in the first place, and then I'll go with you."

"A horse! Well, he belongs to the veterinary surgeon. You come with me."

But Elam insisted that he could not go with the officer until his horse
had been taken care of, and asked for a bucket of water; and the
officer, seeing that he was determined, hastened out to find the surgeon
who had charge of the stock. He presently discovered him, standing on
the stockade and yelling until he was red in the face over a charge that
the cavalry had made, but he ceased his demonstrations and jumped down
when he was told that an officer wanted him.

"Give me one cavalryman against ten Indians," said he, saluting the
officer. "The savages are gone, sir."

"Did they stand?" asked the officer.

"No, sir. It was every man for himself, sir. A horse, sir? Yes, sir. I
saw this fellow come down on his knees when those Indians fired at him.
A pretty bad cut, sir."

Elam, having seen his horse provided for, resigned himself to the
officer's care, and went with him to the office of the surgeon. The
latter had got out all his tools and seemed to be waiting for any
wounded that might be brought in, but Elam was the first to claim his
attention. The surgeon jumped up briskly, examined Elam's hand, made
some remark about the bullet not having touched a bone, said that all
the patient would have to do would be to take good care of it for a few
days, and by the time he got through talking he had it done up. The
officer had left by this time, and Elam began to feel quite at his ease
in the surgeon's presence. In answer to his enquiries he went on to
explain how he had been surprised in a sheep-herder's cabin, when he
didn't know that there was a Cheyenne within a hundred miles of him, and
had depended entirely on the speed of his horse to save him, and asked,
with some show of hesitation, which he had not exhibited before:

"Do you reckon I could have a word with the major this fine morning? I
suppose he is pretty busy now."

To tell the truth, Elam stood more in fear of a stranger than he did of
a grizzly bear, and he felt awed and abashed when he found himself in
the soldier's presence. The regular, with his snow-white belts, bright
buttons, and neatly fitting clothes, presented a great contrast to the
visitor in his well-worn suit of buckskin, and, backwoodsman as he was,
Elam noticed the difference and felt it keenly. Now, when the excitement
was all over, he felt sadly out of place there,