The Young Ranchers; Or, Fighting the Sioux

arming events in the neighborhood of his home, but has conveyed to the reader the cause of the abrupt change in his plans and of

sacred. While Jared Plummer, the lank New Englander, rode to the westward to look after some strays, Tim galloped north to attend to the mai

learned the lesson which such an experience should teach everyone. He knew of the impending trouble among the Indian tri

necessary for him to dismount and examine the ground to learn the cause of such slaughter. The footprints of ponies near by,

better friend than Mr. Starr, and that's the shtyle in which

ing several hundreds, were scurrying over the plain in a wild panic. The figures of several Sioux bucks galloping at their heels, swinging their arms and shouting, so as to keep up and add to the affright, l

im better than to dash with several companions after the marauders and force them to a reckoning for the outrage. But eager as

he stampede. From the clump of wood on his right, along the edge of the stream, only a f

around and withdrew behind the elevation he had just asce

d, but the occasion was one of those rare ones in which the warriors acted upon the t

e edge of the stream, until he reached a point which gave him a sight of t

urious passion. He was swinging his arms, shouting and leaping about like a lunatic, and rising to a pitch which not only threatened to throw him into a paroxysm, but was imparting itself to his listeners. Some of them were

e home of the Starrs so often, and indulged in so much action to which the others signified full assent, that it was beyond dispute that they meant to attac

or rather Providence, had given to him the secret which revealed that only by prompt action could the lives of his frie

white man rose up in full view only a few hundred yards away, without his presence being detected. Such being the case, it was easy f

and the camp of the hostiles, until convinced it was safe, wh

at his haste and agitation. Mr. Starr was sitting near the window reading a newspaper, his little

ed Plummer had not yet come in, and there could be no g

grasp the situation. The only possible safe

sful defence, where the small garrison could not guard one-half the weak points. The assailants could readily f

imple, and to waste no time. It was idle to bewail the necessity which compelled them to leave so many precious articles behind. Life was dearer than all, and the courageous helpmate pro

den with the bag of provisions, extra clothing, and a few articles deemed indispensable. These were brough

as fearful that his home would be placed under surveillance while daylight lasted, and that the intended flight would be discovered be