had gone back for
the dog, and so on, and said that when he first got in camp he rode
immediately to the colonel's tent, turned the horse over to an orderly,
and reported his return to the colonel, adding that if the horse was
injured he would replace him. Then he came to his own tent, fully
expecting an order to follow soon, placing him under arrest.

But after dinner, as no order had come, he went again to see the colonel
and told him just how the unfortunate affair had come about, how he had
felt that if the dog was not found it might cost me my life, as I was so
devoted to the dog and so very ill at that time. The colonel listened
to the whole story, and then told Faye that he understood it all, that
undoubtedly he would have done the same thing! I think it was grand
in Colonel Fitz-James to have been so gentle and kind--not one word of
reproach did he say to Faye. Perhaps memories of his own wife came to
him. The colonel may have a sensitive palate that makes him unpopular
with many, but there are two people in his regiment who know that he has
a heart so tender and big that the palate will never be considered again
by them. Of course the horse was not injured in the least.

We are on the stage road to Helena, and at this place there is a fork
that leads to the northwest which the lieutenant colonel and four
companies will take to go to Fort Missoula, Montana. The colonel,
headquarters, and other companies are to be stationed at Helena
during the winter. We expect to meet the stage going south about noon
to-morrow, and you should have this in eight days. Billie squirrel has
a fine time in the wagon and is very fat. He runs off with bits of my
luncheon every day and hides them in different places in the canvas, to
his own satisfaction at least. One of the mules back of us has become
most friendly, and will take from my hand all sorts of things to eat.

Poor Hal had a fit the other day, something like vertigo, after having
chased a rabbit. Doctor Gordon says that he has fatty degeneration of
the heart, caused by having so little exercise in the South, but that he
will probably get over it if allowed to run every day. But I do not like
the very idea of the dog having anything the matter with his heart. It
was so pathetic to have him stagger to the tent and drop at my feet,
dumbly confident that I could give him relief.

CAMP NEAR HELENA, MONTANA TERRITORY, November, 1877.

THE company has been ordered to Camp Bak