the old war-horse he
was, he balked, stiff-necked and stiff-legged, at the sheriff's demand
that the escort should report to _him_--should be, in point of fact,
under his orders.

Not to put too fine a point upon it, Stannard had said he'd see him
damned first, whereupon the sheriff refused to make the trip, and
appealed to the territorial authorities, while Stannard sent a runner
up to district head-quarters for instructions. Each messenger had
nearly ninety miles to go, so the race was about even, despite the fact
that the sheriff's couriers were mounted and Stannard's runner went
afoot. The uninitiated would have backed the riders to win, but
Stannard backed the runner. The former were deputies and white; the
latter was Apache-Mohave and brown. The former had a road and a
roadside ranch or two, whereat they might and did obtain rest and
refreshment. The redskin had only a trail, and no temptations. The
Apache won out in a walk, literally a jog-trot. Luck as well as pluck
favored the latter, for he found the department, as well as the
district, commander at Sandy, and Stannard's instructions were started
back that very morning. "Come up yourself to Prescott," they said.
"Bring Harris and 'Tonio and such of 'Tonio's people as are necessary.
Come prepared to stay a week at least, and be sure that Mrs. Stannard
comes with you. Use your own judgment as to route and escort. Offer the
sheriff the protection, but by no manner of means the command, of your
party."

Having thus settled that question, the Gray Fox bethought him that it
might be just as well to scoot for home, lest other councils should
prevail about the capital. Such councils had prevailed, and in the
recent past. He had still in mind the embarrassing episode of Willett's
"instructed" descent upon Almy. In view of all the resultant
complications he could not well forget it, and so, having finished his
chat with Pelham, the tireless brigadier went bowling away by mountain
road, the faithful Bright beside him, and was landed at his own door
soon after eleven P.M. in abundant time to meet the situation on the
morrow. Even in those days, when the stars went to the fighting force
instead of the staff corps, it sometimes happened that a bureau officer
had political wires to work.

And there were other reasons why he had come not a moment too soon.
People had so little to talk about in those far Western wilds that they
who had, as related, unexpectedly met our ho