ttle leader. Recaptured
by Crabb and his men after a desperate flight and fight for liberty, he
had apparently been planning ever since a second essay even more
desperate. In sullen silence he had passed his days, showing no sign of
recognition of any face among his guards until the morning Kennedy
appeared--all malice forgotten now that his would-be slayer was a
helpless prisoner, and therefore did the Irishman greet him jovially.
"That man would knife you if he had half a chance," said the sergeant.
"Watch out for him!"

"You bet I'll watch out," said Kennedy, never dreaming that, despite all
search and vigilance, Moreau had managed to obtain and hide a knife.

In silence they had shuffled forth into the corridor. The heavy portal
swung behind them, confining the other two. Another door opened into the
guardroom proper, where stood the big, red hot stove and where waited
two blacksmiths with the irons. Once in the guard room every window was
barred, and members of the guard, three deep, blocked in eager curiosity
the doorway leading to the outer air. In the corridor on one side stood
three infantry soldiers, with fixed bayonets. On the other, facing them,
three others of the guard. Between them shuffled the Sioux, "Wing"
leading. One glance at the waiting blacksmiths was enough. With the
spring of a tiger, he hurled himself, head foremost and bending low,
straight at the open doorway, and split his way through the astonished
guards like center rush at foot ball, scattering them right and left;
then darted round the corner of the guard-house, agile as a cat.

And there was Kennedy confronting him! One furious lunge he made with
gleaming knife, then shot like an arrow, straight for the southward
bluff. It was bad judgment. He trusted to speed, to dim starlight, to
bad aim, perhaps; but the little Irishman dropped on one knee and the
first bullet tore through the muscles of a stalwart arm; the second,
better aimed, pierced the vitals. Then they were on him, men by the
dozen, in another instant, as he staggered and fell there, impotent and
writhing.

They bore him to the cell again,--the hospital was too far,--and Waller
and his aides came speedily to do all that surgery could accomplish, but
he cursed them back. He raved at Ray, who entered, leading poor, sobbing
little Fawn Eyes, and demanded to be left alone with her. Waller went
out to minister to Kennedy, bleeding fast, and the others looked to Ray
for orders whe