Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-26

dust in the air. Soon the story of Mat thews and the bull had spread to every soul at Brannon. The line chatted 1t from gallery to gallery. Clothespin row digested 1t in hilarious groups. At barracks it set the men to swapping yarns. T knowed feller onct that was goin' past a bull pen," declared one trooper, land he had pail of cherries, and I'll be darned if''-- But say! Down home one time," put in second, there was a yaquerof with red sash that was stoopin' to fix a flank girth. and"- Why, that ain't I two spot to what happened in Kansas year ago this summer. The .purtiest gal ever seen-you know them Kan sas gals can be purty-she had wig that d keep your hands warm in Jan- uary. Well''- a < When, however, the surgeon recount ed the story at the bachelors noon Amess mirth over it was snoticeablyl lacking. To the little circle of officers there was nothing comical in the fact that man from the post had molest ed the girls so recently orphaned. And all save Fraser vowed stormily that Matthews would be called to account. The young lieutenant said nothing.
 Before the meal ended the interpret CT came in. He had changed his clothes and restored his hair.<to its pristine smoothness. He gave the group his usual bob and smile.
 Cold stares answered him-from all but one, who fairly bounded from his chair. It was Fraser, face red, shoul- ders working under the blue of his uniform. He planted himself before Matthews. -.e>-a.
 You d-d blackguardv' he gasped. #. The other looked highly amused. What's got into your craw, sonny" he inquired. .-..t
 "You d-d blackguard!' repeated Fraser, and struck out. -( > An amazed and delighted mess room looked on, for Fraser, the tender heart ed Fraser, the pink checked mammals darling," was battering the interpreter hammer and tongs.
 IlOlu luS uCOl " uJ LuC SoPtoAh S fOASS interrupted the battle, and the two men were pulled apart. Matthews fell to wiping at his stained lips, which had magically puffed to proportions suggesting those of the colonels black cook, while the lieutenant was pant ing and struggling wildly to get free.
 Oliver thrust the latter behind him and addressed the interpreter. "Pm not stopping this boy because I don't think you need sound thrashing," he said. "Pd like to see you walloped within an inch of your life. But I can't have this kind of thing going on."
 q wasn't goin' to tech them gals" Iisped Matthews. "I ain't no city tough"
 we shan't need your services at Brannon any longer. You light out"
 After that mess went merrily on. "Didn't know you had it in you, Fra ser," marveled one officer. By cracky," added second, "how you r can slug! The surgeon sighed. "No one has ever understood Robert" said he, "but women, critters and kids"
 And now Matthews blood was up, and under his sloping forehead the gray matter was bubbling and boiling like the soup in the suffers pot. He hurled out terrible oaths against the ' shack, against Captain Oliver, against Fraser, against the old pilot. Dallas Lancaster had made cheap spectacle of him. The commanding officer had ordered him to leave Brannon, the "unlicked calf' of a lieutenant had whipped him out of hand, and the man most ready to guzzle his liquor had gone through the barracks a-blab- ping.
 He hurried to his room to pack his belongings. "I'll fix 'em! I'll fix 'emv' he ragged. "I'll git even with the hull crowd"
 He halted at a window and looked across the Missouri at the little shack. "When the reds go to the reservation, that'll do for you," he said. But how can I soak them d-d shoulder straps?"
 It was then that change in his plan came to his mind. Why wait until the Indians were sent, if-
 The more he thought of the change the better he liked 1t. "One deal and everybody fixed. Land Il be mine, and there'n be some court martialin'." !"
 He determined to get into the stock ade for a last talk with the hostages. If they approved what he proposed, he would promise them his services. Yes, he would. The value of the quarter section had made him fight for the bend. But this was a horse of another color. His pride had been outraged. For that he would have his quits.
 His conduct earlier in the day and the fight at the suffers gave place that afternoon to other and more direful news. A steamer touched on its way down the river and told of the Custer massacre. Not a trooper at Brannon but had lost friend; not an officer but <, had lost several. Gloom settled upon the post, and Matthews was forgotten.
 He took advantage of that. Before an order went out to prevent him he went through the wicket of the sliding panel and gathered around him the four chiefs named in Cummings ulti- matum. They were more sullen, un- happy and discouraged than ever. A