s comment upon the Elder's attitude; "we'll
hev to do without him, I reckon. You and me'll stay hyar in the open;
we don't want to shoot ef we kin avoid it; there ain't no reason to as I
kin see."

Ten minutes afterwards the cavalry crossed the bridge two deep, and
wound snake-like towards the corner. With the first files came General
Custer, accompanied by half-a-dozen officers, among whom Bancroft
recognized the young lieutenant. Singling Morris out, the General rode
up to the fence and addressed him with formal politeness:

"Mr. Conklin?"

"No," replied Morris, "but I'm hyar fer him, I guess--an' about two
hundred more ef I'm not enough," he added drily, waving his hand towards
the woods.

With a half-turn in his saddle and a glance at the line of trees on his
flank, General Custer took in the situation. Clearly there was nothing
to do but to retreat, with some show of dignity.

"Where shall I find Mr. Conklin? I wish to speak to him."

"I'll guide you," was Morris's answer, "ef you'll come alone; he
mightn't fancy so many visitors to onc't."

As Morris and Bancroft climbed over the fence and led the way towards
the homestead, some of the armed farmers strolled from behind the stooks
into the open, and others showed themselves carelessly among the trees
on the bank of the creek. When the Elder was informed that General
Custer was at the front door, he laid down his axe, and in his
shirtsleeves went to meet him.

"Mr. Conklin, I believe?"

"That's my name, General."

"You've resisted United States troops with arms, and now, it seems,
you've got up a rebellion."

"I guess not, General; I guess not I was Union all through the war; I
came hyar as an Abolitionist I only want to keep my fences up as long as
they'll stand, an' cut my corn in peace."

"Well," General Custer resumed, after a pause, "I must send to
Washington for instructions and state the facts as I know them, but if
the Federal authorities tell me to carry out the law, as I've no doubt
they will, I shall be compelled to do so, and resistance on your part
can only cause useless bloodshed."

"That's so," was the quiet reply; but what the phrase meant was not
very clear save to Bancroft, who understood that the Elder was unable or
unwilling to discuss a mere hypothesis.

With a curt motion of his hand to his cap General Custer cantered off to
rejoin his men, who shortly afterwards filed again across the bridge on
their way back to camp.

Wh