ndmark seen for many a mile except to the south and
west. Eagle Butte was the only point south of the Big Horn and in the
valley of the Platte from which it could be seen, and famous were these
two points in the old days of the frontier for the beacon fires that
burned or the mirror signals that flashed on their summits when the war
parties of the Sioux were afield.

It was the sight of puffs of smoke sailing skyward from the crest of the
middle tooth that caught Ray's attention the moment he reached the
second ridge. A moment more had been devoted to recalling some of his
eager men who, from the extreme right of the swinging skirmish line, had
broken away in pursuit of certain intentional laggards. Then a dozen of
the Indians, finding themselves no longer followed, gathered at
comparatively safe distance across the prairie, and, while in eager
consultation, found time for taunting, challenging and occasionally
firing at the distant and angering troopers, whom Sergeant Scott had
sharply ordered back, and Ray, after calm survey of these fellows
through his glass, had then levelled it at the trio of buttes along the
distant ridge and turned to Field, sitting silent and disappointed by
his side.

"There, Field," said the captain. "Take this glass and look at those
signal smokes--Stabber has more men now at his call than he had when he
started, and more yet are coming. They were just praying you would
charge with a handful of men. They would have let you through, then
closed around and cut you off. Do you see, boy?"

Field touched his hat brim. "You know them best, sir," was the brief
answer. "What I wanted was a chance at those fellows hanging about our
front and calling us names."

"You'll get it, I'm thinking, before we're an hour older. They know
whither we're bound and mean to delay us all they can. Ah, Clayton," he
added, as the junior lieutenant rode up to join them, while his platoon
dismounted to reset saddles behind the screen of the skirmish line. "Men
look full of fight, don't they? There, if anywhere, is where we'll get
it. I've just been showing Field those signal smokes. Mount and follow
when we're half way down to that clump of cottonwoods yonder. We must
reach those people at the stage station to-night, and I may have to give
these beggars a lesson first. Watch for my signal and come ahead lively
if I turn toward you and swing my hat. All ready, Field. Shove ahead."

And this was the last conference be