nited States army! I don't care a damn how
many congressmen dance to your tune, you're not big enough to move
even one trooper out of my barracks, sir! That's all I've got to say
to you."

Chadron stood a little while, glowering at the colonel. It enraged him
to be blocked in that manner by a small and inconsequential man. This
he felt Colonel Landcraft to be, measured against his own strength and
importance in that country. Himself and the other two big cattlemen in
that section of the state lorded it over an area greater than two or
three of the old states where the slipping heritage of individual
liberty was born. Now here was a colonel in his way; one little old
gray colonel!

"All right," Chadron said at length, charging his words with what he
doubtless meant to be a significant foreboding, measuring Colonel
Landcraft with contemptuous eye. "I can call out an army of my own. I
came to you because we pay you fellers to do what I'm askin' of you,
and because I thought it'd save me time. That's all."

"You came to me because you have magnified your importance in this
country until you believe you're the entire nation," the colonel
replied, very hot and red.

Chadron made no answer to that. He turned toward the military door,
but Colonel Landcraft would not permit his unsanctified feet, great as
they were and free to come and go as they liked in other places, to
pass that way. He frowned at Major King, who had stood by in silence
all the time, like a good soldier, his eyes straight ahead. Major King
touched Chadron's arm.

"This way, sir, if you please," he said.

Chadron started out, wrathfully and noisily. Half-way to the door he
turned, his dark face sneering in contemptuous scorn.

"Yes, you're one hell of a colonel!" he said.

Major King was holding the door open; Chadron swung his big body
around to face it, and passed out. Major King saluted his superior
officer and followed the cattleman into the hall, closing the sacred
door behind him on the wrathful little old soldier standing beside his
desk. King extended his hand, sympathy in gesture and look.

"If I was in command of this post, sir, you'd never have to ask twice
for troops," he said.

Chadron's sudden interest seemed to give him the movement of a little
start. His grip on the young officer's hand tightened as he bent a
searching look into his eyes.

"King, I believe you!" he said.

Nola came pattering down the stairs. Chadron stood with o