ing the pony
into a slow trot. Suddenly out of the wall of gloom sprang the yellow
lights of Camp Supply. Beneath these winking eyes of guidance there
burst the red glare of a fire. Even as he saw it the pony fell, but
the exhausted man had forgotten now everything but duty. The knowledge
that he had won the long struggle brought him new strength. He
wrenched his feet free from the stirrups, and ran forward, calling to
the guard. They met him, and he stood straight before them, every
nerve taut--a soldier.

"I bring despatches from Custer," he said slowly, holding himself firm.
"Take me to General Sheridan."

The corporal walked beside him, down the trampled road, questioning
eagerly as they passed the line of shacks toward the double log house
where the commander was quartered. Hamlin heard, and answered briefly,
yet was conscious only of an effort to retain his strength. Once
within, he saw only the short, sturdy figure sitting behind a table,
the shaggy gray beard, the stern, questioning eyes which surveyed him.
He stood there straight, motionless, his uniform powdered with snow,
his teeth clinched so as not to betray weakness, his face roughened by
exposure, grimy with dirt, and disfigured by a week's growth of beard.
Sheridan stared at him, shading his eyes from the glow of the lamp.

"You are from Custer?"

"Yes, sir."

He drew the papers from within his overcoat, stepped forward and laid
them on the table. Sheridan placed one hand upon them, but did not
remove his gaze from Hamlin's face.

"When did you leave?"

"The evening of the 27th, sir. I was sent back with an Osage guide to
bring you this report."

"And the guide?"

"He gave out on the Cimarron and I came on alone."

"And Custer? Did he strike Black Kettle?"

"We found his camp the evening of the 26th, and attacked at daybreak
the next morning. There were more Indians with him than we expected to
find--between two and three thousand, warriors from all the southern
tribes. Their tepees were set up for ten miles along the Washita. We
captured Black Kettle's village, and destroyed it; took his pony herd,
and released a number of white prisoners, including some women and
children. There was a sharp fight, and we lost quite a few men; I left
too early to learn how many."

"And the command--is it in any danger?"

"I think not, sir. General Custer was confident he could retire
safely. The Indians were thoroughly whipped, and app