ith him?"

"He claimed the right to go, and I told him to take half a dozen--half
a score of the scouts, if need be, and leave the other half with me,
only I drew the line at 'Tonio. I needed him here. He is the only
Indian in the lot who understands enough English to catch my meaning
and to translate. I could let Harris go, or 'Tonio, separately, but not
both together. That left me powerless. Oh, yes, he objected. He said
'Tonio had always been his right bower--always had worked with him and
for him. But 'Tonio, not Harris, is the chief of scouts, the man they
look to and obey. Now he and most of his followers are here to do your
bidding. If Harris had been allowed his way, I'd have been probably
alone."

Stannard sniffed. "Which way'd he go?" he bluntly asked.

"I'm not sure. We were going to trail the moment it was light enough to
see. One thing is certain, they did not start in the direction of the
signals, though they may have veered off that way. 'Tonio is the only
one who claims to know anything. 'Tonio says 'Apache Tonto' was the
murderer, not Apache-Mohave, and 'Tonio's in the sulks. Look at him!"

Stannard glanced an instant toward the gaunt figure of the Apache,
standing dejectedly apart from all others and gazing fixedly toward the
dawn. The light was stronger now. The red was in the orient sky. The
distant butte was all aglow with the radiance of the rising yet
invisible sun. Stannard seemed more concerned in the whereabouts of Mr.
Harris than in the worries of Mr. Willett. Again he returned to his
questions.

"Well, did Harris give any inkling of his purpose--whether he meant to
follow the trail till he found captives and captors, or only till he
found where it probably led to? I've got to act, and lose no time.
Sergeant, tell the men to hurry with their coffee," he called, to the
brown-eyed, dark-featured soldier who was coming forward at the moment.
A salute was the only answer, as the sergeant turned about in his
tracks and signalled to the boy trumpeter, holding his own and the
captain's horse. Another moment and Stannard was in saddle.

"Harris didn't say," was the guarded answer. "You know, I suppose, that
he left the post without consulting the general, and he took it much
amiss that, in compliance with the general's orders, I exercised
certain authority after reaching him. Now you are here to take entire
charge, I turn over the whole business to you. There's what's left of
the scouts; there'