And yet, not
three months agone he had stoutly taken up the cudgels for the Frayne
garrison, as a whole, against the field, the wordy battle with the son
and heir of the colonel commanding at Laramie culminating in a combat
only terminated by the joint efforts of the stable sergeant and sentry,
for both youngsters were game as their sires. What Sandy Ray was now
praying to see was an attack by Stabber's band upon the isolated troop,
but Stabber, it may be said, knew a trick worth ten of that. There was
no sense in pitching into the sorrel troop on even terms when by waiting
another day, perhaps, and the answer of Lame Wolf to the appeal of his
speedy messenger, he might outnumber and overwhelm them with five to
one.

"We should be hearing from Omaha and Laramie by ten o'clock, Mrs. Ray,"
said the major, reassuringly, "and I will send you word at once. And, of
course, Corporal Ray," he continued, and now with martial formality
addressing the lad at the telescope, "I can rely upon you to report at
once in case you see anything suspicious toward the Big Horn."

"Yes, sir," answered the boy, straightening up to attention. Then,
scrupulously exchanging salutes, the old soldier and the young parted
company, and the major returned to receive the reports of the old and
new officers of the day. These gentlemen were still with him, Captain
Chew, of the Infantry, and the senior first lieutenant for duty with the
----th, when Hay came hurrying up the board walk from the direction of
the store. For reasons of his own, Webb had sent his orderly to the
guard-house to say to the officers in question that he would await them
at his quarters instead of the little building known as the adjutant's
office, in which were the offices of the commander, the record room in
which were placed the desks of the sergeant-major and his three clerks,
and the sleeping rooms of the special duty soldiers. It had happened
more than once in the past that garrison stories of matters not supposed
to be known outside the office had been traced back to that desk room,
and now Webb's questions of his old officer of the day, and his
instructions to the new were not things he cared to have bruited about
the post. He was listening intently to the captain's report of the
sentries' observations during the night gone by when Hay reached the
gate and stopped, not wishing to intrude at such a moment.

"Come in, Mr. Hay," said the commander, cordially. "This all will