posted and on the alert. Over at the road there stands a sort of frontier tavern and stage station, at which is a telegraph office, and the colonel has been s

but if your father thought it best that you should wait and start with us, I think it was

ther two days earlier that way? Besides, Farron is determined to go ahead as soon as he has had dinner, and-I don't like to th

ed, Ralph

the course of an hour, just as they had enjoye

Party will meet you there at eight in the

owed this to the colonel who

ank of the Platte to the southeast, and no Indians can cross without its being discovered in

ar off their line to the reservations where they

ry have gone up with General Crook they might be embol

s so loop-holed and fortified at Phillips's that we could stand them

be nearly to Eagle's Nest by the time we get to Phillips's, and you will be at Laramie before the sunset-gun to-morrow. Well, give my regards

wered Ralph, with sparkling eyes.

p with her head on his lap; with Sergeant Wells cantering easily alongside and Ralph and Buford scouting a little distance ahead, the two-h

dians, bent on trapping these wary creatures, had listened in the stillness of the solitudes to the battering of those wonderful tails upon the mud wal

ay the ranch with its out-buildings, corrals, and the peacefully browsing stock around i

ide and took Jessie in his arms and was hugged tight as he kissed her bonny face. Then he and the sergeant shook hands

alo-killing by the Indians many a long year ago. Straight ahead were the stage station, the forage sheds, and the half doze

tion was heavily armed and his mate was only short rifle-shot away. The men waved their hats to Ralph and his soldier comrade,

ng and glad to see them. Captain McCrea had telegraphed twice d

, "and I wired him the moment we sighted you coming down the hill. Come in

r operators were all soldiers detailed for the purpose. Here at "The Chug" the instrument rested on a little table by the loop-hole of a window in the side of the log hut. Opposite it was the soldier's narro

mer war parties of Indians had come prowling up the valley, driving the herders before them; but, having secured all the beef cattl

grown bolder. While most of the Indians were rounding up cattle and scurrying about in the valley, two miles below the ranch, it was noted that two warriors, on their nimble poni

m, on which silver wristlets and bands flashed in th

ently. He took his Springfield rifle out into the fields,

ears, and kicking up the dust around their ponies' heels, until, after a few defiant shouts and such insultin

hot supper after the fifty-mile ride of the day. Afterwards the two traveller

ad never had a hard day's gallop in his life. Sergeant Wells had given him a careful rubbing down while Ralph was at the telegrap

hile they were petting Buford, and stood

e a race against any horse in the cava

He was being led along behind the head-quarters escort to-day. Barring that horse Van, I would ride Buford

nies, Mr. Ralph, cou

r a couple of ponies from Camp Sheridan that ran like a streak, and there was a Minneconjou chief there who had a very fast pony. Some of the young

him. He's pretty and sound and fast, but those Indians

rough chairs on the front porch of the station enjoying their pipes. Ralph had begun to feel a little sleepy, and was ready to turn in when he

and came up to the Chug, and so there was timely warning. Now, they have seen Farron's place up there all by itself. They can easily find out, by hanging around the traders at Red Cloud, who lives there, how many men he has, and about Jessie. Next to surprising and killing a white man in cold blood, those fellows like nothing better than carrying off a white child an

r went on i

Suppose they should push out westward from the reservation, cross the Platte somewhere about Bull

ramie and telegraph you at once

frequent couriers and trains, but they don't keep a lookout for pony tracks. The chances are that their crossing would not be discovered for twenty-four hours or so, and as to the news being wired

. I go in every few minutes and call up Laramie or Fetterman just to feel that all is safe, and stir up Lodge Pole, behind us, to realize that

me from the little cabin the sharp and sudden clicking of the telegraph. "It's

down a message. They saw his eyes dilate and his lips quiver with suppressed excitement. Once, indeed, he made an impulsive rea

ly, nodding up to Ralph, while

ssed lip. His appearance and attitude were that of the soldier who has divined approaching danger and who awaits the order for action. Ralph, who co

to the boy. Ralph's hand was trembling with excitement as he too

ea, Chugwat

e war party going west, this side of Rawhide Butte. My

on Mc

calmly as he could. "That means that they are twenty mile

two days old when seen by the down stage this afternoon. It means that they crossed the stage road, Ralph, but how long ago was that, do you think, a

ce," said Ralph. "It may not be to

g that the Fifth Cavalry be ordered to send forward a troop or two to guard the Chug. But there's no one at the head-quarters this time o' night. Besi

alph, "and I'm not afraid to ask him to think

operator could "get the line." When at last he succeeded i

re reports from Red Cloud that made the commanding officer believe there were some Cheyennes going

htful silence, then Ralph tu

stay here, but it's my belief that Farron shou

'll ride up and spend

ans. I know father