care what was said or done around him so long as he was left in
peace. The post surgeon had bolstered him up again, after a few days in
bed, so that he could sign papers, and while he retained the nominal
command of the garrison, Leonard was its virtual and actual head, for
when July came only one detachment of the Fortieth remained with the
band as guard.

But that band was a host in itself, and why should women weep and mope
and mourn--with music and the dance so easily accessible? Mrs. Leonard's
letters to Mrs. Cranston became vividly interesting just about this
time. The hops were resumed, as well as the drives with friends in town.
Mr. Langston came no longer, but the bank and the Cattle Club poured
forth their homage. Messrs. Burtis, Courtenay, and Fowler were out twice
a week at least. Then Mr. Willett's beautiful team reappeared, and
presently Mr. Willett himself, and he had brought still another step
from the distant sea-shore. It is only the first step that counts, and
Mira had taken that. Mrs. Leonard thought she was learning another. She
danced as beautifully, dressed as divinely, smiled as bewitchingly, and
talked as inanely as ever. Mr. Leonard disapproved of Mr. Willett, but
that could not keep him off the post. When mid-July came Willett was
there almost every day. Twice he remained overnight, sleeping at the
sutler's. The chaplain had been to talk with Mr. Leonard, and had tried
to talk with Mira, but she fled from him in tears. What he said to her
was dreadful!--dreadful! and she should tell Mr. Davies about it just as
soon as he returned. "I," said the chaplain, gravely, "shall not wait
till then. I shall have to write and tell him now."

Meantime Captain Devers occupied his quarters in gloomy state and twice
each day patrolled the garrison limits with the air of an injured man.
At other times he was writing long letters and reading those which came
to him by every mail, but none came now from the faithful henchman
Haney, far away on the Indian trail with Tintop's pursuing column. Red
Dog was known to be with a remnant of his band somewhere in the wild Bad
Lands to the north of the Ska, and the last heard from the colonel was
that he, with six troops of the Eleventh, was scouring the southern
limit of those dismal features of our frontier landscape, looking for
Red Dog not far to the north of Antelope Springs. Devers had been
truculent in his demand for speedy trial up to the third week in
July,--up