s
was most alarming. Even at ten o'clock she had not fully regained
consciousness, but was mending, and by that time both doctors had come
to her, and Mrs. Stone was at her bedside, while Priscilla, calm, grave
and self-poised, was answering the many anxious, sorrowful inquiries,
for no woman at Minneconjou was loved and honored more than Marion Ray,
who, believing the evidence of her own senses sufficient to confirm an
ever-growing, dreadful suspicion, had gone down under the blow.

There had been, as was said, some kind of conference during the late
afternoon. The colonel, the post surgeon, two or three wise-heads among
the field and senior line officers and that indispensable adjutant.
There had come quite late an aide-de-camp of the department commander,
who had been at Wister and at some investigation over at the Minneconjou
agency, who had something to say concerning the state of mind in which
he found Captain Foster, which was bad; the state of mind in which he
found the redmen--which was worse; and finally the state of things on
both sides of the stream at Minneconjou--which was worst of all.
Foster's rancor against Ray was venomous as ever, and he claimed to have
new evidence, the mention of which made both Stone and the surgeon look
grave. The agent's worry as to his turbulent charges was doubled by new
events, and he demanded immediate aid. The post guard reports and the
ranch-keeper's defiance told all too vividly how the devil had triumphed
at Minneconjou. The colonel, the chaplain, the commissioned force, were
helpless against the Act of Congress that had taken away their best hold
on the men and turned the men over to the enemy. The situation, so far
as Skid and his saloon and satellites were concerned, was past praying
for. But there were "some things, thank God," said Stone, in which he
could still strike for the good name of his garrison. Foster's new
evidence should be investigated, said he, and as for the agent, he
should have his guard, and a strong one, forthwith.

"How did you leave Mrs. Ray, doctor?" he asked his medical man and
next-door neighbor on the left, as Waring came tramping home soon after
taps.

"Resting quietly, colonel. She will do very well to-morrow."

Stone had come down to the gate to meet him. One glance he threw to the
right and left, then lowered his voice.

"Any reason why Sandy shouldn't go in command of a guard to the agency
in the morning?"

"No reason why he should