known him for years and
always as more or less of an ass--a man of so little judgment that,
though a major in the line at the outbreak of the war, he had never been
trusted with a command in the field, and here he was now a full colonel
with only three companies left him. Burleigh saw his bluff was telling,
and he took courage.

"Come with me," he said, "and let me reassure you," and the doors of the
commanding officer's sanctum opened at once to the omnipotent disburser
of government good things, Folsom following at his heels. "Colonel
Stevens," he began, the moment he was inside, and before the colonel
could speak at all, "in a moment of exasperation and extreme
nervous--ah--depression the night I--er--started East so hurriedly
after a most exhausting journey from the Big Horn, I spoke disparagingly
of the action of Lieutenant Dean in face of the Indians the day we met
Red Cloud's band, but on mature reflection I am convinced I misjudged
him. I have been thinking it all over. I recall how vigilant and dutiful
he was at all times, and my object in hurrying out here to-day,
at--ah--almost the instant I heard of his arrest, was to put in the best
words I could think of in his behalf--to--ah--urge you to reconsider
your action, especially in view of all the--e--ah--encomiums passed upon
his conduct in this recent raid on the Laramie."

The colonel whirled around upon him as he had on Folsom. "Major
Burleigh," he began, "I call you to witness that I am the most abused
man in the army. Here am I, sir, thirty-five years in service, a full
colonel, with a war record with the regulars that should command
respect, absolutely ignored by these mushroom generals at Omaha and
elsewhere--stripped of my command and kept in ignorance of the movements
of my subordinates. Why, sir," he continued, lashing himself on, as he
rose from his chair, "here's my junior at Frayne giving orders to my
troop, sir; presumes to send them scouting the Laramie bottoms, when
every man is needed here, and then, when, as it happens, my officer and
his men get into a fight and drive the Indians, to whom does he report,
sir? Not to me, sir--not to his legitimate commander, but he sends
couriers to Laramie and to Frayne, and ignores me entirely."

A light dawned on Burleigh in an instant. Well he knew that Dean's
reasons for sending couriers to those guard posts of the Platte were to
warn them that a war party had crossed into their territory, and was now