Warren sheaf., 1903-10-08

| they had already decided should 90
| to Miss Flower. The others, they
thought, should be handed unopened
to the commanding officer. They
might contain important information.
now that the Sioux were at war, and
that Ralph Moreau had turned out
probably to be a real parsonage. But
first they would consult Mrs. Dade.
They had done SO the very evening of
Blake's departure, even as he, long
miles ii ~'aw away. Was vas telling. Kennedy his
Irish heart was safe from the designs
of one blood-thirsty Sioux; and Mrs.
Dade had agreed with them that Nan
.ette's letter 'shonld be sent to her
forthwith, and that, as Capt. Blake
had brought it in, the duty of return.
ing the letter devolved upon his wife.
And 80, after much thought and
| consultation, 8 little note was writ
ten, saying nothing about the other
contents of the pouch itself. Dear
! MISS Flower: 1T read. The encloseda
was found by Capt. Blake some time
this morning. He had no time to de-:
liver it in person. Yours. sincere
ly. N. B. Blake
Note and enclosure were sent first
thing next morning by. the %trusty
hand of Master Sanford Ray, himself,
and by him delivered in person to
Miss Flower: who met hi m at the
traders gate. She took it, he said;
and smiled, and thanked him charm
ingly' before she opened it, She was
coming out for her customary walk
at the hour of guard mounting, but
the next thing he knew she had
''scooted'' indoors again.
And from that moment Miss Flower
had not been seen.
All this was Mrs. Dade revolving in
mind as she walked pityingly by the
side of the troubled woman, only
vaguely listening to her flow of
words. They had thought to be ad-
mitted to the little room in which
the wounded officer lay, but as they
tiptoed into the wide, airy hall, and
looked over the long vista of pink
striped coverlets in the big ward be-
yond, the doctor himself appeared at
the entrance and barred the way
"Is there nothing we can do?" asked
Mrs. Dade, with tears in her voice.
| rs he-so much worse?''
Nothing can be done just now,"
answered Waller, gravely. HE has
had high fever during the night
has been wakeful and f1ighty again.
I-should rather no one entered Just
now"
And then they noted that even tho
steward who had been with poor
Field was now lowering about the
door of the dispensary and that only
DR.. Waller remained within the room.
II am hoping to get him to sleep
he is mending there will be host
of things for you both to do.''
But that mending seemed many
day Off, and Mrs. Hay, poor woman,
had graver cares of her own before
the setting sun. Avoiding the possi-~
biity of meeting the general Just:
now, and finding Mrs. .Dade both ST.
lent and constrained at mention OF
her niece's name, the traders wife
hospital, and did not even see the
post commander hurrying from his
office, with an open dispatch in his:
hand. But by this time the chief and
his faithful aide were out on the ve-
'randa, surrounded by anxious wives
and daughters, many of whom had
been earnestly bothering the doctor
at the hos pital before going to break
fast. Dade much wished them away,
though the news brought in by night
riders was both stirring and CHEEKY.
The Indians had fitted away from
|, Webb's front, and he counted on
reaching and rescuing the Dry Fork
| party within six hours from the time
the courier started. They might ex-
pect the good news during the after
noon of Thursday. Scouts and flank
ers reported finding "travois" and
pony tracks leading westward from
the scene of Rays fierce battle, in
| dicating that the Indians had carried
their dead and wounded into the fast
nesses of the southern slopes of the
Big Horn, and that their punishment
had been heavy. Among the chiefs
killed or seriously wounded was this
| new, vehement leader whom Capts.
Blake and Ray thought might be Red
Fox, who was so truculent at the
| Black Hills conference the previous
year. Certain of the men, however,
who had seen Red Fox at that time
| expressed doubts. Lieut.. Field, said
Webb, had seen him, and could prob
ably say.
Over this dispatch the general pom
dered gravely. From what 1 know
of Red Fox" said he, II should think
him leader of the Sitting Bull type
"a shrewd, intriguing, mischief-mak-
ing fellow, a sort of Sioux walking
delegate, not a battle leader, but ac-
cording to Blake and Ray this new
man is fighter, ....... ..~...
Then Mrs. Dade came out and bore
the general off to breakfast, and dur
ing breakfast the chief was much pre-
occupied. Mrs. Dade and an aide-de-
camp chatted on social matters. The