The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-14

men than the victims ever suspected.
Burleigh was man of position and
influence, and knew it. Dean was a
ycungster without either and did not
realize it. He had made an enemy of
the Cuartermaster on the trip and
could not but know it. Yet, conscious
that he had said nothing that was
w Crg, he felt no disquiet.
And now, honfeWard bound, he was
sing contentedly along at the head
&c troop Scouts and fiankers sig
ID AL clear" Not Il hostile Indian
had they seen since leaving the gap.
The aInbulances with a little squad Of
troopers had hung on few moments
At the noon camp, hitching slowly and
leisuTely that their passengers might
longer enjoy their post prandial slesta
in the last shade they would see until
they reached Cantonment Reno, a long
days rice away. Presently the lively
mule teams would come along the
winding trail al Il spanking trot Then
the troop would open out at the right
and left and let them take the lead,
giving the dust in exchange, and once
more the rapid march would begin. 1t
was D. III when the shadows of the
mules ears and heads came jerking
into view beside him. ana, guiding his
horse TO the right, Dean loosed rein
and prepared to tr0t by the 0Gen GO5l-
way Of the stout. black-cOVared Wag
Oh. The young engineer officer. sitting
Oh the front seat. nodded cordially to
the caValryman. He had known and
liked him at the Point. He had SYM
pathized with him in the vague diffe--
eEce with the quarterraster. He had
to listen to sneering things Burleigh
vas telling the aide-de-camp about
young linesmen in general and Dean
II particular, stocking the staff officer
with opinions which lie hoped and IN
tended should reach the department.
CCrl manGer's cars Tie engineer dis
believed, but was in 10 position to dis
prove. His station was at Omaha,
Iar from The scene Of cavalry exploits
il. fort or field. Burlcigh's office and
depot were in this rev, crowd d, bust
ling frontier town, fili-d with tempta-
ton 10 men 50 far removed from the
influences of home and civilization,
and Burieigh doubtless saw ana knew
much TO warrant his gerera,ities. But
he knew no wrong OF Dean, for that
young soldier, as has been said, had
spent all but few mid-winter months
at hard, vigorous work in the field,
had been to Gate City and Fort En-
DRY only twice, and then under orders
that called for prompt return to Fet-
terman. Any man with an eye for hui
man nature could see at a glance, as
Dean saw, that both the aide ard his
big friend, the Quartermaster had
been exchanging comments at the
boys expense. He had shouted Il
CHEEKY salutation to the engineer in
answer to his friendly nod then tuln-
ed in saddle and looked squareIy at
the two on the back seat, and TIE con-
straint in their manner, the almost
sulien look in their faces, told the
story without words.
1t nettled Dcan-frank outspoken.
straightforward as he had always
been. He hated any species of back
biting, and he had heard of Burleigh
as an adept in the art. and a man to
be feared. Signaling to his sergeant
to Keep the column opened out, as the
prairie was almost level ROW on every
side, he rode swiftly on, revolving in
his mind how to meet and checkmatc
Burleigh's ins;dious moves. for in
stinctively he felt that he was already
at work. The general in command in
those days was not a field soldier by
any means. His office was far away at
the banks of the Missouri and all he
knew of what was actually going on
in his department he derived from
ofhclal written reports; much that was
neither official nor reliable he learned
from officers Of Burleigh's stamp. and
Dean had never yet set eyes on him.
In the engineer he felt he had a friend
on whom he could rely, and he deter
mined to seek his counsel at the camp
hre that very night, meantime to hold
his peace
They were trotting through a shall
low depression at the moment, the two
sprlng-Wagons guarded and escorted
by some thirty dusty, hardy-looking
troopers. In the second, the yellow
ambulance, Brooks was stretched at
length, taking it easy, an attendant
jogging alongside. Behind them came
a third, big quartermaster's wagon.
drawn by six mules and loaded with
tentaSe and ratiOns. Out some 800
yards to the right and left rode LITTLE,
squads as Hankers. Out beyond them.
further still, often cut off from view
by low waves of prairie, were individ-
uaI troopers riding as lookouts. while
lar to the front, full 900 yards. three
or four others, spreading over the
front on each side of the twisting trail
moved rapidly from crest to crest. al
ways carefully scanning the country
ahead before riding up to the summit
And now, as Deans eyes turned from
his charges to look along the sky line
to the east, he saw sudden sign of
excitement and commotion at the front.
a sergeant, riding with two troopers
fore
most scouts, was eagerly signaling to
nm with his broad brimmed hat
Three of the black dots along the gen
Uprising slope far ahead had leaned
from their mounts and were slowly
craving forward while one of them
his horse turned adrift and content
edly nibbling at the buffalo grass. was
surely signaling that there was mis-
chief ahead.
n an instant the lieutenant was gal
!cPlng out to the front, cautioning the
driver to come on Slowly. Presently he
oEefhauled the sergeant and babe him
1olloW, and together the four men dart
Ell on up the gradual incline until
within ten yards of where the leaders
horses were placidly grazing. There
they threw themselves from saddle.
one of the men took the reins of the
four horses While Dean and the other
two, unslinging carbine and crouching
ioW went hurredly on up the slope
until they came within a few yards of
the nearest scout
Indians he called to them as soon
as they were within ear-shot. But
they don't seem to be on lookout for
us at all. They're fooling with some
buffalo over here
Crawling to the crest. leaving his
hat behind, Dean peered over into the
swale beyond and this was what he
saw.
Half a mile away to the east the
low, concave sweep of the prairie was
cut by the jagged banks and curves
of water course which drained the
melting SHOWS in earlier spring. Atoms
the further bank dozen buffalo were
placidly grazing, unconscious of the
fact that in the shallow, dry ravine
itself a dozen young Indians Sioux. ap
parently-Were lurking, awaiting the
nearer coming Of the herd. whose lead
ers, at least, We're gradually approach
ing the edge. AWAY down to the