The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1904-01-20

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suming the major himself had
dropped it, he turned it over to the
corporal of his relief, and so it found
its way toward reveille into the hands
of old Mccain, wheeling about his
work of building fires, and Michael
laid it on the majors table and
thought no more about it until ITO
hours later when the major reused
and read, and then row began that
ended only with the other worries
of his incumbency at Frayne.
Secretly Flint was doing his best to
discover the bearer when came the
bold riders from the north with their
thrilling news. Secretly, he had been
over at the guard-house interviewing
as best he could, by the aid of an
unwilling clerk who spoke little
Sioux, young Indian girl whom
Crabb's convalescent squad, four in
number, had most unexpectedly run
down when sent scouting five miles
up the Platte, and brought, scream
ing, scratching and protesting, back
to Frayne. Her pony had been killed
in the dash to escape, and the two In
dams with her seemed to be young
lads not yet well schooled as war
riors, for they rode away pellmell
over the prairie, leaving the girl
to the mercy of the soldiers.
Flint believed her to be connect
ed in some way with the coming
of the disturbing note, which was why
he compelled her detention at the
guard-house. Under Webb's regime,
she would have been questioned by
Hay, or some one of his household.
Under Flint no one of Hays family
or retainers could be allowed to see
her. He regarded it as most sig
nifcant that her shrillest screams and
fercest resistance should have been
reserved until just as her guardians
were bearing her past the traders
house. She had the light little prison
room to herself all that wintry morn
ing, and there, disdainful of bunk or
chair, enveloped in her blanket, she
squatted disconsolate, greeting all
questioners with defiant and fearless
shruggings and inarticulate protest.
Not syllable of explanation, not
shred of news could their best en-
beavers wiring from her. Yet her
glittering eyes were surely in search
of some one, for she looked up eager.
]y every time the door was opened,
and Flint was just beginning to think
he would have to send for Mrs. Hay
when the couriers came with then
stirring news and he had to drop
other affairs in order to forward this
important matter to headquarters.
Once again, it seems, Trooper Ken
nedy had been entrusted with dis
tinguished duty. for it was he who
came trotting foremost up the road,
waving his dispatch on high. A com
rade from Blake's troop, following
through the ford, had turned to the
left and led his horse up the steep to
the quarters nearest the flagstaff.
This time there was no big-hearted
post commander to bid the Irishman
refresh himself ad libitum. Flint was
alone at his Office, at the moment, and
knew not this strange trooper, and
looked askance at his heterodox garb
and war-worn guise. Such laxity,
said he to himself, was not permitted
where he had hitherto served, which
was never on Indian campaign. Ken
nedy, having delivered his dispatches,
stood mutely expectant of question,
and struggling with an Irishman's
enthusiastic eagerness to tell the de-
tails of the heavy fight. But Flint had
but one method of getting at facts
the official reports-and Kennedy
stood unnoticed until, impatient at
last, he queried:
BEG pardon, sir, but may we put
up our horses?"
''Who's we?" asked the major.
bluntly. "And where are the others?"
"Trigg, sir-Capt. Blake's troop.
He went to the captains quarters
with package"
sHe should have reported himself
first to the post commander" said the
major, who deemed it advisable to
make prompt impression on these
savage hunters of savage game.
"Thim wasn't his ordhers, SURF"
said Kennedy. with jealous, but mis-
guided loyalty to his comrades and
DlS regiment.
NO one has a right, sir, to give
orders that are contrary in spirit to
the regulations and customs of the
service answered the commander.
with proper austerity. "Mr. Wilkins"
he continued, as the burly quarter
master came busting in, ''have the
ether trooper sent to report at once
to me and let this man wait outside
till l am ready to see him.
And SO it happened that dozen
members of the garrison gathered,
from the lips of participant, stir
ring particulars of spirited chase
and fight that set soldiers to cheer
ing and women and children to ex-
trayagant scenes of rejoicing before
the official head of the garrison gave
out the news. Kennedy had taken
satisfaction for the commanders
Sights by telling the tidings broad
cast to the crowd that quickly gath.
cred, and, i'll three minutes, the word
was flying from lip to lip that the
troops had run down Lame Wolf's