in the Indian's tribal tongue, in which the white
man was expert.

"Heap Injun here," agreed Plenty Buffalo, not averse to showing off a
large part of his limited English vocabulary.

"That trouble-maker, Fire Bear, is the only one who travels much with a
gang, ain't he?" demanded Redmond.

"Yes," assented the agent. "He has had from fifty to one hundred young
Indians making medicine with him on Wolf Mountain. Rest assured that
Fire Bear and every one with him will have to give an account of
himself."

"That's the talk!" exclaimed Redmond, pulling at his mustache. "I ain't
afraid of your not shooting straight in this thing, Mr. Lowell, but
you've got to admit that you've stuck up for Injuns the way no other
agent has ever stuck up for 'em before, and natchelly--"

"Naturally you thought I might even cover up murder for them," added
Lowell good-naturedly. "Well, get that idea out of your head. But also
get it out of your head that I'm going to see any Indian or Indians
railroaded for a crime that possibly he or they didn't commit."

"All right!" snapped the sheriff, instantly as belligerent and
suspicious as ever. "But this thing is going to be worked out on the
evidence, and right now the evidence--"

"Which is all circumstantial."

"Yes, circumstantial it may be, but it's mighty strong against some of
your people over that there line, and it's going to be followed up."

Lowell shrugged his shoulders, knowing the futility of further argument
with the sheriff, who was representative of the considerable element
that always looked upon Indians as "red devils" and that would never
admit that any good existed in race or individual.

The agent assisted in removing the body of the murdered man to the big
automobile that had been standing in the road, a silent witness to the
crime. Lowell drove the machine to White Lodge, at the request of the
sheriff, and sent telegrams which might establish the dead man's
identity beyond all doubt.

Meantime the news of the murder was not long in making its devious way
about the sparsely settled countryside. Most of the population of White
Lodge, and ranchers from remote districts, visited the scene. One
fortunate individual, who had arrived before the body had been removed,
interested various groups by stretching himself out on the prairie on
the exact spot where the slain man had been found.

"Here he laid, jest like this," the actor would conclude, "right out
here in the bu