A BREAK FOR FREEDOM.
Accustomed as are the Sioux to scenes of violence, it is not probable
that any members of the party to whom we have been referring ever looked
upon a sight so remarkable as the prairie duel between Starcus and the
young rancher.
This Indian, who had come among his native people in the hope of staying
the tide of frenzy sweeping through the tribe, was himself carried away
by the craze, and from a peaceable, well-educated youth became among the
most violent of those that arrayed themselves against the white man.
It was one of the better impulses of his nature that led him to fire the
shot when Tim Brophy was in such danger from the grizzly bear; but, as
he afterward confessed, it was no sooner done than he reproached himself
for not having turned his weapon against the two youths for whom he had
once entertained a strong friendship.
When the headlong Irishman started toward him, Starcus hurried away, and
not only joined a band of prowling hostiles, but told them of the lads,
and joined in a scheme to capture and hold them as hostages for several
turbulent Sioux then in the hands of the Government authorities. Knowing
them as well as he did, he formed the plan of stealing up behind them,
while they were riding across the snowy prairie, and the partial success
of the plan has been shown.
His comrades watched the opening and progress of the strange duel with
no misgiving as to the results. They saw how a run of wonderful fortune
had helped the young rancher, but now, when something like equality
existed between the combatants, the superiority of the American over the
Caucasian race must manifest itself.
As events progressed the interest of the spectators deepened. They
descended to the edge of the plain, where the view was unobstructed,
leaving but a solitary warrior guarding the prisoner. The solicitude of
the latter for his friend was as intense as it could be, for he could
not be sure of the result until the end. He feared that Warren Starr was
committing the same rashness for which he had often chided him.
The view from the rocks through the intervening trees was so imperfect
that it grew to be exasperating, but there seemed to be no help for it.
The warrior in charge of Tim Brophy was expected to give his full
attention to him, but as events progressed there was danger of his
forgetting this duty. He began to look more to the singular contest than
to his captive.
This Indian was standing on his feet, leaning forward, and peering as
best he could between the trees and the obstructing limbs. Tim was
seated on a bowlder at his side, and until this moment was the target of
a pair of eyes that would have detected the slightest movement on his
part.
The Irishman was quick to observe that by the strange trend of events a
golden opportunity had or was about to come to him. The warrior seemed
to forget him entirely, though, like all his people, he would be
recalled with lightning quickness on hearing or seeing anything amiss.
Surely no such chance could come again. Convinced of this, Tim seized it
with the rush of a hurricane.
Rising quickly and noiselessly to his feet he delivered a blow as quick
as a flash under the ear of the Sioux, which stretched him like a dead
man on his face.
There had been no noise, and in the excitement of the occasion the
Indians at the base of the ridge were not likely to learn what had taken
place until the revival of the senseless warrior, who was not likely to
become of any account for several minutes.
Tim needed no urging to improve his opportunity. Facing the top of the
ridge, he started off with a single desire of getting over the rough
ground as fast as possible.
He had taken but a few steps, however, when he abruptly stopped.
"Begorra!" he muttered, "but what a forgitful spalpeen is Tim Brophy!"
He had no rifle. That would never do, when pursuit was inevitable in a
short time. Accordingly, he turned about, ran to the prostrate figure,
and took the gun from his grasp. It was not as good as his own, but
inasmuch as that was in the possession of one of the others it was
beyond recovery.
It seemed cruel, but to make matters safe the Irishman gave the
prostrate fellow a second vigorous blow, from which he was certain not
to recover for a considerable while.
"I hate to hit a man whin he is down," he reflected. "If I meets him
ag'in I'll ax his pardon."
It was no time to indulge in sentiment, and he was off once more.
Some strange fate directed his steps, without his noticing the fact,
along the trail made by Warren Starr in his first hurried flight. Thus
it was that he came upon the other warrior that had been outwitted by
the youth whom he was so confident of capturing.
Urgent as was his hurry, the fugitive paused a moment to contemplate the
sight. Then with a sigh he hurried forward, for not a moment was to be
lost.
It was remarkable that, after having captured the young man with so much
difficulty, they should have invited him to escape, as they virtually
did by their action, but the circumstances themselves were exceptional.
The like could not happen again.
It was the same curious turn of events that extended his opportunity. It
is rare, indeed, that, after a captive does make a break for freedom, he
is allowed such a period in which to secure it; but here again the
unparalleled series of incidents favored him.
There had been no outcry on the part of the third victim to Tim Brophy's
good right arm. But for the forgetfulness of the youth in starting off
without his gun, the fellow would have recovered speedily and made an
outcry that must have brought several of his confederates to the spot.
But events were interesting beyond compare out on the prairie. All the
Sioux but the one named were watching them, and when they saw the plight
of Starcus there was a general rush to his assistance. The return was
slow, being retarded by the efforts of several to capture their
wandering ponies. When they succeeded in doing this and coming back to
the edge of the plains, the better part of half an hour had passed.
The first startling recollection that came to the party after this
return was the fact that the warrior who had pursued the young rancher
up the side of the ridge had not put in an appearance. They would have
awakened to this fact long before but for the affair between Warren
Starr and Starcus. Now that it was impressed upon them, and they
recalled the report of the gun that reached them long ago, together with
the reappearance of the young rancher on the back of his pony, they
could not fail to see the suspicious aspect of things.
There was a hasty consultation at the base of the ridge, and then the
man who was really the leader ordered a couple of his warriors to lose
no time in learning the truth. As eager as he to investigate, they set
out without delay, but had not gone far when one of them uttered a cry
which brought the whole party to the spot.
A striking scene greeted them. The white prisoner was gone, and the
Indian left in charge lay on his face like one dead. His gun was
missing. Strange proceedings had taken place during the absence of the
party.
It took but a few minutes to learn the truth. It was easy to see that
the interest of the guard in the incidents on the plain had caused him
to forget his duty for the time. The Irishman had suddenly assailed him
with that terrible right arm of his, and felled him senseless to the
ground.
The recipient of this attention was not dead, but he felt as though he
wished he was, when he was helped to a sitting position, and was
compelled not only to suffer the pain of the terrific blows received,
but had to face the jeering looks of his companions, who could forgive
anything sooner than the outwitting of a full-grown warrior by a trick
which ought not to have deceived a child.