icers, seriously
wounded and in high fever; here was McLean, another admirable young
soldier, he knew not how seriously wounded; and, with old Bruce laid up
with rheumatism, he had not a company officer for duty at the post. The
adjutant and quartermaster, the doctor and his own energetic self were
the only ones he could count on for the next twenty-four hours, as
belonging to the garrison proper. The infantry battalion that had
camped down on the flats so short a time before was already beyond his
jurisdiction, in march toward Fetterman up the Platte. It was with
great relief, therefore, he read that six troops of the --th Cavalry
had reached Cheyenne, and were under orders to march to Laramie as soon
as supplied with ammunition and equipments for sharp field-service.

Presently he heard the suave tones of Dr. Bayard accosting Mrs. Griffin
with anxious inquiries for his letters, and courteous apologies for
intruding upon her during "business hours," but he had been without
letters or papers so long now, had just heard of the arrival of the
stage, Mr. Holmes was visiting him, and would she kindly put any mail
there might be for Mr. Holmes in his box? Mrs. Griffin was quite as
susceptible to courteous and high-bred and flattering manners as any of
her sex, and to her thinking no man in all the army compared with the
post surgeon in elegance of deportment. At his bidding she would
willingly have left the distribution of the mail to almost any hands
and come forth from behind the glass partition to indulge in a chat
with him. She would gladly have invited him to step into the little
parlor, but the major was already there poring over his letters, and
she could not neglect her official duties in the august presence of the
post commander. But Mrs. Griffin was all smiles as she handed out the
doctor's partially-completed packet, and then, in a low tone, informed
him that Major Miller was in the little parlor behind the office, if he
saw fit to wait there, and Dr. Bayard, who could not abide being
jostled by his fellow-men or even being seen among what he considered
the common herd, eagerly availed himself of her offer. Miller looked up
and greeted him with a pleasant nod, and immediately read to him the
news of the coming of the cavalry battalion from Cheyenne, then bade
him pull up a chair and read his letters by the bright "astral" burning
on the centre-table. Outside in the hall and corridor in front of the
dusty glass par