ig
one--all brothers." Thus the sergeant disposed his men quietly and quick
through the labyrinth till they became invisible to each other; and all
the while flights of Indians passed, half seen, among the tangle,
fleeting visions of yellow and red through the quiet-colored twigs.
Others squatted stoically, doing nothing. A few had guns, but most used
arrows, and had these stacked beside them where they squatted. Keyser
singled out a somewhat central figure--Fur Cap was his name--as his
starting-point if the signal should sound. It must sound now in a second
or two. He would not look at his watch lest it should hamper him. Fur
Cap sat by a pile of arrows, with a gun across his knees besides. Keyser
calculated that by standing close to him as he was, his boot would catch
the Indian under the chin just right, and save one cartridge. Not a red
man spoke, but Sarah the squaw dutifully speechified in a central place
where paths met near Keyser and Fur Cap. Her voice was persuasive and
warning. Some of the savages moved up and felt Keyser's overcoat. They
fingered the hard bulge of the pistol underneath, and passed on,
laughing, to the next soldier's coat, while Sarah did not cease to
harangue. The tall, stately man of last night appeared. His full dark
eye met Sarah's, and the woman's voice faltered and her breathing grew
troubled as she gazed at him. Once more Keyser looked at his watch:
Seven minutes. E-egante noticed Sarah's emotion, and his face showed
that her face pleased him. He spoke in a deep voice to Fur Cap,
stretching a fringed arm out towards the hill with a royal gesture, at
which Fur Cap rose.

"He will come, he will come!" said the squaw, running to Keyser. "They
all come now. Do not shoot."

"Let them show outside, then," thundered Keyser, "or it's too late. If
that gun goes before I can tell my men--"

He broke off and rushed to the entrance. There were skirmishers
deploying from three points, and Crook was raising his hand slowly.
There was a pistol in it. "General! General!" Keyser shouted, waving
both hands, "No!" Behind him came E-egante, with Sarah, talking in low
tones, and Fur Cap came too.

[Illustration: "HE HESITATED TO KILL THE WOMAN"]

The General saw, and did not give the signal. The sight of the
skirmishers hastened E-egante's mind. He spoke in a loud voice, and at
once his warriors began to emerge from the willows obediently. Crook's
bluff was succeeding. The Indians in waiting after ni