The Princeton union., 1900-09-27

head of the troop. Scouts and flank
ers signaled "all clear" Not hostile
Indian had they seen since leaving the
Gap. The ambulances with a little
squad of troopers had hung on few
moments at the noon camp, hitching
slowly and leisurely that their passen-
gers might longer enjoy their post
prandial siesta in the last shade they
should see until they reached Canton
ment Reno, a long days ride. Present.
ly the lively mule teams would come
along the winding trail at spanking
trot. Then the troop would open out
to right and left and let them take the
lead, giving the dust in exchange, and
once more the rapid march would be-
gin. 1t was four p. m. when the shad-
ows of the mules ears and heads came
jerking into view beside them, and,
guiding his horse to the right, Dean
loosed rein and prepared to trot by the
open doorway of the stout, black-cov-
cred wagon. The young engineer Of
ficer, sitting on the front seat, nodded
cordially to the cavalryman. He had
known and liked him at the Point. He
had sympathized with him in the
vague difference with the quartermas-
ter. He had to listen to sneering
things Burleigh was telling the aid
de-camp about young linesmen in gen
eral and Dean in particular, stocking
the staff officer with opinions which he
hoped and intended should reach the
department commanders ears The
| engineer disbelieved, but was in no po-
sition to disprove. His station was at
Omaha, far from the scene of cavalry
exploits in fort or field. Burleigh's Of
flee and depot were in this new,
crowded, bustling frontier town, filled
with temptation to men so far re-
moved from the influences of home and
civilization, and Burleigh doubtless
saw and knew much to warrant his
generalities. 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 Emory only twice, and then un-
der orders that called for prompt re-
turn to Fetterman. Any man with an
eye for human nature could see at a
glance, as Dean saw, that both the aid
and his big friend, the quartermaster,
had been exchanging comments at the
boys expense. He had shouted
CHEEKY salutation to the engineer in
| answer to his friendly nod, then turned
in saddle and looked squarely at the
two on the back seat, and the con-
straint in their manner, the almost suf-
len look in their faces, told the story
without words.
1t nettled Dean - 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 man to be
feared. Signaling to his sergeant to
keep the column opened out, as the
prairie was almost level now on every
side, he rode swiftly on, revolving in
his mind how to meet and checkmate
Burleigh's insidious moves, for in
stinctively he felt 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
official 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
friend on whom he could rely. and he
determined to seek his counsel at the
campfire that very night. meantime to
hold his peace.
They were trotting through shall
low depression at the moment, the
two spring wagons guarded and es-
corted by some 80 dusty. hardy
looking troopers. In the second, the
yellow ambulance. Brooks was