buy or steal, and had jumped for the
Northwest, murdering and pillaging as they went. Waiting no orders,
dropping, indeed, the retrograde movement he was ordered to make before
this outbreak was known, the regimental commander had turned his columns
and shot "cross country" on a night march to head them off. A soldier
who doubted the "grit" of his officers and men, who was himself
indisposed to dare so strong and savage a foe, could easily have taken
refuge in these orders and, marching as directed, avoid the Cheyennes
entirely. They were known to be the fiercest, sharpest, trickiest
fighters of the plains, full of pluck and science, superb horsemen, fine
shots, splendidly mounted and equipped. A foe, indeed, the average man
would think twice before "tackling," especially in the light of the
fearful exhibition of Indian prowess of the 25th of June. But the leader
of the --th never thought twice. No sooner did the breathless couriers
reach him with the news than he formed his plans instanter. Within an
hour every horse and man in the --th seemed to know they had a race and
a fight ahead. Eighty miles of rough country to ride over before they
could strike the line on which the Cheyennes were moving, and then the
--th could speak for themselves. The news of the tragedy of the Little
Horn came like a stunning blow to many a fellow who had lost old and
tried comrades in the fray; but while laugh and jest seemed banished for
the time, there was no doubting the spirit of the regiment for the
coming business. They had turned sharply from their course late in the
afternoon of the previous day, had marched nearly all night, had halted
to make coffee and give the horses water and a good feed as they reached
the sheltering cottonwoods by the stream; and now, while some of the
officers with their field-glasses were lying prone upon the commanding
ridges studying the distant valley for signs, another party was gathered
here around the colonel, who had been having a brief chat with "old
Stannard."

"Wayne has been warned by this time. I sent two of the scouts across
from the Rawhide last evening," was the colonel's quiet reply to the
impulsive outburst of his junior.

"He is off their line of march entirely, I know," admitted Stannard,
"but those fellows have had eyes out in every direction. They know just
where he is. They know just where that wagon-train is, and up to last
evening they knew just where we were, though they are puzz