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rear。 So we rides away innoshent like amongst the trees； me
thinkin' only it wor a mighty queer place for manoovrin'； until we
seed； just beyond us in the hollow； the smoke of an Injin camp and
a lot of women and childer。 And Mrs。 Lascelles gets off and goes
to discoursin' and blarneying wid 'em： and Oi sees Mr。 Forsyth
glancin' round and lookin' oneasy。 Then he goes up and sez
something to your sister； and she won't give him a hearin'。 And
then he tells her she must mount and be off。 And she turns upon
him； bedad； like a tayger； and bids him be off himself。 Then he
comes to me and sez he； 'Oi don't like the look o' this； Cassidy；'
sez he； 'the woods behind is full of braves；' sez he。 'Thrue for
you； leftenant；' sez Oi； 'it's into a trap that the leddy hez led
us； God save her！' 'Whisht；' he sez； 'take my horse； it's the
strongest。 Go beside her； and when Oi say the word lift her up
into the saddle before ye； and gallop like blazes。 Oi'll bring up
the rear and the other horse。' Wid that we changed horses and
cantered up to where she was standing； and he gives the word when
she isn't lookin'； and Oi grabs her upshe sthrugglin' like mad
but not utterin' a cryand Oi lights out for the trail agin。 And
sure enough the braves made as if they would folly； but the
leftenant throws the reins of her horse over the horn of his
saddle； and whips out his revolver and houlds 'em back till I've
got well away to the trail again。 And then they let fly their
arrows； and begorra the next thing a BULLET whizzes by him。 And
then he knows they have arrms wid 'em and are 'hostiles；' and he
rowls the nearest one over； wheelin' and fightin' and coverin' our
retreat till we gets to the road agin。 And they daren't folly us
out of cover。 Then the lady gets more sinsible； and the leftenant
pershuades her to mount her horse agin。 But before we comes to the
fort； he sez to me： 'Cassidy；' sez he； 'not a word o' this on
account of the leddy。' And I was mum； sorr； while he was shootin'
off his mouth about him bein' lost and all that； and him bein'
bully…ragged by the kernel； and me knowin' that but for him your
sister wouldn't be between these walls here； and Oi wouldn't be
talkin' to ye。 And shure； sorr； ye might be tellin's the kernel as
how the leddy was took by the hysterics； and was that loony that
she didn't know whatever she was sayin'； and so get the leftenant
in favor again。〃
〃I will speak with the colonel to…night；〃 said Peter gloomily。
〃Lord save yer honor；〃 returned the trooper gratefully； 〃and if ye
could be sayin' that the LEDDY tould you；it would only be the
merest taste of a loi ye'd be tellin'；and you'd save me from
breakin' me word to the leftenant。〃
〃I shall of course speak to my sister first；〃 returned Peter； with
a guilty consciousness that he had accepted the trooper's story
mainly from his previous knowledge of his sister's character。
Nevertheless； in spite of this foregone conclusion； he DID speak to
her。 To his surprise she did not deny it。 Lieutenant Forsyth；a
vain and conceited fool；whose silly attentions she had accepted
solely that she might get recreation beyond the fort；had presumed
to tell her what SHE must do！ As if SHE was one of those stupid
officers' wives or sisters！ And it never would have happened if
hePeterhad let her remain at the reservation with the Indian
agent's wife； or if 〃Charley〃 （the gentle Lascelles） were here！ HE
would have let her go； or taken her there。 Besides all the while
she was among friends； HIS； Peter's own friends；the people whose
cause he was championing！ In vain did Peter try to point out to
her that these 〃people〃 were still children in mind and impulse；
and capable of vacillation or even treachery。 He remembered he was
talking to a child in mind and impulse； who had shown the same
qualities； and in trying to convince her of her danger he felt he
was only voicing the common arguments of his opponents。
He spoke also to the colonel； excusing her through her ignorance；
her trust in his influence with the savages； and the general
derangement of her health。 The colonel； relieved of his suspicions
of a promising young officer； was gentle and sympathetic； but firm
as to Peter's future course。 In a moment of caprice and
willfulness she might imperil the garrison as she had her escort；
and； more than that； she was imperiling Peter's influence with the
Indians。 Absurd stories had come to his ears regarding the
attitude of the reservation towards him。 He thought she ought to
return home as quickly as possible。 Fortunately an opportunity
offered。 The general commanding had advised him of the visit to
the fort of a party of English tourists who had been shooting in
the vicinity； and who were making the fort the farthest point of
their western excursion。 There were three or four ladies in the
party； and as they would be returning to the line of railroad under
escort； she could easily accompany them。 This； added Colonel
Carter； was also Mrs。 Carter's opinion；she was a woman of
experience； and had a married daughter of her own。 In the mean
time Peter had better not broach the subject to his sister； but
trust to the arrival of the strangers； who would remain for a week；
and who would undoubtedly divert Mrs。 Lascelles' impressible mind；
and eventually make the proposition more natural and attractive。
In the interval Peter revisited the reservation； and endeavored to
pacify the irritation that had sprung from his previous inspection。
The outrage at Post Oak Bottom he was assured had no relation to
the incident at the reservation； but was committed by some
stragglers from other tribes who had not yet accepted the
government bounty； yet had not been thus far classified as
〃hostile。〃 There had been no 〃Ghost Dancing〃 nor other indication
of disturbance。 The colonel had not deemed it necessary to send
out an exemplary force； or make a counter demonstration。 The
incident was allowed to drop。 At the reservation Peter had ignored
the previous conduct of the chiefs towards him； had with quiet
courage exposed himself fullyunarmed and unattendedamongst
them； and had as fully let it be known that this previous incident
was the reason that his sister had not accompanied him on his
second visit。 He left them at the close of the second day more
satisfied in his mind； and perhaps in a more enthusiastic attitude
towards his report。
As he came within sound of the sunset bugles； he struck a narrower
trail which led to the fort； through an oasis of oaks and
cottonwoods and a small stream or 〃branch；〃 which afterwards lost
itself in the dusty plain。 He had already passed a few settler's
cabins； a sutler's shop； and other buildings that had sprung up
around this armed nucleus of civilizationwhich； in due season；
was to become a frontier town。 But as yet the brief wood was wild
and secluded； frequented only by the women and children of the
fort； within