the minister beside him.

"Yes, of a sort; we both are."

"How?"

It was Seth who spoke, and a shade more sharply than usual.

"Well, I want to send a wire over the line, and wait a reply. We shan't be
out again until Tuesday, and that's why we came over. There'll be no
sewing class on Monday. You see, Mr. Hargreaves is going with me. We are
driving instead of riding, because we're going to bring out some small arm
ammunition. We're both getting short of it."

The Agent's manner was casual enough, but the minister's face was grave.
The former endeavored to pass lightly over the matter of the ammunition.

A brief silence followed. It was broken at last by the Agent again.

"Getting on with the logs?" he said.

"Yes. We're fixin' a big corral right round the farm."

It was Rube who explained; and the old man glanced from Seth with a
comprehensive survey of the proposed enclosure.

"By the way," said Mr. Hargreaves, "I shouldn't let Rosebud come to the
Mission on Sunday. I shan't be there, but Jackson from Pine Ridge will
hold the service. You see, there's--well----" The churchman broke off, and
turned appealingly to the Agent.

"The fact is," Parker said, in his quick, abrupt manner, "Jim Crow and
some of the other boys have warned me that these red heathens are 'making
med'cine.' I don't know what it means--yet. I wish to goodness the troops
were nearer."

The Agent's hard face was very set. His final wish was the key-note of his
life. His was truly an unsmiling existence.

"So you're jest goin' in to sound the warnin'," observed Seth. The other
nodded.

"I'd like to cancel Little Black Fox's pass on Monday," Parker went on,
"but it would be a bad policy. Anyway, if he goes out for a month the
others will likely keep quiet until he comes back, unless of course this
pass of his has another meaning. I shall have him tracked. But--well, we'd
best get on. I should give some slight word of this to the Rankin people
and old Joe Smith, north of you, and any one else you have time to--I
mean the men-folk. You know, the usual thing, pass it on."

After a few more remarks the buckboard drove off and Rube and Seth
returned to their work. The silence between them was broken at last by
Rube.

"Seems to me ther's something to that pass."

"Yes," said Seth, thoughtfully. Then, with an impatient gesture, "Guess
I'll go into Beacon myself to-day. There's a thing or two for me to do.
Keep an eye on the wimminfolk. Gu