The Darlington news. (Darlington, S.C.) 1875-1909, October 13, 1892, Image 3
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h»re wild rtie wa* hajf^arrl and ill, and
veaterday Mrs. Holden told rue some-
thing of his story. He was barely twen
ty-two, the idol of the family and im
mensely popniar in society. He was as
sistant cashier in one of the big K-iuks
here, and one day the sndden discovery
was made that in some mysterious way
quite a large sum was missing, money
for which he was responsible, bnt he
could not account for it; neither conid
anybody else. The matter was investi-
gated thoroughly.
pony tracks pointed nnerrtngly whither
the spoil had heeu driven. Meantime,
while nothing conid be seen of the wily
red man, every hour gave new proof
that their own movements were closely
observed. Signal smokes went puffing j
skyward on almost every side, and the
night sentries declared that twice juat
before dawn of two successive morn- |
inga they luut dimly seen shadowy,
hiirsemen darting over the neighboring 1
ridgetvand had lieani the thndof nimble '
(^pyricHt,
BT SHUAU
AtWtmtdr wud TiUri <
CHAPTER VIIL
Letters from the front! What Joy
anil comfort they bring!—for every
writer seems lieut on convincing the
anxious ones at home that there is no
danger and little discomfort, after all.
Telegrams and brief notes have been
raining m ever since the deptulure of
the regiment, bnt now the two bat
talions are reunited under Farquhar's
command; they have got shaken down
into a species of winter cantonment
with a goodly nuintier of comrade troops
and troopers from the threatened de
partment. The weather has not been
unusually severe thus far. Men and
horses stood the trip admirably, and no
body growled at stiffened fingers and
“Itu mai aniien piciui.j ir i coum out
have authority to search one room at the
post. It is my conviction still that the
man who goes by the name of Ellis was
the thief. He had a luck box at the post-
office in town, number twenty-three,
and letters have been forwarded to him
here by the postmaster, two of which
were not addressed to Sergeant Ellis or
to G. B. Ellis, Twelfth cavalry, but to
Ralph Errol], box twenty-three. When
he returned from detached aery joe tiiia
morning the sergeant major bunded him
his mail and asked him if those addi
tional letters were his. He turned red,
then pale, but said yea. Both these were
from Louisville, as I happen to know;
laith were addressed in the same hand—
that of an educated woman—and there
red noses and benumbed feet as they rods is no doubt in my mind that this Ellis or
in long column from the railway to the
and.
agency, and, now that fuel has been
lugged up in abundance and fur ciqis
and'"blizzard coals" are roaring ami the
Indians hovering alsmt tile camps seem
deeply impressed with the numliers and
readiness of (be white soldiers and all
promises well, the letters grow longer
uinl more frequent. ,
Errol) baa a screw loose in his record.
Brewster knows something of his past,
but refuses to tell. It is of Vital impor-
tanoe to me to Hud out who and what lie
is, for I lielicvw |iim to have I sen guilty
of a crime tie.-ide which the theft Of that
picture is as nothing.
"Now, I want you to do something
for me. A man will rail on you within
a few days, presenting u letter of intro
duction from me. He is a detective
hoofs. Even in the faded gray of the 1
, a)M J Runc.h grass, even on the hard frozen I
“kjtfrtjly Botjrin^ould he bjxmgjitBp ironed, tuporienced eyes could find eor-
BgaiBsti-ouni Guthrie. Hentwor (pur- i foUiration of the story,
blril, iiRrer <'.M])ut«l in any Way, \«s
a model son ami brother. KRu w as wild
with ifidignuHbu «t his having bee-.i
even suspected. Mr. Guthrie offered to \
make good the sum twice over if need j
lie, and to bind himself for all his
wealth to establish his boy's honor, and
for three or four days all was excite-
inent, and then, in the midst of it, poor
Jack was found dead in his room, u i
half empty 1 Kittle of chloral by his bed
side. The world said suicide, guilty con- j
science, etcetera, but Nita and others |
! knnw that b» had not slept a wink since
the discovery of the loss and was crazed |
with misery. They have always main- |
tained it was an accidental overdose, j
But it nearly broke Mr. Guthrie's heart, i
and it was three years Is-fore Nita would !
go into society in 8t. Louis again. They |
went to Europe and staid there ever so I
long.
"What makes it seem probable that \
j he was unjustly suspected was that the |
bank dismissed its cashier. Jack’s most !
intimate friend, a man two or three |
I year* oldor tli»n himself, aud a devoted
I admirer of Nlta's. It was even siq)- I
I posed that she was engaged to him. !
| He had no wealthy friends to stand np ;
for him, and Jack's death made it ap !
pear as though there had been gin!!; (
and yet such a sum could not well have
i been made away with except by the
from Chicago. He has certain inquiries
to make at the post and in | ow J i before | knowledge or collusion of the cashier
going to Louisville, and it should not be himself
known that be isa detective at all. Give]
him every facility in your power. Intn
Almost in flic face of the foremost Sil'Uj
his rcrolrer blazes Us chntb-.yc.
Daring Indian scouts were ever on
their flanks and front and rear, making
no overt move against them, bnt keep
ing the hostile camp fully Informed of
everything that was lieing done anil
watching restlessly for opportunity to
cut off every straying charger, to cut
down every straggling man. Knowing
all this full well, Berrien had given
strict orders—neither officer nor trooper
was permitted to leave the column by
day nor the bivouac by night; and now*
its mission accomplished, the column
had started on return march, and up to
this time no casualty hud occurred.
• "ft fs mu brother.* 1
“We are doing Hrst rate, Bess dear
wrote Berrien, “and all are hopeful Unit 1
with the surrounding of the big baud of
liostiles in the Bad River valley the
most uncertain feature of the business
is at an end. If they can lie quietly '
herded in to the Reservation and induced
to give up all their arms and ponies, \
there will be no further trouble. The
health and spirit of the regiment are ex
cellent, and, while 1 hope no emergency !
will arise, I can bet that if there should
dure him to the postmaster as a friend
of mine, if you prefer it, and let him oc
cupy my quarters while at the garrison.
H* will want to sec the tirehouse aud
apparatus and all about Holden s quar
ters. Kathleen is there in charge, and
Hidden has no objection, though he
|hjo!i poohs the efforts 1 am making tc
get at the bottom of this stfSngl busi
ness. I Imiie I am not asking too much
of you.
“I saw Hearn last evening, jnst in
from a ten days’ scout with Lane's
squadron over toward theWakpa Shicha.
He asked after yon and sent cordial re
gards. There are two other fellows here
who were on their honeymoon tour when
tjieir regiments were ordered to the field.
It reconciles one to being a bachelor
almost.”
The major put the letter down and
pondered long, perplexed and annoyed.
He had known Rolfe but a short time,
and had learned to know him mainly
through Hidden. He knew him to be
resolute, positive, even aggressive at
times. He admired hi.-f suldierly qiuiii-
ties and respectod bi* ability. Bat when
finally he rose from his desk after stow
ing that letter sway old Kenyon ex
pressed himself about as fo'lows; "That
fellow needs a wife. He is too much so
So
and though proofs were lin k-i long os the isolated battalion was mov
ing, he was discharged Hie very day in£ toward the hostile camp, nearing
pair Jack was buried. No one knows every hour the overwhelming array of
whatever became of him afterward, and thi enemy and separating itself farther
people settled down into the la-lief that and further from friendly supports, bo
this Mr. Worden was the real thief. But J har had been put to its progress. But
now eomes the strangest ;«i t of it all. , now the Indian scouts conid see that it
TlUTpresiieiilttjf the hunk \ . it* n widow- | was turning back, probably in the ho[>e
er who, for two years, liad ls«i a snitov j of regaining the cantonment uumo
of Rita's, a peraiatent suitor, despite her I tested.
lie a shindy flic Twelfth will give good t0 H vil « W»°w» way. I D
.. i. „ , . be hamrec
account of itself. Farquhar keeps us r t
the alert and there is no rusting. Gor- j
ham lias joined from leave, so that |
Brewster, to his infinite disgust I doubt j
not, has had to fall back to second place. |
He and Rolfe are about the only gloomy
spirits in the command, and of Brewster i
I see very little. Ever since the episode !
of which l told you and her most signifi- \
cant appearance at the depot in town
while we were being switched to the
northbound track I have not felt like
having anything to dp with him. How i
do you suppose she heard of onr move, I
since she left the hop before any one j
knew of it? There were a few other
ladies there, I admit, for they were still
with ns when the orders came, and it had
cleared by the time we reached the depot.
She, however, seemed to hang on to
him and nobody else to the very last. I
am distressed at what you tell me about
Winifred, aud the more 1 think of it the
more 1 am disposed to urge your in
stant acceptance of Miss Guthrie's in
vitation. It will be the very best anti
dote I know of—a few weefcs in St.
Louis society—if she has indeed, as you
fear, become interested in him. Go by
all means; it will do you good-^do Win
ifred a world of good (get her some new
gowns, and take in all the parties and
all the gayety you possibly can), and it
will be a good thing for Miss Guthrie
too.
“Now, this is strictly entre nous.
Holden is worried about her, and in
course of a long talk we had last night
he showed me a letter just received
from Mrs. Holden. Of course she is all
upset by his having to take the field,
and wants to leave the children with
her mother aud come up here to him,
but she couldn’t be in camp and there
isn't a room to be had at the railway
station. The place is just crammed
with newspaper men and quartermas
ter's people. Mrs. Holden writes that
ever since the night of that queer ad
venture of hers at the fort Nita has
lieen unlike herself—strange, nervous,
almost hysterical at times. She will
permit no allusion to it, and seems
striving to forget it all. She goes every
where, morning, noon and night, bnt
looks haggard and ill. I gather from
what Holden said that, as you once sur
mised, there was an old affair which
may have had something to do with her
persistent refusal of every offer; bet
what that could have had to do with
her fright at Pawnee 1 cannot imagine.
Holden agrees with me, however, that
it would lie a capital thing if yon and
Winnie would pay her the visit she
urges; so again, 1 say, go by all means.
“By the way, I wish you would run
over and see Mrs. Thorjie as often as
you can. Her letters have a depressing
effect on the captain. He tells me Hie
only insurance he has in all the world is
in the Army mutual,but three thousand
dollars would hardly pay their debts
and take care of them for a year if any
thing were to happen to him. Don’t be
alarmed by newspaper stories of the
lighted skies and howling ghost dancers,
be hanged if 111 do any detective work
for him or anybody else. If Holden
wants his house searched, Holden can
say so.”
Two days later the major had the
mournful pleasure of escorting Mrs. anil
Miss Berrien to the train, and as it
steamed away eastward a man who had
stepped from the day car as Kenyon
placed his fair charges on the sleciier
came forward and -handed him a note
addressed in Rolfe’s characteristte hand
“I know who yon are,” said Kenyon.
“You will find me at my office in the
garrison when you get up there." Aud
stepping into tlie waiting wagon he bade
the driver go ahead, leaving the detect
ive to come np in the (Hist stage.
That evening he wrote a short letter
to Rolfe, and the gentleman from Ciii-
cago indited a long one—both of which
would have served to surprise that
calmly superior soldier not a little had
they reached him in due course of mail,
which, however, they diJ not. It was
some time before lie saw th-m at all. for
when they were unloaded from the
mailbags at the wintry cantonment
Rolfe, with Berrien’s battalion, was
miles away.
Getting no reply to his missives and
little encouragement at the post, the
strange civilian suddenly departed af;ei
three days’ apparently aimless stay, and
the next heard of him was in the shape
of a letter from Louisville. Could Major
Kenyon procure for him anyhow, any
where, a photograph of Sergeant Ellis?
No, Major Kenyon couldn’t, and was
very short io saying so.
And now December was come, and
the air was crisp and keen in the valley
of the Pawnee, the sunshine radiant and
sparkling; but far to the north the win
try winds were howling about the flimsy
cantonment aud whirling the snow-
through every cranny and crack, and
the long uights on ontpost and picket
were bitter cold. But through it all
the various battalions of horse were sen;
scouting IB torn around the reservation,
and more Buff more the young warriors
dribbled Bway from the agendes and
were next heard of welcomed with ac
clamations by the savage hosts in the
fastnesses of the Bad Lauds, and every
hour increased the prospect of sharp
lighting in the near tutnre. Bnt all
letters to the anxious hearts at h
were full of hoiie and cheer,' full of
prophecy that everythin# Would soon
settled. The rem^pde tiands w
“located" and being slowly heiBBlei! In.
The Twelfth tRiuld-rert Its Christmas
dinner at Pawnee after all, they hoped.
And i» fit. Louis Miss Guthrie was ex
erting herself to sec that her ctuirmiug
guests were liaviug th< loveliest kind of
a time. Dinners,'mncln-ons, cards, thea
ters and dancing parties followed in
quick succession. The new gowns were
being made as fast as famous modistes
could evolve and construct them, and
Winifred was rushed from one scene of
gayety to another, .
“Nothing could luweberti morochartu-
ing than our welcome,” wrote Mrs. Ber-
marked ColdDeW and an rsiun. Four
months ago rumors began to float as to
the stability of the hank; then came a
run, a panic; the bank had to close its
doors; immediate investigation into its
affairs was made, and then came the
discovery that the president had been a
heavy speculator and hail unquestion
ably used the funds of the hank to cover/
his losses. They found his body in
the river four days afterward, floating
dowm by the old barracks, w-here yon
aud I had such a happy winter twenty
years ago. People say now that it was
President Percival himself all the time,
and that he threw suspicion on young
Gathi-teGiecakse he knew the father
would eagerly pay any sum to cover tin
loss and hide the sluune; but Jack’s
death balked Bio scheme.
•‘Do you wonder now that Nita is
sometimes overwrought and nervous?
Poor*girl! who knows what she has suf-!
fered? Who, to seo lier iu society, would
dream that (lie had ever suffered at ail?
Do you suppose Captain Rolfs did not ,
hear all about this when he was here en
recruiting service?
“Now you ask me to tell you every
thing about Winifred. Is she happy? Is
she getting over her disappointment? 1
do not know jnst what to say. She is
always bright and apparently joyous In
society; always grateful for every kind- I
ness and attention shown her; but she is
rarely alone one minute fr >m morning ;
until late at night, and 1 cannot he sure.
She never speaks of him; and in all the
whirl of social gayety here, and the at- i
tention she receives on every side, 1
think, 1 hope, she may forget her girl
ish sentiment. Time will snow.”
It was a sunshiny December after
noon; the air was as clear as a hell, the
clouds that obscured the eastern sky at
dawn had long since drifted out of sight,
and in all its broad expanse the pale
blue vault of the heavens wore not so
much as a feather of vapor. Who that
rode in the laughing, chatting, jaunty
column that sparkling day could realize
the change a few hours might effect tin
the silent, bre^zeleps solitudes around
them? At noon the sun was so warm
that many a trooper had stripped off
his heavy overcoat and turned np the
i flaps of the rough fur cap. Except in
deep ravines hardly any snow was to
lie seen. The dull gray surface of the
\ rolling prairie, wave after wave, laj
basking, and the leafless branches of the
cottonwoods overhanging the frozen
pools were glistening, sparkling in the
lifegiviug rays. The advance guard
after breaking the ice aud treating their
horses to a mouthful of water at the
stream, had moved on at brisk trot, and
now the stalwart riders were spreading
out in extended order as they breasted
the slope. Out to the west, full five him
dred yards, the wary flankers conid b<
seen, some crossing the streiqn farthei
down the valley, w'hile other comrades
apjieared over the barren ridge behind
that no sneaking foe might crawl up nn
observed and send a long range bnllet
from its shelter down into the swarm of
troopers at the ford. So, too, the flank
ers to the east and the sturdy little knot
of rear guardsmen just popping up ovei
the divide so recently crossed, all told ol
ceaseless vigilance on every side. Ber
rien lias not ridden the Sionx trail a
score of years for nothing. Ho takes no
TiBie might have shown, trot time was j chances where the security of his com
not accorded. Coining home late one | tnand is concerned, and has small opin
ion of the leader who subjects them to
needless risk.
And now one after another the four
troops ride into close column on the
northward bank; the men dismount, un
saddle, and presently, with side lines in
hand, each trooper leading his faithful
steed, the four herds are guided to the
taqiarate grazing grounds already chosen
and “pre-empted” by wide awake subal
terns or sergeants. There the side lines
It was Jennie, with a grave, anxious I are carefully adjusted, the bridles slipped
ce., at sight of which Mrs. Berrien 1 off. three or four men remain in sad-
uight from a delightful dance their car
riage stopped outside the massive porte-
cochere of the Guthrie homestead in
stead of driving right in.
“What is it, James?" asked Miss Guth
rie.
“Another carriage here, miss. I think
it’s Mrs. Holden just getting out."
“Jennie here! W r liy, how odd! She
went home half an hour before we
started."
Indians will dance aU night on any prov- ™n to he r ^ved Dick.^’notbiiigmi’r.-
ocation, and onr fires light the skies
quite as much as theirs. Sergeant Ellis,
who volunteered to push through with
dispatches to Boiler's command some
where on the other side of the Bad
Lands, got back all right this morning
and says he had hardly any difficulty in
delightful than the round of tuU rtaia
mi nts to which we are bidden. Due has
hardly time to think. As for writing,
this in the itrot opportunity X have en
joy Ri fn three flays, and wff are home
from the theater hut half uu hour, Mrs.
Holden covies over qvery day, and we
working a way through the liostiles. J exchange such newt As we hare of the
That fellow, I think, is going to make a ; dear old regiment ami the dearer ones
face.
fairly sprang from tire carriage
“You have ill news, airs. Hold a.
What is It? Tell me at once.”
“This has jnst come from my hus
band," was the trembling answer as she
held forth a telegram: “Major Berrien’s
wound serions, bnt not fatal. Mrs. Ber
rien must not. be alarmed. Do not be
lieve sensational newspaper reports of
disaster. Wounded doing well."
. . CHAPTER IX.
Pursuant fo his orders, Major Berrien,
with his battalion of the Twelfth, had
been scouting the open country that lay
to the northeastward of the cantonment.
So alarming had the situation become,
so significant if not actually defiant
was the manner of the Indians whose
lodges were pitched all over the prairie
■round the agency that the command
hig general had 1 caused intrcnchmeuts
to Be thrown up on every ridge ovi r-
lookingthat threatened settlement. Ad
ditkmal troops, including a strong fore*
of infantry and detachments of light
artillery, had been sent to the scene
Hotchkiss aud field gnu* were placed in
itioB copnuaiiflfaig B e Indian camp.'
nil nijjkt and daythenarthworks were
eavily AuBnned Jfid ■aentnna and out
posts (Rtanlod tv#' ;i»irou J*.
Meantime tnd main body of the bus
tiles was still ghost dancing and liov I
ing through V>e 'Vint*y night far over
to the nortli mnoog Bm breaks and
chasms of |ho Bud Lands, oo strong m
numbers (Bid so secure from assault
within the lines of their ualaral fortrt
as to laugh to scorn all premonition
disaster. Runnars had gone to eve.x
tri6e urging concerted action and uniti
revolt. Every day brought new nen •
tdona, and all that was m r'ed to eiialdi
thein to bid defianCe to ®e encircling
force was the arrival of the great tiands
that had broken away from the reoyrt*
t|ons along the Missonri, followers tun
Would be avengers'of the old ciileftam
Bitting Bull, who bad died in Baruess, a
rated to the bust. Brule and ligallail.i
tfnepapa and Minneoonjou—here were
the warriors, re-enforced by many a
new grown son, who tnoMfought the
white soldiers summer nf'Cr summer
time and again, in the bloody days of
die as lierdguard and the horses are
let t to graze. Rich with nutriment is
that crisp, dry bunch grasp—rich and
plentiful. The mules of the pack train
bray with impatience to shed their loads
and join their envied four footed com
rades, bat presently they, too, follow
ing the bell, are streaming out upon
the guarded prairie, rolling in luxury
upon the frosty earth and kicking their
legs in air in genuine delight. From a
dozen little tires among the bare limbed
cottonwoods the thin smoke is cnrling
aloft, and the rattle of tin enp and plate
and the jovial voices of the men seem
to clamor for their soldier rations. In
long rows the saddles and equipments
were aligned upon the turf, each man's
carbine and licit at his saddle. Hnge
rolls of rolies and blankets are unstraje
ped and spread to air, and all this time,
while the troop officers are looking to
the comfort and security of their horses.
Major Berrien, followed by a single or
derly, is riding about from point to
point to satisfy himself that the guards
are stationed where best they can se
cure the bivouac against surprise.
The ridge to the southwest is higher
than those which limit the view at other
points, and thither Berrien is now riding
at easy lope. Rolfe and Hazlett, watch-
preth
once restrained by the wisdotji of old ^ jy( n g p rone where, unseen themselves.
name for himself in this campaign. He who are our especial property. She is lb® dei-ade iiast—-the^Brul'‘S^eei»sdally
is always ready for anything that turns what I coll a genuine woman, and I like
n P- ' * 1 M ,a,^ j her more and more. 1 must tell you
“I hear that Brewster and Ridgeway 1 something I learned through her. The
have had a row and do not speak. Some ,) a y after our arrival we were in the
of the boys know what it’s ijl about, but library, mid my attention was attracted
won’t tell me. Do you know? Now, py a i ar ge portrait, apparently a crayon
unless you wire to the contrary, I shall co py n f a photograph, that hung over
address my next care of Hon. Warren L. the mantel. It was of a singularly j ration, hod spent a day or two explor
Guthrie, St. Louis.” i bm.dsmne young man, and 1 knew id ing the lireaks and ravines of a dozen
Then Kenyon got a letter. He was 1 once he mnst lie a Gutlfrle. ’It is my little streams flowing into the V\ aki a ^ trooper, too, trots ont to join them,
now commanding officer of the post, and brother,'said Nita, in such a sail, con- Washtay, had located trail after trail'f and his party ara still out of
was unremitting in his thoughtfulness ' strained tone, ‘taken jnst a few weeks 1 travois, pony aud lodge pole tracks, baa •
iative ood as they bear from tl>«
jg’onp of soldiers at the nearest camp
6re some brawny sou of the old sod re
mark, "Just luck at tbsonld man now;
sure it’s a smart redskin that will ever
get through the pickets he posts." Not
since the days of old “Major Slowtrot,"
old "Pap” Thomas, has there been a
battalion commander better loved by
the rank and file. They know nothing
will ever induce him to forget one pre
caution for their safety, and reward his
care with a loyalty ff devotion good to
see. Watching blu- ;“'.l further, Haz
lett notes tliat a distant vedette has sig
naled, aud that Berrien, slowly now, is
riding up the slope to join him. A ser
geant has some question to ask at the
moment, and when Hazlett again looks
ont to the southwest, major, orderly and
vedettt have disappeared from view
ajjpnnd a little shoulder of bluff. Other
" 'ettes can be seer, at tbeir posts on all
les, and a few dismounted sentries
Bintogalieka, now ripe for any deviltry
and well nigh uhanimous for war to the
knife.
Without noteworthy incident, Ber
rien's command had circled around to
the east of the sacred lines of the reset
they can scan the country to their front.
But F.azlett's curiosity is excited by the
fact that two men, mere specas in the
distance, are huddling together at the
| crest hslf a mile away to the sonthwest
and evidently watching something out
at their front aud motioning to the set-
geant back with the supports. Presently
tnd attention to the households of the before his death six years ago.’- Of
absent officers. It was Rolfe who wrote course I could ask no more, but Wini-
to him, and Kenyon Wus well nigh at fred and I both noted how utterly her
uis wits’ end in the endeavor to ooojec- i face changed, how unspeakably die-
ture what it all meant. tressed a look came into her eyes. We
"X9U remember gy spyjpg ( poult conid see then whv Mrs. Holden should
scoured tlie wide valley of the main
stream, but without sight of a ringle
warrior, much less a war purty. The
•till smoking ruins of two ranches told,
however, of recent visitation, and the
hoof marks of cattle miugliiuc with the
! right from camp.
“Captain, may I borrow your field-
glasses?" asked Mr. Brewster, swinging
up to the fire where Hazlett stands. “1
have lent mine to the sergeant of the
guard.”
“Did von see whore the malar went?
asks Hazlett by way of reply, as Be
hands the desired instrument.
“1 last saw him at the point yonder.
He rode around it with Sergeant Ellis
and a couple of men. and that vedette
mnst have been calling to him. It I
seems to ins ihey’vv been gone some
lime; so Gorlmni says 1 can ride ont and
find ont what it means.”
“I’d go with you, Brewster, bnt my
horse is ont at herd. Take the glasses
with you, anyhow." Brewster's big
him k is led up at the moment, and the
lieutenant quickly mounts and canters
easily away.
Meantime, pld Berrien, who has noted
the signals of the vedette referred to,
has joined him, with the brief inquiry,
“What is it, Scott?”
“Why, sir, I was posted here by the
sergeant, and he had no sooner gone
than 1 saw what 1 took to be horsemen
in the valley several miles out yonder to
the southwest. The major can see the
whole country from a butte that lies
perhaps three hundred yards farther out
beyond this ridge. But here comes the
sergeant back, sir.”
It is Ellis, cantering briskly from tlie
advanced position Scott has designated,
and coming to them now around the
shoulder of the bluff a little to the right
That Ellis has seen something is evi
dent; his face shows it in an instant.
■An Indian war party, major, per
haps a dozen, rode from behind a long
ridge over to the west and down into
the valley of what I take to be a branch
of the Porcupine. That butte hides a
good deal of the valley; but we can see
it from there, though.”
‘You three men come with me,” says
Berrien quietly. “We must look into
this."
Two minutes’ lope brings them to the
bntte Ellis has pointed ont. Leaving
their horses with the orderly, Berrien,
the sergeant and the sentinel go crouch
ing up the hither slope, throw them
selves on the ground and crawl to the
summit. As the vedette has said, the
whole country for miles in every direc
tion can be seen—a country of bold i o;i-
tours, of bare, rounded bluffs and buttes,
of deep, shadowy ravines and gulches—
a country bare of trees save tlie ghostly,
leafless cottonwoods perched by the
banks of many a frozen stream. Miles
and miles to the north and northwest
the wild Indian land spreads liefore their
eyes. Close at hand, tumbling, billowy
and abrupt, the ridges follow or intei -
cept one another in rapid succession.
The face of the land is cut up into tor
tuous “breaks,” the deep, narrow beds
of countless little streams, all winding
tributary to the river that flows placidly
away to the northeast in the broad val
ley from which the column marched at
dawn. Beyond that, west of north,
clearly, sharply defined in the distance,
already alternating glaring surface and
ghostly shade under the slanting rays of
the westering sun, a tumbling mass of
jagged, fantastic shapes, a tangle of
vertical cliffs and seamed and furrowed
walls, a labyrinth of gorges, gullies,
washed ont channels, deep, black crev
ices, and broad, yawning, impassable
gulfs, the storied Bad Lands of Dakota,
shunned by all except tlie renegade and
outlaw in the past, now habitable only
by the Indian. Beyond these, faint and
dim in the distance, the snow covered,
pine crested summits in the Black Hills.
All the rest of the surface, east, west
and south, a frozen sea of gray, glinting
here and there in the declining rays; and
there off to the southwest, perhaps five
miles away, lies the valley into which
the party of dusky warriors has gal
loped so short a time before—the valley
beyond which, a long, long day’s march
away, stands the guarded camp of com
rade soldiery awaiting their return.
Berrien studies tlie scene long and care
fully through his glasses. Intermediate
ridges are not many, but they are sharp
and clearly defined.
"Who was it reported that the ad
vance saw signal smokes south of us at
noon?" he asks.
“Corporal Waite, sir; he aud two of
the men saw them plainly, and they
seemed to be answered off here." And
Ellis points miles away to the west.
Berrien ponders a moment.
“Where away would you locate the
agency, sergeant, if you were going to
take a bee line for it?”
"Out off here, sir.”
“And they crossed that line going into
the valley?”
“They certainly did, sir, and— Look,
majorl look yonder! Another band,
and from exactly the same place.”
A little bevy of dark objects darts
suddenly into view from behind a cur
tainlike divide aud goes skimming over
a level stretch toward the lowlands of
the valley. Berrien’s glasses seem glued
to his eyes.
“Twenty of them in that party! What
do they see? What's their hurry? They
would not expose themselves to our
view unless there were urgent need for
haste."
“The old road oonies in from that di
rection, sir.” answers Ellis. “We left it
a few hours out from tlie cantonment,
as you remember. Can anything have
been seen along that road to give rise to
signal smokes?'
Berrien turns half over and looks
keenly into the sergeant’s intelligent
face.
“That road has been abandoned for
weeks past. Everybody to the east of
us has taken refuge at the railway long
since. Nobody would be coming from
that direction."
“1 know that, sir; but would not any
detachment coming from the agency to
meet us, for instance, tie apt to keep
the road? 1 understood we were to
strike for it in the morning aud follow
it in."
Again Berrien gazes long and earnest
ly through the binocular. "They are
certainly heading for that road and
riding at full speed. How many men
have you at this front?” he quickly
asks.
"Just eight, sir. all told, but eight
more are almost within call over on
onr left flank. Yonder is the ridge
where my men are |Hinted.” And Ellis
points to their left rear where lies the
low crest.
“Just keep a good lookout here, ser
geant. 1 will move them over this way
and then ride to the left flank. My
horse, orderly.” And, thinking deeply
over the matter as he rides, Berrien
spurs into a lively canter across an in
tervening dip in the prairie. “Some
mischief ahead,” he mutters. “They
are not speeding up that valley for noth
ing. We may have to saddle and get
over there.”
Not two hundred yards has he ridden
when from the point which he has just
quitted there comes a sudden yell of
warning, followed almost instantly by
two shots in quick succession. Then
bang! bang! another two, and, as he
whirls abont, the first object that meets
his startled gaze is Ellis’ handsome black
horse plunging to earth almost at the
edge of a shallow ravine some distance
out in front of the bntte.
“My God, sir,” cries the orderly, “Ser
geant Ellis is killed!”
Berrien’s heart bounds. There, face
’ downward upon the sward, motionless,
jnst a few feet away from the plunging,
death stricken horse, lies the sergeant,
1 his carbine dropped from his nerveless
hand. At the same instant red, glitter
ing, bedaubed with paint, bespangled
with cheap finery, two young Indian
| braves lash their ponies into furious gal-
1 fov M they shoot m> out of the shfiUow
ravine, ana nnes in nana, roupsticts
advanced, race madly toward the strick
en trooper in eager effort to secure the
trophy of their prowess, the coveted
scalp of the fallen foe.
“Yonr carbine, man!" yells Berrien to
his orderly, “t^niokl Shout that lead
er!'’ And putting spurs to his snorting
horse, reckless of the fact that he is
armed only with revolver aud that the
ravine may be full of Indians, the vet
eran soldier drives full tilt at the charg
ing braves. Hu thicks only of the fact
that one of his men lies prostrate and
LAW CARDS.
W- F. DARGAN,
Attorney at Law,
Darlington, - • - S. C-
Office ovrr Welling tS: Benoit's
R. W. BOYD. GHO. W DROWN
BOYD BROWN.
Attorneys and Counselors at Law
helpless before them They are almost , oft . j,, bri k bui l d j lg B0 Uth of
upon Ellis before Be men has galloped a . _ ...
rod. They are within twenty paces of
him when, with a shout of delight, the
major sees him whirl suddenly over.
the Bank of Darlington.
DA KL1SG TON V. fl , & V.
PROMPT PERSONAL ATTENTION TO
ALL BUSINESS.
M
55^
X
itiissA
triC
TTARTSVILLE RAILROAD.
In effect Oct.
2. 1892
DAILY MIXED TRAIN
Leave
Hartsville
5.55 ft
'm
J ova nu
..6.20 ft
m
m
Darlington
9.00 a
iu
Palmetto
. 9 25 a
in
Arrive
Florence
. 9.50 a
IU
Leave
Florence
2.00 p
in
Palmetto
2.15 p
m
Darlington
in
Floyd's
. 8.25 p
in
Jovann
3.45 p
m
Arrrive Hartsville
4.05 p
m
O- W. DAKOAN.
H. T. THOMPSON.
grasp his carbine, r.nd, all in a second,
the Uaine leaps from the broneed muz
zle, the foremost warrior drops his
rifle, whirls up a clinching, convulsive
hand and topples headforemost out of
the saddle. Scott, tlie vedette, echoes
with another shot that kicks up the dust
close under the second pony's flashing
heels. Its red rider veers in broad circle
to the right, and in the twinkling of an
eye tlie feathered war bonnet bows low
over the pony’s stretching neck. Ber
rien's bullet whizzes harmlessly above,
and the major himself, borne by the
rash of his half maddened steed, dashes
on past Ellis, now kneeling for another
shot, and goes crash into the midst of a
little knot of yelling warriors just
bounding np out of the gully to the res
cue of their strickei comrade. "Bess,
my wife; Winnie," are the only words
he has time or thought to mutter, for DARLLVGTO.Y, C. H., S. C-
instant death seems inevitable.
But all the old fighting instinct is up-
DARGAN & THOMPSON,
Attorneys at Law,
Office, Hewitt building (up
stairs) north side of the Public
Square.
Darlington. S. C*
T. H. SPIN.
Attorney t.t I aw.
j F. DIVINE, Gen. Supt.
C HARLESTON, SUMTER
NORTHERN RAILROAD
AND
permost, and almost in the face of the
foremost Sioux his revolver blazes its
challenge, and horse and pony meet in
tremendous shock, and the lighter steed
goes tumbling and rolling over the turf.
There is chorus of yells, shots, soldier
cheers, thundering hoofs. There is a
vision of glittering steel in front of his
eyes, of hideous painted face, a sudden
sense of stumble and stunning fall, a
shrill whoop of triumph, changing in
stantly into the death cry, and while his
Brule antagonist goes crashing down,
pony and all, Berrien is conscious of the
inperb leap of a big black charger over
his own prostrate form, of a stentorian
cheer from half a dozen trooper throats,
and the next minute Brewster is kneel
ing by his side, raising the honored gray
head in his strong young arms, and tlie
voice that thundered in battle cry but
an instant agoue is trembling now as he
calls for a canteen of water and bids his
half stunned commander not to strive to
move.
“We’ve got two of them, sir, all right,”
he whispers. bruathU is, but well know
ing that to lie the bee news ho can give.
“The rest got away and left a bullet hole
in your shoulder.”
(TO BE CO'TIMJRD.J
Will practice in Circuit Courts and
Supreme Court of South Carolina
Prompt attention given to all busi
ness, and special attention given* col
lections.
J. J. WAllD.
K. O. WOODS.
Desirable Let For Sale.
WE off.-r L.r sale the lot of tlie late
Mrs. A. A. Baker in tlie Town of Dar
lington. PAUL WHIPPLE,
J. GREGG McCALh,
J. E. NETTLES,
Executors.
Aji 21—tf
WARD & WOODS.
Attorneys A Counselors at Law,
DARLINGTON, 8. C.
Will practice in the State and Federal
Courts
Special attention paid to all matter*
pertaining to the buying, selling,
renting nr leasiug -f real estate. Any
party having bu 'ties* in this line
would do well to call on the firm, who
have control of some of tlie most de
sirable property in the town and
| county.
—
I J. K. NKTTLK8. C. S. NKTTIiKS
Nettles & Nettles,
Attorneys A Counselors at Law,
llnrliiiKlmi <’• H-> N-
Will practice in all tlieState and Fed-
I eral Courts. Prompt personal at
tention given to the collection of
Claims.
S.WOLFRAM
RELIABLE
Watchmaker and Jeweller.
Dealer in
DIAMONDS,
GOLD i SILVER
WATCHES,
And a complete
line of Jewelry and
Clocks.
Reliable Optical
Goods a specialty !
Expert workman
in Berlin and New
York for years and all work guaran
teed.
Old gold and silver purchased for
cash or taken in exchange.
The patronage of the public is soli
cited and reliable g aids, fair dealing,
prompt and accurate work guaran
teed Respectfully,
8. WOLFRAM,
Next door to Joye A Handers.
Sep 1—tin.
P. Bishop Parrott,
I Stenographer and Typewriter,
HfOffice with Ward A WikmIb^J
LEGAL AND OTHER COPYING
SOLICITED.
Testimony reported in short hand
land type-written transcript of same
furnished at reasonable rates.
G<K>d Spelling, Correct Punctuation
and Neat Work Guaranteed.
Jan. 8-lvr.
Cheap Wrapping Paper.
Old newspapers, answering exceed
ingly well for the purpose of wrapping
paper, for sale at THB DARLINGTON
N kwh office at 20 cents a hundred.
IT TS A PTTTV you oweyonrurlf anil fam
ily to gel the hfnt value lor your money*
Kconomize in your fuo
W . I.. DoiiglaN Shot'M,
value for price*
will teatify.
Kcouumir.e in your footwear by purchimiiiir
\V. Is. DougJaN Shoew, which represent the
aaked, as thousaud*
.*3.
A 5.00
*4.00
*3.50
*2.50
*2.25
*2.00
H
•nTTTO ’
J ii U1
rd Fleming,
276 East Bay,
CHARLESTON, S. C.,
IMPORTEROF
English Portland Cement
AND DEALER IN
LIME, CEMENT, PLASTER,
It A 1R, &C., avd till BUI LI
ING MATERIAL.
Lowlst Prices.
Best Satisfaction.
CAR LOAD LOTS A SPECIALTY.
Oct. 2a—tvr
00
*2.50
*2.00
FOft LAOIEt
*2.00
*1.75
FOR BOYS
*1.75
CHARLES E. KIMBALL Receiver.
In Effect Oct. 2
1892
NORTH.
SOUTH.
1
2
P. M.
A M.
11.40 Charleston
4.00
1.10 Pregnair*
.8.80
3 25 Sumter
12.20
4. lti| Lamar
11.27
| 4.30 Syracuse
11.14
4.45 Darlington
11.00
5.00 Mont Clare
10.46
5.11 Robin'* Neck
10.85
5.27 M&ndevjlle
10.13
6.40 HenuettsvlUe
10.5
‘ 6.30 Gibson
9.10
A. M.
P. M.
Close connection is made at Gibson
for all points reached by
or via tlie
Seaboi'.rd Air Line System ; at Ben-
nettsv.lle for all iioints via C. F. A V.
V R K
J. H. -WERILL, General Miuitiger.
g'N A 1). and C. A S. RAILROADS.
In effect Oct.
2, 1892.
Leave Wadesboro
Morveu’s
McFarland
5 27 a in
Cheraw
Cash’s
0.17 a in
Society Hill
6.32 a in
Dove's
6.50 a in
Floyd’s .t
.... 6.58 a m
Darlington
.... 7.12 am
Palmetto
7.22 a m
Arrive Florence
Palmetto
9.13 p m
Darlington
... 9.23 p IU
Floyd’s
9.33 p m
Dove's
9 0pm
Society Hill
Cash’s
Cheraw
McFarland
.... 11.04 p m
Morven’s
.... 11.16pm
Bennett’s
! Arrive Wadesboro
F'reight Train.
1 I<eave Florence
Arrive Darlington
8.30 a m
j Leave Darlington
Arrive Florence
5.00 p m
A. F. RAVENEL
President.
mjORTHEASTERN RAILROAD.
I* lu effect Get.
i, 1892.
SOUTH HOUND.
No. 27.
| Leave Florence
1 35 a m
King* tree
2.32 a|m
Lane*
2..oo a m
Arrive Charleston
No. 28.
1 Leave Florence
8.05 a m
Kingstree
9.30 am
Lanes
0.55 a m
Arrive Charleston
11.59 a m
No. 53.
Leave Lanes
Arrive Charleston
Train on C. A I). R. R. connects at
Florence with No. 23 Train.
NORTH BOUND.
No. 78.
Leave Charleston
I-anes
3.85 a m
Kingstree
8 43am
Arrive F'loreuce
4.45 a m
No. 14.
Ix'ave Charleston
5.16 pm
Lanes
7.05 p m
Kingstree
7.24 p m
Arrive F'loreuce
3.30 p III
No. 52.
Leave Charleston
6.50 a in
Arrive Lanes
8.27 am
No. 52 runs through to Columbia
via Central U. R. of 8. C.
Nos. 78 and 14 run solid to Wilming-
| ton, N. C., making close connection
with W. A W. Ii. R. for all points
North.
J. F. DIVINE, Gen. Supt.
AWTILMINGTON, COLUMBIA &
P V AUGUSTA RALROAD.
W. L. DOUGLAS
S3 SHOE CEtuffi/lffEN,
THE BEST SHOE IN THE WORLD FOR THE MONET.
OTI1KK HPECI AlsTIEH lu footwear aro of
the same high grade, und represent a money value
far beyond the price* charged. See that u&mu ami
price are stamped on bottom of each shoe.
TAKE NO M BSTITI TK.
W. L* Longing, ilrockluu, Mass* Sold to*
For Sale by A. J, Broom,
Darlington S. C,
In effect October2
SOUTH BOUND.
1802.
Leave Wilmington .
No. 23.
6-25 p m
Marion
9.35 p m
Arrive F'loreuce
10.25 p m
Leave Florence
No. 59.
3.20 a m
Sumter .
Arrive Columbia
6.15 a m
Leave Wilmington
No. 27.
Marion
Arrive F’loreuce
1.20 a m
Leave Sumter
No. 52.
Arrive Columbia
10.55 am
Leave Florence
No. 58.
7.57 a m
Sumter
9 20 a m
Arrive Columbia
( SUGAR COATKD) ,
Haydock’s New Liver Pills.
A wonderful and extraordinary combination of concon*
tx .tvA modlciao. '1 he Victories of Kcience—Llectrio
T .leijraphs, Steam and Printing—revolutionised the
whole system of tho globe, end made mankind wiser and
Inttar. 80, although there are countless Pills used for
disease, and claiming mneh as to their merit, tho re*
n tr liable dl:. cover? ox Dr. Hay dock bus eclipsed them
all, and has founded a #
NEW MEDICAL SYSTEM.
The Doctor*, whoso vast doses of four or five pills, en*
facble the stomach and paralyse the bowels, must give
way to the uum who restores health and aoneUte with
one o** *wo ot his extraordinary Vegetable Pills. One or
two Ok DR. H vYDOCK-’H NKVV LIVKR PILLSeufloe*
to place the stomach in perfect order, creates an appe
tite, and renders the spirit light and buoyant. If the
Liver Is affected its functions are restored, and if the
Nervous bystenc. is enfeebled, it is invigorated and suo*
teiaed.
SYMPTOMS OP BILIOt SXESS.
1. The patient complains of a fullness of the stemach.
2. Distension of the bowels by wind.
8. Heartburn.
4. A feeling of weariness, sleepiness after meals.
ft. A bad tai.te in the mouth, and furred tongue.
6. Constipation, with an occasional diarrhoea.
^ J V _ _ a » , A _ M I J
No. 52 runs through from Charles
ton via Central Railroad; leaving
Lane* 8.32 a m, Manning 0 00 a m.
Train on C. and D. Railroad con
nect* at Florence with No. 5 s .
NORTH BOUND.
No. 51.
Leave Columbia 10.45 p m
Sumter 12.04 a m
Arrive Florence 1.15 am
No. 78.
Leave Florence 5.00 a m
Marion 5.44 a m
Arrive Wilmington 8.55 am
No. 59.
Leave Columbia ;
Sumter 7.30 p m
Arrive Florence 8.40 p m
No. 53.
Leave Columbia
Arrive Sumter
H.lo p m
7.30 p m
No. 14.
8.50 p m
9.35 p m
12.20 a m
—,1 Headache in front of head.
A Depression of spirits and
at lassitude.
AH of the above symptoms go to show functional
f the Liver: and
Leave Florence
Marion
Arrive Wilmington
No. 53 runs through to charleston
via Central Railroad, arriving Man
ning 8.00 n m Lanes 8.40 p ui,
' charleston 10.30 a m.
No. 59 connect* ai Florence with C.
I & D. train from cheraw and Wadee-
boro.
No*. 78 and 14 make close connec
tion at Wilmington with W. A W.
Railroad for all point* North.
Train* on Florence Railroad leave
Pee Dee daily except Sunday 8 35 a
m, arrive Rowland 11.40 a m. Return
ing leave Rowland 12.16 p m, arrive
Pee Dee 4.00 p m.
Trains on Manche*ter A Augusta
GJ. HMffl & 80^! ixteSiiESai?*"
Haydock’s New Liver Pill.
Railroad leave Sumter daily except
Life Sunday 10.50 a m arrive Rimini U.Ji#
to a PiH. Dully e»pCTi-nce ■how, that this, wtan the Pill a IU. Returning leave Rimini
is corapoundtad properly, is the readiest mode of inciting . m arrive 811 inter 1 40 n m
od promoting IheYctfon of the Llver.and can be always U1 * “ rri ' c r tT ifAr. P ‘
rolled on. I have devoted many rears of my life in ooaa. I .1. r. L)I VljN fc*. lien Supt
ling a PiU, that will act readilv and systematically '
•“ Remedy. I do not believe in groat nurga.
12 30p.
Manutacturers
—OP—
Doors, Sash, Bliniis,
Is/EOTTLIJIlSras
—AND -
Duilding Material.
ESTABLISHED 1842.
CHARLESTON, 8. 0.
April, 20 1889—1
They are the true grains and essence of health, and tha
greatest blessing that Science nas given to the world.
For Nervous Prostration, Weakness, Gonaral Lft-'ai-
£nde. Want of Appetite and Rick Headache, Dr. Ray*
dock’s New JUv«r tills will bo found an Effectual
KachVul ©oetair a Twenty PiUe. Price Twenty-five
*EVT HI« I. RKZ
Annual Meeting.
The Annual Meeting of the Board
of County Commi**ioner* for Darling
ton county will be held on Thursday,
the 10th of November next.
All persons holding bills, account*
or demands of any kind against the
Mmmm . ,... county which have not been present-
MV. | <\ f l to the Board of County < omiui*-
fb andTtTmystort.- n fnmtohc. in. | sioners at special meeting* held dur
ing the year, are required to deposit
the same with the Clerk of the Board
on or before the first day of Novem
ber next.
HENRY E. P. SANDERS,
Clerk of Hoard.
Darlington October 5th 1892.—31
formation to all,
HAYDOCK
& CO.,
NEW YORK. U. 8.
CAUTION! -Druggists aro desired to notice that the
n&mo of J. H. Frauds, sole agent, is written across each
dozen packages of Haydodt/a Liver Pills, AU withoui
uus are counterfeits.
April 14—ly
iHH IKbI
mm