nk to him, for no senior could be
required to do it. Mr. Boynton is a first lieutenant, and the only first
lieutenants junior to him here are Hastings, who is eminently
indiscreet, and Folsom, who is a martyr to rheumatism, as you very well
know. The only second lieutenants now on duty with us are Sanders,
Jervis, and Davies; certainly of the three Davies is the only one who
can be called discreet, and he was the only one who had not been on
scout or detached service of this character since he joined. I regret
having to break up his honeymooning, but even that is to be but
temporary, for so the orders said. I explain all this to you, doctor,
because I respect your rank and service, but I shall not condescend to
justify myself to my juniors."

"And have you reported action yet by wire?" asked Rooke, critically.

"Certainly," said Devers, but he reddened. Evidently there had been wide
spread talk over the selection already, and speculation as to what
department head-quarters would think of it. Evidently it was known that
he was ordered to report by telegraph, yet who could have "given it
away"? The despatch was still in his waistcoat-pocket, for Devers,
unlike his trimmer juniors, wore that unsoldierly garment underneath his
sack-coat. Even the adjutant had not seen the despatch, and the operator
was sworn to secrecy. He had reported by wire, and in these words:
"Discreet officer and twenty cavalrymen left post at noon with orders to
hasten to Ogallalla agency and report to Lieutenant Boynton for
temporary duty." This was sent at 1.15, and he had only just received
another inquiring name of the officer detailed. This he did not mean to
answer until after five o'clock, by which time he knew the Omaha offices
would be deserted and Davies some thirty miles away. "The horses are
hard and sound," he had said to the silent subaltern. "You should reach
there Friday morning without fail and without fatigue, and ought to camp
to-night at Dismal River. It's a long thirty miles, but you can easily
make it." He meant Davies to be beyond recall in the event of
disapproval, and that point secure, he didn't much care what
head-quarters might think or the garrison say.

And so Wednesday's sun went down red over the snow-streaked barren to
the west, and long, long before that the last vestige of Davies's little
party disappeared from view among the breaks and ravines in the low
range of treeless heights many a long desolate mile to the