ed
his mustache and regarded him with a hard, speculative eye.

Ambrose's heart failed him terribly. These were men that he admired.
"What's the matter?" he cried. "Do you believe this liar? I have been
a prisoner up to this moment--bound hand and foot and gagged. The
marks are still on my wrists!"

Inspector Egerton did not look at his wrists. "H-m! Not bad!" he said
grimly. "You're a cool hand, my man!"

The blood rushed to Ambrose's face. "For God's sake, will you tell me
what I could hope to gain by stirring up the Indians?" he demanded.

"Don't ask me," said the inspector. "You were ready to grasp at any
straw, I expect."

In the face of injustice so determined, it was only humiliating for
Ambrose to attempt to defend himself. His face hardened. He set his
jaw and shrugged callously.

"You're under arrest," said the inspector.

"On what charge?" Ambrose sullenly demanded.

"A mere trifle," said the inspector ironically. "Unlawful entry,
conspiracy, burglary, and assault with intent to kill. To which we
shall probably add treason."

Ambrose made no answer. In his heart he had hoped that the empty
charges at Fort Enterprise had fallen of their own weight before this.

The inspector turned his attention back to Watusk. "Deliver over your
arsenal!" he said.

Watusk meekly unfastened his various belts and handed them to a
trooper. Having observed Ambrose's rebuff, his face had become smooth
and inscrutable again.

By this time the Indians had issued out of the pit by the rear and were
standing in an uncertain group a little way off.

"Order them to pile their weapons on the ground," commanded the
inspector. "Let each man make a mark upon the stock of his rifle so
that he can identify it when it is returned. Send messengers to the
other pits with orders for all the men to bring their guns here."

Watusk was eager to obey him.

"Where is your camp?" the inspector asked him.

Watusk pointed. "One mile," he said.

"After we get the guns you shall go there with me and we will examine
the people."

Ambrose, hearing this, turned to the trooper who was nearest. "If you
go to the camp get me my dog, will you?" he asked sullenly.

"What's that?" demanded the inspector.

Ambrose explained where his dog was to be found. They looked at him
curiously as if surprised that such a desperate criminal should be
solicitous about a dog. The trooper promised to bring him.

Inspector Egerton c