at Omaha, and said briefly,--

"Send a discreet officer with twenty cavalrymen for temporary duty with
Boynton at the agency at once. Report action by wire."

For a few minutes the captain sat in deep thought, then with head erect,
and with quick, confident step, left the barracks and went straight to
the adjutant's office. "Orderly," said he, "my compliments to Mr. Davies
and say I wish to see him at once."

And so only a little more than an hour later, knowing absolutely nothing
of what might be going on at the agency, judging only from the reports
of the mail-carrier that there had been trouble between the agent and
some of Red Dog's people, and that the agent had determined to make
arrests, leaving his bride wildly weeping and protesting in the hands of
her devoted friends Mesdames Flight and Darling, yet commending her to
the guardianship of Captain and Mrs. Cranston, Percy Davies set forth
upon a bitter, wintry march of eighty miles, answering the call of duty
at the front, leaving wife and fireside, good name and character, to the
care of friends or foes who remained.

CHAPTER XVII.

Long remembered at Fort Scott was the evening that followed Mr. Davies's
departure for the agency. Infantry and cavalry both, the garrison took
it much to heart that the detail should have devolved, of all men, upon
him. Not because he was comparatively young and inexperienced; not
because he was just back from long leave that had been necessitated by
long and serious illness, but solely and entirely because he had but
recently married a wife, and therefore shouldn't have been expected to
go,--should not have been torn from her side. The women opened the ball,
but the men were not slow in taking the floor. What Davies himself might
think no one knew, because Davies would not say. He received the order
of the post commander without a word, went home to his wife and sent
Barnickel to ask Captain Cranston to come to him as soon as possible.
Devers retired to his quarters and was not again seen until after
stables, when, scrupulously avoiding those of the other troops, he
visited his own lines, having previously sent his orderly to Mr.
Hastings to notify that gentleman that he should not require him to
attend stables this week, which was to have been Mr. Davies's, but would
expect him to superintend roll-calls. The temporary commanding officer
of the garrison and of the cavalry battalion appeared, therefore, in
solitary stat