Part 18 (2/2)

To tell the truth, Elarizzly bear, and he felt awed and abashed when he found hiular, with his snohite belts, bright buttons, and neatly fitting clothes, presented a great contrast to the visitor in his orn suit of buckskin, and, backwoodsman as he was, Elam noticed the difference and felt it keenly Nohen the excitement was all over, he felt sadly out of place there, and he wished that he had let the wolf-skins go and stayed at hoeon's first words reassured him

”Of course the major will see you,” said he cheerfully ”He ant to see you the one out after the hostiles now You can sit here till he coot a horse out here that is badly hurt, and if you don't object, I'll go out and look at him,” said Elaeon, in surprise ”I hope you will get along as nicely as he will Only be careful of that hand of yours”

Elam had never been to the fort before, and he felt like a cat in a strange garret while he loitered about looking at things He first went to see his horse, and found that, under the skilful hands of the veterinary surgeon, he had fared as well as he did, for his neck was bound up, and he was engaged insome hay that had been provided for him Then he went out of the stockade to see how the hostiles were getting on, but found that they and the cavalryo disappeared An occasional report of a carabine, followed by an answering yell, ca beyond a doubt that the savages had ”scattered,” thusit a matter of impossibility to hunt them After that Elam came back and loafed around the stockade to see what he could find that orth looking at The doors of the officers' aparth they were very plainly furnished, Elam looked upon it as a scene of enchant like it before He had heard of carpets, sofas, and pictures, but he had never dreas as he no before him

”I tell you, I wish I was a soldier,” whispered Ela every ti to attract his attention ”This is a heap better than I've got at ho to coet, and I will have soo by I do wish thetime to wait before he could see the htfall When they came, they looked more like whipped soldiers than victorious ones They had two dead men with them, three that had been wounded, and half a dozen Indians that they had taken prisoners Elam looked for an execution at once, but as his surprise to see the Indians thrust into the guard-house

”When are they going to shoot those fellohispered Elam to a soldier who happened to be near him

”Shoot whom?” asked the soldier

”Why, those Indians They aint a-going to let the done to theh ”They can shoot all they please, and we'll take 'e to kill 'eht at once?”

Elam confessed that he did

”Well, no doubt that would be the proper way to deal with thes with 'e before he saw the major, for an orderly approached in full uniforeneral, and told him that the commandant was at leisure now, and would see him Elam's heart was in his mouth He did not knohat to say to the major about his furs, and so he concluded he would let the

”Say,” said Elam, ”he must be tired now, and you just tell him I'll wait until he has had a chance to sleep on it”

”Why, you must see him,” said the orderly, as rather surprised at this civilian's way of putting off theon it? Come on”

Elam reluctantly fell in behind the orderly, and allowed himself to be conducted into the presence of the major The table was all set, the officers were seated at it, and seein work upon it He was surprised at the actions of the ray hair and whiskers, who sat at the head of the table, and who arose and advanced with outstretched palm tofast to the boy's hand after shaking it cordially ”You got hurt, didn't you? But I see you have been well taken care of Is the news you bring ood or bad?”

Elam was too bewildered to speak He looked closely at thehard to remember when and under what circumstances he had seen hi was evident If they had been strangers, the reeted him in so cordial and friendly a manner This hat Elam told himself, but he had shot wide of the mark

In order to explain the major's conduct it will be necessary to say that these discontented Cheyennes had not broken away frohborhood of this fort, but had come from a point at least a hundred reat uneasiness and anxiety to the veteran e hi remiss in his duty He had sent three detachments of cavalry in pursuit, but only one of the it, which had been brought in by a friendly Indian, wascolu, and the fear that they ht surprise and annihilate his ree that he could neither eat nor sleep He was glad to see anybody who could give hi the soldiers or the runaways, and he took it for granted that, as Elam had coht with them, he must know all about them

”Where do you reckon you saw me before?” asked Elam

”I never met you before in my life,” answered the s which pro ”You can tell lad to welcome you”

”Oh!” said Elam, quite disappointed

”Talk fast, for I am all impatience,” exclaimed the major ”When did you see the hostiles last, and where were they? I know that you brought them up here to the fort, but where did you meet them in the first place?”

”I found them back here about twenty ht,” said Ela froot up, there they were”