"

"That's God's truth, major," whined the taller of the two, though the
other seemed ready to parley and plead.

"That's an infernal lie!" was the answer. "You told me the Sioux
'jumped' your camp, killed your partner, and burned your wagon." And
with menace in his burning eyes the veteran officer paused for a reply.

"'Fore God, major, that's how it looked to us. 'Course it was
pitch-dark--"

"Pitch-dark--in bright moonlight! This is worse, and more of it.
You're a pair of black-hearted villains! You went there deliberately.
You went with a wagon-load of arms and ammunition to sell to Sioux
Indians just bound for the war-path. You'd swing for that if there was
any law in the land, but swing you shall--anyhow!"

"You dassn't touch us!" burst in the leader, sudden spirit and defiance
in his tone, well knowing how powerless were the military in face of
civil law. "We're no poor devils of dog-robbers. We demand protection
and a fair trial--a jury of our peers; that means no hide-bound gang of
soldiers. You can't prove we sold so much as a shot, an' you know it,
an' you're only trying to bluff."

"That's enough, _you_!" was the startling answer. "Sergeant of the
guard, shoot these men like dogs if they attempt to escape. We sha'n't
waste time trying to prove you sold arms. What we can prove, and will
prove, and by your own man, too, and hang you high as Haman for it, is
that Pete Gamble, deputy sheriff, caught you at your devilish work, and
you shot him dead from ambush!"

CHAPTER XVII

THE WAR-DANCE AND THE CHARGE

With two days' cooked rations in their saddle-bags now, with a line of
hearty appreciation from Major Berry and renewed instructions to go
ahead, with a dozen more men than he had at the start, and the best
wishes of his temporary commander, Geordie Graham had pushed on again
northeastward down the right bank of the Fork. Waiting until the party
was fairly out of sight over the far-distant "divide," and watching
meantime the movements of the still remaining Indians in the timber,
Captain Garrett finally put his puny command in march for the Mini
Chaduza, bringing the wagon and the now semi-restored charioteer along.
Five of Gunnison's pack-mules, sent on with the troop, had so lightened
the wagon of its load that the lately abused horses, given a good feed
of oats and a swallow of water, were able to trundle it lightly along.
With another day it was started under escort for Niobrara, its late