y, a mere goat track, many of the soldiers following at respectful
distance, while all the rest of the gathered throng remained at the
crest, eagerly, almost breathlessly awaiting the result. They saw the
trooper come speeding in across the flats from the northeast; saw as he
reached the "bench" that he was spurring hard; heard, even at the
distance, the swift batter of hoofs upon the resounding sod; could
almost hear the fierce panting of the racing steed; saw horse and rider
come plunging down the bank and into the stream, and shoving breast deep
through the foaming waters; then issue, dripping, on the hither shore,
where, turning loose his horse, the soldier leaped from saddle and
saluted his commander. But only those about the major heard the stirring
message:

"Captain Gregg's compliments, sir. It's Rudge from the Dry Fork.
Sergeant Kelly feared that Kennedy hadn't got through, for most of Lame
Wolf's people pulled away from the Fork yesterday morning, coming this
way, and the sergeant thought it was to unite with Stabber to surround
any small command that might be sent ahead from here. Rudge was ordered
to make a wide sweep to the east, so as to get around them, and that's
what took him so long. He left not two hours after Kennedy."

[Illustration: "THE SOLDIER LEAPED FROM HIS SADDLE."]

In spite of his years of frontier service and training in self control,
Webb felt, and others saw, that his face was paling. Ray, with only
fifty men at his back, was now out of sight--out of reach--of the post,
and probably face to face with, if not already surrounded by, the
combined forces of the Sioux. Not a second did he hesitate. Among the
swarm that had followed him was a young trumpeter of "K" Troop, reckless
of the fact that he should be at barracks, packing his kit. As luck
would have it, there at his back hung the brazen clarion, held by its
yellow braid and cord. "Boots and Saddles, Kerry, Quick!" ordered the
major, and as the ringing notes re-echoed from bluff and building wall
and came laughing back from the distant crags at the south, the little
throng at the bank and the crowd at the point of the bluff had scattered
like startled coveys,--the men full run for the barracks and stables,
never stopping to "reason why."

Nearly half an hour later, gray-haired Captain Dade stood at the point
of bluff near the flagstaff, Esther, pale and tearful, by his side,
waving adieu and Godspeed to Webb, who had halted in saddle