earn from my own daughter that you
spoke of him to a brother officer of his in terms of disparagement the
day you got aboard the car at Sidney. Mr. Loomis corroborates it and so
does Miss Dean. I've heard of two other instances of your speaking
sneeringly of him. Now I ask you as man to man what it is you have to
tell? He has saved the lives of my son, his wife and child, and the
people of the ranch, and by the Eternal I'm his friend and mean to see
justice done him!"

Burleigh listened with solemn face and with no attempt to interrupt. He
waited patiently until Folsom came to a full stop before he spoke at
all. Then his voice was eloquent of undeserved rebuke--of infinite
sympathy. "Mr. Folsom," he said, "it would be useless for me to deny
that before I knew your charming daughter or her--ah--very interesting
friend I did speak in their presence--ah--incautiously, perhaps, of Mr.
Dean, but it was in continuance of a conversation begun before we
boarded the car, and what I said was more in sorrow than in criticism.
The young gentleman had attracted my attention--my
favorable--ah--opinion on the up trip to the Big Horn, and I
was--ah--simply disappointed in his conduct on the way back. It was
perhaps due to--ah--inexperience only, and my whole object in coming
here in haste this afternoon was to bear testimony to his ability and
zeal as a troop commander, and to urge--ah--Colonel Stevens to
reconsider his action and restore him at once to duty. I had hoped, sir,
to be here--ah--ahead of you and to have driven him in my buggy--ah--to
meet you, but I am disappointed--I am disappointed in more ways than
one."

Folsom stood and wiped his streaming face, and looked the speaker square
in the eye, and Burleigh stood the scrutiny with unlooked-for nerve.
Long years at the poker-table had given him command of his features, and
the faculty of appearing the personification of serene confidence in his
"hand," when the twitching of a nerve might cost a thousand dollars.
Folsom was no match for him in such a game. Little by little the anger
and suspicion faded from his eyes, and a shame-faced look crept into
them. Had he really so misjudged, so wronged this gentleman? Certainly
there was every appearance of genuine sympathy and feeling in Burleigh's
benevolent features. Certainly he was here almost as soon as he himself
had come, and very possibly for the same purpose. It was all that old
fool Pecksniff's doing after all. Folsom had