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

rier ridge at the east. Over an hour had passed since Sergeant Wells, o

the sergeant's Springfield carbine, the cavalry arm; but to repel a sudden onset of yelling savages at close quarters it was just the t

to the back of the corral, whence, far up the valley,

ians are surely this side of the Platte, of course we want to know at once; if, on the other hand, you hear they are nowhere wit

until midnight. The light was to be extinguished there as soon as he arrived, as an assurance that all was w

from his carbine at intervals of five seconds; and if they heard that all was safe, he should fire one shot to cal

e signal. Having arrived at this understanding, the sergeant sh

w and thinks no number of Indians could ever get the better of him and his two men. He knows very little of them and is hardly alive to the danger

d up" Laramie. "All quiet," was the reply, and nobody ther

Indians; that the colonel and one or two of his officers had been in the station a while during the evening and had sent messages to Cheyenne and

ends of his were on the guard that night, and he was

uldn't leave the office. There was no telling

he station listen for his call, and would run over to camp for an hour; would be back at half-past ten and sleep by his instr

ell that every officer and every private in that sleeping battalion would turn out eagerly and welcome the twenty-fi

have hesitated to send such a message to his father had he been camped at Lodge Pole, or to his father's comrades in their own regiment, he

his own devices, and once again Ralph and his new friend went ou

, coming out with a bundle of kindling-wood for

ving the boys a little supper, or something, to welcome Jessie ho

self," answered Ralph. "He won't stand fooling, and w

valley, faintly lighted by the moon, all was silence and peace; not even the distant yelp of coyote disturbed the stillness of the night. Not a breath of air was stirring. A light film of c

hinny, and Ralph went in and spoke to him, patting his glossy neck and shoulder. When he ca

r up in the neighborhood of Laramie Peak. He had often been at the fort to sell peltries or

ed, and which looked travel-stained and weary like his master. The news the man brought was worthy of consideration, an

our o'clock this afternoon and could see clear across towards Rawhide Butte, and three smokes went up over there, sure. What startled me," the trapper continued, "was the answer. Not ten miles above where I was there went up a signal smoke from the foot-hills of the

ith Laramie most of the evening. The Black Hills stage coming down reported trail of a big war party out, going west just this side of the Butte, and some of them may have sent up the smoke

l. They'd go in to Eagle's Nest to try and get the stage hor

and his little kid up th

Thought he'd taken

are to signal if we get important news. All you tell me only adds to what we suspected. How I wish we had

believe I don't want any prowling round outside of a stockade

ay you,

ld trapper had inflicted on the garrison. Sergeant Wells himself used to laugh at "Baker's yarns." More than once the cavalry had been sent out to where Baker asserted he had certainly seen a hundred Indians the day before, only to find that not even the vestige of a pony t

nlit prairie to tell the sergeant of Baker's report and let him be the judge of its authenticity. It was lucky he had that leve

he suggested; and, leaving the trapper to stable his jaded horse under Ph

two companies right along to-night. There is no operator at Eagle's Nest, or I'd have him up and ask if all was well there. That's what worries me, Ralph. It was back of Eagle's Nest old Baker say

d fall upon his watch-dial. The soldier passed on around to the door. Glancing at his watch, Ralph fol

st ten-f

ier, glancing over his shoulder. "Ralph!

ped Ralph. "

? It may be just round the bend of the road, for all we know. No doubt a

efore the thunder of horse's feet upon wooden planking had been plainly audib

arer and nearer came a panting horse; a shadowy rider loomed into sight up t

Why, the whole country's alive with 'em between here and Hunton's. I promised I'd go over to Farr

re right back to Lodge Pole and let the Fifth Cav

e the effect. Bang! went the gun with a resounding roar that echoed from the cliffs at the east and came thund

and full of pluck they were. Then all eyes were turned to the dark, shadowy,

ing high, breath coming thick and fast, hand

eam, the sergeant's answering signal streamed out upon the night, a calm, steadfast, unwav

ung ranchman put spurs to his panting horse and r

y a moment in one another's eyes. The horseman had disappeared from view. They had watched him until he had

ant thunder of an hundred h

il on which the solitary rider has disappeared. Here and there among them swift gleams, like silver streaks, a

avage foeman float down to the breathless listeners at the station on the Chug. The Sioux are here in full forc

go? Quick, now! Every man to the ranch,

he whole Fifth Caval

oment later, he found the operator with his head

tter,-quick?"

t was raised to the boy,

ve waited too long. They'