CAPTAIN CAREY
"'Great heavens!' cried Kit, 'it is the noble Wallace!'" (See page 87)
Captain Carey
OR
Fighting the Indians at Pine Ridge
BY
LIEUT. LOUNSBERRY
Author of "Won at West Point"
PHILADELPHIA
DAVID McKAY, PUBLISHER
610 South Washington Square
Copyright, 1896 and 1899,
By STREET & SMITH
CAPTAIN CAREY.
CHAPTER I.
UNDER ORDERS.[Pg 3]
"Well, Carey, my gallant aide-de-camp and friend, I am to lose you, itseems; but then what is my loss is your gain, as you have been promotedto a first lieutenancy, and ordered to report at once to General Milesfor special duty," said Colonel Crandall, commandant of an advancedmilitary post upon the border of the Indian country, and he held in hishands an official paper just received by courier.
The one whom he addressed had just entered his quarters, having beensent for to report immediately to the commandant, and, at the words ofhis superior, his face lighted up with enthusiasm, and he said, warmly:
"All that I am, Colonel Crandall, I owe to you, for it was you thatsent me, a border boy, to West Point, and gave me the opportunity ofbecoming what I am more proud of than anything else in life, that ofbeing an officer in the Army of the United States. My advancement hasbeen through you alone, sir, and though I leave you with regret, I amglad to go into the field once more, for I wish to win another bar,sir, upon my shoulder-strap."
"And you will, mark my words, Carey, for there is to[Pg 4] be trouble withthe Indians, as you predicted, for General Brooke writes me that yourfull report to him has been thus far proven correct, and that is whyyou are needed now, on account of your perfect knowledge of the countryand the Indian character. But let me say to you that you place too muchstress upon what I did for you in the past, for you had it in you tomake yourself all that you have done, as otherwise you would never havegotten through West Point, and if I had my way to-day I would make youa captain. But you are to go at once, and bear dispatches as well, andyour traps shall follow by wagon-train later."
"I will be ready, Colonel Crandall, within half an hour," was theprompt reply.
"No, not so soon as that, Lieutenant Carey, for I have a mission foryou to perform, which I must ask you to undertake."
"Certainly, sir."
"It is to become the escort of Captain Foshay's daughter, who ismost anxious to return to her home and be with her mother, now thather father is to go into service. She declared she would go with thecourier alone, but then I could not hear to that, of course, but ifyou will be bored with her for a ride of fifty miles, I will be gladto place her in your charge, as the girl is determined to go, and,preparing, as I am, to send General Brooke all the men I can, I cannotspare one as an escort to her."
"I shall undertake the mission with pleasure, for Miss Foshay is asuperb rider, fearless, and can use a weapon if need be, while if wehave to run for it, I believe she would be no tax upon me whatever."
"You really think then the Indians may be hovering<