f meal, flour, and bacon,
bales of blankets, tepee cloth, etc., had been piled breast-high and
around all four walls of the storehouse within. All the available tubs
and buckets and pails had been fresh filled with water and stowed
inside. The horses were removed from the stable and turned into the
corral. Each of the eight barred windows had its two or three marksmen.
The women and children of the whites about the agency were all before
dawn moved over into the main building, for when his messengers were
driven back Ray well knew what to expect. Ray himself posted a keen and
reliable man at the forage shed, and one or two others in certain of the
outlying buildings, with kerosene-soaked tinder in abundance, and orders
to fire them at his signal, then run for the storehouse; Ray would leave
no structure close at hand to serve as "approach" or cover for the foe.
So long as no wind arose to blow the flames upon his little stronghold,
no harm would result to them, whereas the smoke would surely attract
attention at the distant fort and speedily bring relief. Ten days
earlier, before seeing his wards in war paint, the agent would have
forbidden such wanton destruction of government property. (Ten days
later, indeed, the Indian Bureau might call upon the War Department for
reimbursement, and the department upon Ray, but the youngster took no
thought for the morrow, only for his men and those helpless women and
children). So long as the warriors kept their distance and contented
themselves with long-range shooting, so long would Ray spare the torch,
but just the moment they felt the courage of their numbers and charged,
up should go the shingles. The find of a few small kegs of powder lent
additional means to the speedy start of the fire when needed, and now,
with his little fort well supplied and garrisoned, with the big fort
only ten miles away, with thirty or more stout men to stand by him, with
only one man demoralized,--the agent, small blame to him,--and only one
as yet disabled, Trooper Skelton, whom Ray had practically dragged from
under the knives of the savages, that young soldier felt just about as
serenely confident of the issue as he did of his men, and happier a
hundred fold than he had been for nearly a year.

Moreover, his dauntless front and contemptuous answer had had its effect
on the Indians. "The young chief must be sure the soldiers are coming,"
reasoned the elders, so before taking the fateful plunge it