r, a bright idea
striking him; "the Cheyennes have got them. Were they afoot?"

"Yes, they were. I don't know whether they tried to steal my horse or
not, but anyway they didn't get him."

"Then the Cheyennes have got them beyond a doubt. They could never
travel through the country you came through."

"Then what's become of my furs? Do you reckon the savages have got them,
too?"

"I certainly do. I'll tell you what I could do: If the Cheyennes came
here to sell their furs, I could easily tell your furs from their own,
and I could throw them out. But, you see, the Indians don't come here.
They take all their furs to Fort Mitchell."

"Maybe you would throw them out and maybe you wouldn't," said Elam
emphatically. "I guess I had better take the matter into my own hands.
When I get my grip on to them furs, you'll know it."

The sutler merely nodded and gazed after Elam, who marched out as if he
intended to do something.

"That boy is going to be killed," said he to himself. "He thinks more of
those furs than he does of so much gold. If I was commander of this
fort, I wouldn't let him go out."

Elam directed his course toward the barn in which he had left his horse
and rifle when he went in to visit the surgeon. He found them there yet,
and it was but the work of a moment to shoulder the one and unhitch the
other, who greeted him with a whinny of recognition, and lead him out to
the gate. As he expected, there was a sentry there, and he stepped in
front of him with his musket at "arms port."

"You can't go out," said he.

"Why, what's the matter?" asked Elam innocently.

"Too many Indians," was the reply.

"Oh, well, I just want to let my horse have some grass. He don't think
much of the hay you have here."

"You don't want your rifle if you're just going out to get grass," said
the soldier, with a smile.

"No, but I like to have it handy when the pinch comes. If I hadn't had
it and been able to use it, you wouldn't have seen me here now."

"That's so," said the sentry. "I don't suppose you care enough about
them as to go among them again. But we'll have to see the corporal about
that." Then, raising his voice, he called out:

"Corporal of the guard No. 1!"

In process of time the officer of the guard came up, and the sentry made
known Elam's request in a few words. He looked at Elam and said:

"Oh, let him go. It aint likely that he will go far away with the
Indians all around him. You don't want to g