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He stoppéd spanking. and glanced up lnqulrlngly Into the (we of the .ellent meuenger, Apparently alm- In; him (or one of hu on men.‘ ‘Where did you get this?" “Cheyenne, Ilr." “Whnt! Do you mean to a! You brought it through from there?" » “Silent Murphy curled it as tar as the Powder river. He went crazy there, and I was compelled to strap him. ,1 brought It the rest of the "Gentlemen." he commented to the little group uthered about him. yet without glancing up from the pnper in his hand “ka wee defeated over on the Roeehud the 17th. and i’orced to retlre. That will aov count for the unexpected number of hoatllee fronting us up here. Cook: but the greater the task. the greater the glory. Ah, I thought ea much. I an advised by the department to keep in cloee touch with Terry and Glhhonn, and to hold oft-tron making a direct attack until lntnntry can arrive ln lupport. Rather late tn the day, I take it. when we are already wlthln eaey rtile-ehot. I see nothing hitheae'ordere to Interfere with our present plane, nor any mllltnry neces- sity for playing hide and see! all aunmer in these hills. That looks like a his village down yonder. but I have led the dandy Seventh into oth- enjuet as lame." “Where in Murphy!” “Back with the puck tram, sir. I got him through alive, but entirely gone in the head.” ”Run mm: mm! hostile] in that region?" “I recognize you now,"Cmtm said. quietly. "Am I to understand you are sum in the monies?” “They were thick this side the RD” bud; all bucks ma traveling north.” “Sioux?” ' "Mostly, sir; but I saw one band wearing Cheyenne war bonnetm'fi A puzzled look slowly crept Into the strong face of the abrupt quea- tloner, his stern, commanding eyes studying/tho mu: {standing motionles- before him. with freshly awakened in- terest. Tho gage of the other fnlter~ ed. then came back courngeously. "My presence here in purely :1ch- dental. Gen. Custer. The opportu- nity came to me to do this Work, and I very gladly accepted the priv- i‘he commander haunted, mmly knowing what he might be Justified in “lt'i a brave deed, we“ performed.” he um at last. with soldier-1y cordial- CHAPTER XXXlll â€"-Cominued manamom B03 IIAMI’IIIN 0f PLACEIL WWWéC W W/AW/ffl'flfi WIIM'IZ I? :9 me “Is that so?" he‘ exclaimed. in evi- dent surprise. "Henna I manly face." “Ay and he was a fine a soldier as ‘cver fought under: a flag" declared Custer, frankly. "Poor devil. The hardent service I was ever called upon .to perform we! the day we broke him. I wonder if Calhoun will recognize ny. "although I c a many onsl- you a mun; reward." “Then 1. mac 1 denim" he to- pflod. slowly. “and that [I to be norh mitted to ride once more Into action in the mks of the Sunni."- The unto-batted. Imp-1d". mnly noldier ' man; him will!“ to the root. of In: In: mt. his proud ayes softening. ,."8poken like I true noldior," he ox- cmmed. a new warmth tn his voice. “You nun have your WISH. hie po- sition in Calhoun'l troop yonder." Hunpton turned quietly unyJend- in; his hone, yet Md mroely ad- vanced Ham yards berm Custer halted him. “I shall be pleased to talk with you Isun after the fight," he um, briefly, II though In)! doubting the propriety oat such words. - The other bowed, MI hoe instantly brightening. "I thank you Ilnccrely." The perplexed commander stood motionless. suing after the recoding azure, his face grown grave and thoughtful! Then he turned to the wondering Adjutant beside him. “You never knew him, did you, Cook?” “1 think not, Mr; who in he?" “Capt Nolanâ€"yon have heard the Itoryj." ‘ the two; they were good friends once." ‘ He stopped Ipe'akim, and for e time his field-glasses were fastened upon a. small section or the Indian v11- Iage nestled in the green valley. “i doubt it .many warrior; no there,“ he commented nt int. "They may have gone up the rite:- to inter- cent Reno's advnnce, and it no. thin nhould be our am to strike. Return to your command: gentlemen, and with the order of much. see person- Illy that your men move quietly. We must strike quick and hard, driving the wedge home with n single blow. That will be all at present,‘ gentle- men; you will require. no further in- struction: until we deploy. Capt. Cal- houn, just a word." The captain thu- directly address- ed. a hundnome. stalwart man of mid- dle I801. mind In his horse tad walled: “Chptuln. the messenger who has just brought us dispatches from Chey- «no u I an“. but an new“ music: mhvetmnhm- min; um. lrha‘vo tutu“! him to “In I at his nun!" “Robot: Nola." n. nuns. not-mo he. cm u“! m tn. that quickly m up with )- um “I that m out. New; will not tailor a In! hands." his an urchin; tho rush until they "Izod upon tho “crud face of Hulpton. Ho pruned lorwud. nod land from tho uddlo. utondlu u out“ had. “Noun, old mu woleom back In the Month!” - For an me thetr one not. thou at tho door 31101! with manly ulna-thy. the other- nolmnod um amhkhulmmuflo. Thenthe two had: claw ind clung. In .3119 mm mm than was. It wu cahou who won. “1 non It :11. Noun. Prom that duy to this I hue believed In you- hnvo bald m Mud." ‘ Pot I moment the an ruled: than. as though luplrod M a new born hope. In at firmly «out. In! lifted hll‘hand In mute. “Phone In word- I have Ions-d to hou- spoken for 15 yours. The: no more that “You Shall Have Your Wluh. Take Poultion In Cllh‘ouh'l Troop." me to me. May God help me’ m be worthy at them. Oh. Calhoun, CaL houn ! " For a brief spam the two remained It!!! and silent. their feces: reflecting repressed feeling. Then the voice of command Iound'ed out in‘tront; Cai- houn gently withdrew hi; hand from the other“: grasp, and with bowed heed rode Ilowly to the. front of his In columns a! tour, silent, with not a canteen rattling. with scsbbsrds thrust under their atimp leathers, each man sitting in his saddle like s statoe,,ready carbine flung forward across‘ the nominal. those sunburnt troopers moved steadily down the broad coolee. The troopers riding at either side of Hampton wondering still at their captain's peculiar words and Actions, glanced curiously at the new comrade, marveling at his tight- ly preased lips, his moistened eyea. Yet in all the glorious column. no heart lighter than his. or hmier. Mmuw.vmn With Center rifle: u. the heel of the eolnnn. end .lyeliile to the rear of the ednnee eeonte. hie emet- ,eni. Cook. together will: I volunteer eide. beside him. the wIn depleted troops filed resolutely nomad. are-m in: not of pouible ticket. Suddenly diemt ehote wevelseenl fer o! to their left end veer. end deepening leto e rumble. evidencing e wem ename- ML The intereeted hoover- lined their heede, listening ieieitly, while no» whisper: m from men to men elou the cloned illee. “Benehcoinxin.boyl;itwillbe eel-tumult.” “Clea up! Quiet there. MI. quiet.” ofllcor at» one" paued 0:. word of command. . Yet there were those nmon. them who felt e stanza drendâ€"thnt drinx sounded so for up the etreun from where Reno should hnve been by thnt time. Still it might be thet those overhanging hint!- wouid motile end deflect the revel-ta. All nhont them hovered denth- in dreadful guise. None among then saw those cruel, spying eye! wntchins from distant ridgel. peering nt them from concealed re- vinee; none marked the rapidly mm- ins hordes. hideous in war-punt, crowded into near-by eouiees and be- hind protecting lime. . It. bunt upon them with wild mm Thu gloom! ridges blind into their startled facet, the duh ravines hurled It them shaming hommu. whlle, wherever their eyes turned, they be- held savage lax-ms lupin: forth from hm und mulee, gulch and rock shud- ow. Hones tell, or m afloat neigh- lng: men flung up their hands and died In that first- awrul minute of con- sternatlon, and the little column seemed to shrlvol away an it consum- ed by the flame which struck it, front and flank and mar. It was as it those hell. Yet it was scarcely for more than a minute. Men trained, strong. clear of brain. were in than stricken linenâ€" men who had «on Indian battle be- fore. The recoil 61m, “in u had been the surprise. Voice after voice am; out old tnmliisr orders. steady- lng instantly the mum nerves; die- cipiine conquered disorder. end the shattered column rolled out. an it by music, into the ambiance of a. bgtfle It was magnmoently cilia. Custer and his troop commudon trough: their :0me smitten men into a pot!- uon of defense, even hurled them chedflnx forwnrd In short, swift chm-sen. no u to elect the front um! um room in which to deploy. Out of Gammon. emerged Ghanaian, conn- denco. unfit «In m ‘ had riddeh Into the mouth of (I0 5: ("tin“)