and then come back here. I
want to hear all the particulars. What was the cause of that disturbance
out there on the plain?"

"I was the cause of it, cap, you bet," exclaimed Mr. Wentworth, whose
face did not look much as it did when he galloped out to meet Bob and
his squad. Then it was disturbed with passion; now it was beaming with
joy. "I'd ha' sent that Injin to the happy land o' Canaan in a little
less than the shake of a buck's tail if Ackerman hadn't stopped me, you
bet."

"It was a good thing for you that he did stop you," said the captain
quietly. "You would have brought yourself into serious trouble by such a
proceeding."

"I know that," said Mr. Wentworth, "but who cares for trouble when his
dander's up? Say, cap, may I have my rifle? Ackerman took it away from
me."

"You may have it on condition that you will make no more attempts on the
life of this prisoner," replied the captain. "There is a law to deal
with such fellows as he is."

"Where in the world is it, I'd like to know?" exclaimed Mr. Wentworth
fiercely. "It hasn't got out here to Texas yet. If I had shot him, as I
meant to do, you would have had a guard over me in no time; but he came
with a band of his friends and set fire to my house, and carried off my
little boys, and killed my herdsmen, and drove off my stock; and you,
knowing it all, stand here, with your hundred and twenty blue-coats,
and tell me that I must not touch him. Your colonel will give him up
when his agent makes a demand for him, and he'll go back to his
reservation, and the government will feed him on good food and give him
good clothes, and some rascally trader will sell him more powder and
balls to kill white folks with; but if _I_--Dog-gone my
buttons!--Ackerman, give me that rifle."

It was plain that Mr. Wentworth's "dander" was still "up"--'way up. The
listening troopers exchanged glances of approval with one another, and
would have cheered him if they had dared. Being a civilian, the man was
at liberty to talk pretty much as he pleased; but if one of their own
number had made such an exhibition of temper in the presence of an
officer, he would have been punished for it.

"We will not discuss that matter," said the captain calmly. "I know my
business and attend to it strictly, leaving the agents to look out for
their own affairs. They are not responsible to me, or to you either, for
the manner in which they do the work entrusted to them."

"All right, cap," said