t had dropped back of the screen of the mountains.

But there was still faint stir at the camp of the scouts, out beyond
the corrals. Rations had been drawn at tattoo, and a limited portion
issued to the lithe, swarthy fellows, squatted in semicircle in front
of their chief, patiently awaiting their share, no man of their number
opening so much as the end of a package, either of cartridge or
cracker, until the last had his dole and all were served. It was known
that before dawn they were again to set forth, whither, not even 'Tonio
had been told, and 'Tonio had noted and felt it. Hitherto there had
been counsel between his young commander and himself. This night there
had been none. Instead, only half an hour after the exciting episode at
the commanding officer's and the despatching of the intruding rattler,
'Tonio had been summoned to the adjutant's office and then questioned
by Lieutenant Willett, with _cargador_ Munoz, not Lieutenant Harris,
serving as interpreter. Hitherto 'Tonio had conducted his conference
with the Great Father's captains with Lieutenant Harris translating. It
was significant both to that officer and to 'Tonio that this time a
pack train employe had been selected, his name having been suggested at
head-quarters at Prescott, and an orderly sent for him early by way of
caution, for Munoz loved monte and mescal. Another significant thing
was that Harris had declined an invitation to be present at 'Tonio's
examination. "If Mr. Willett has any question to ask me," he said,
"he'll find me at Dr. Bentley's," whither, indeed, he had repaired, as
it were, awaiting summons.

Moreover, it was patent to Stannard and Turner and Dr. Bentley, too,
that Harris took it much amiss that Willett should at last disclose the
fact that he was there to "investigate." He had said nothing of it the
night before. He had put up at the adjutant's, after quite a long
session at the Mess, an affair attended by Harris only an hour or so,
and even then only as an absorbed listener, with other fellow-soldiers,
to Willett's brilliant description of the recent campaign in the lava
beds, culminating as it had in the brutal massacre by the Modocs of
their would-be best friends, the peace commissioners, and General
Canby. After taps, however, despite his long and dusty buckboard ride,
Willett saw fit to "sit in" to the game almost always in progress down
at the trader's store. Whereupon Stannard, Turner and Harris,
non-participants ev