Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-03-21
Daughter l of the Sioux
 By GEN. CHARLES KING.
CHAPTER XXIII.

December and bitter cold. The
 river frozen stiff. The prairie sheet
 cd in unbroken snow. Great log fires
 roaring in every open fireplace.
 Great throngs of soldiery about the
 red hot barrack stoves, for all the columns were again in winter quar- ters, and Flint's two companies had
 "got the route" for home They
 were to march on the morrow, es- corting as far as Laramie the in tractables of Stabber's band, some few of the Indians to go in irons,
 among them Ralph Moreau, or Eagle Wing, now notorious character.
 The general was there at Frayne, with old Black Bill, erstwhile chief inspector of the department, once a subaltern in days long gone by when Laramie was Ultima Thule" of the plains forts. The general had heard Flint's halting explanation of his iaxity in Moreau's case, saying al- most as little as his old friend Grant when ''interviewed'' by those of whom he disapproved. "Black Bill" 1t was who waved explosive when once he opened on the major, and showed that amazed New Englander something of the contents of Moreau's Indian kit, including the now famous hunting pouch, all found with Stabber's village. A precious ecoundrel, as it turned out, was this same Moreau, with more sins to an- swer for than many convicted jail bird, and with not one follower left to do him reverence except, perhaps, that lonely girl, self secluded at the Hays Hay himself, though weak, sFas beginning to sit up. Dade, Blake And Ray were all once more housed -lp garrison. Truscott and Billings, with their hardy troopers, had taken Temporary station at the post, until the general had decided upon the dis position of the array of surrendered Indians, nearly 300 in number, now confined under strong guard in the quartermaster's corral at the flats, with six head devils," including Eagle Wing, in the garrison prison.
 All the officers, with two excep- tions, were again for duty at Frayne. Webb, laid by the heels at Beecher, his feet severely frozen, and Beverly Field, who, recalled from brief and solemn visit to far southern home, had reached the post, at nightfall of the tenth. There had hardly been al- lowed him time to uplift a single prayer, to receive word of consola- tion from the lips of friends and kin dred who loved the honored father. borne to his last resting place. Come as soon as possible" read the message wired him by Ray, and, though the campaign was over, it was evident that something was aniss, and, with all his sorrow fresh upon him, the lad, sore in body and soul, had hastened to obey.
 And it was Ray who received and welcomed him and took him straight way to his own cosy quarters, that Mrs. Ray, and then the Blakes, might add their sympathetic and cordial greeting-ere it came to telling why it was that these, his friends despite that trouble that could not be talked of, were now so earnest in their sym pathy-before telling him that his good name had become involved, that there were allegations concerning him which the chief had ordered "pigeon-holed" until he should come to face them. A pity it was that Bill Hay could not have been there, too, but his fever had left him far too weak to leave his room. Only Ray and Blake were present and 1t was an interview not soon, if ever, to be forgotten.
 -I'm no hand at breaking things gently, Field" said Ray. when finally the three were closeted together in the captains den. Tt used to worry Webb that you were seen so often riding with Miss-Miss Flower up to Stabber's village. and, in the light of what has since happened. you will admit that he had reasons. Hear me through he continued, as Field. sit ting bolt upright in the easy chair, es- saved to speak. Neither Capt. Blake nor I believe one word to your dis honor in the matter, but it looks as though you had been made a tool of. and you are by no means the first man. It was to see this fellow. Nor ! eau-Eagle Wing-whom you recog- nized at the Elk-she was there so frequently-was it not?"
 Into Fields pale face there had come a look of infinite distress. For . moment he hesitated. and little beads began to start out on his fore head.