tle Secretary. The balance are just mad dogs--mad dogs. Look here:
'Dear Captain'--that's Ballard to me. I just got it--'I find myself
unexpectedly hampered this morning. The South shows signs of being too
solid. Unless I am supported, my plan for bringing our Legislature to
terms will have to be postponed. Hewley and I are more likely to be
brought to terms ourselves--a bad precedent to establish in Idaho. Noon
is the hour for drawing salaries. Ask me to supper as quick as you can,
and act on my reply.' I've asked him," continued Paisley, "but I haven't
told Mrs. Paisley to cook anything extra yet." The captain paused to
roar again, shaking Tuck's shoulder for sympathy. Then he explained the
situation in Idaho to the justly bewildered doctor. Ballard had confided
many of his difficulties lately to Paisley.

"He means you're to send troops?" Tuck inquired.

"What else should the poor man mean?"

"Are you sure it's constitutional?"

"Hang constitutional! What do I know about their legal quibbles at
Washington?"

"But, Paisley--"

"They're unsurrendered rebels, I tell you. Never signed a parole."

"But the general amnesty--"

"Bother general amnesty! Ballard represents the Federal government in
this Territory, and Uncle Sam's army is here to protect the Federal
government. If Ballard calls on the army it's our business to obey, and
if there's any mistake in judgment it's Ballard's, not mine." Which was
sound soldier common-sense, and happened to be equally good law. This is
not always the case.

"You haven't got any force to send," said Tuck.

This was true. General Crook had taken with him both Captain Sinclair's
infantry and the troop (or company, as cavalry was also then called) of
the First.

"A detail of five or six with a reliable non-commissioned officer will
do to remind them it's the United States they're bucking against," said
Paisley. "There's a deal in the moral of these things. Crook--" Paisley
broke off and ran to the door. "Hold his horse!" he called out to the
orderly; for he had heard the hoofs, and was out of the house before
Corporal Jones had fairly arrived. So Jones sprang off and hurried up,
saluting. He delivered his message.

"Um--umpra--what's that? Is it _imperative_ you mean?" suggested
Paisley.

"Yes, sir," said Jones, reforming his pronunciation of that unaccustomed
word. "He said it twiced."

"What were they doing?"

"Blamed if I--beg the captain's pardon--they looked like