Curtis was awakened about four o'clock by Wilson at his window. "Are you
awake, Major?"
"Yes; what is it?"
"Two of the scouts have just come in from the hills. They are sure the
ranchers are coming to make war. Bands of white men are crossing the
county to join the camp. It certainly looks owly, Major."
Curtis rose and went to the window. "The troops will be here by nine
o'clock at the furthest, and the mob will not move till sunrise, and
can't reach here, even by hard riding, before eleven."
"Shall I send a courier out to meet the troops and hurry them on?" asked
Wilson, whose voice was untouched of fear.
"It might be well. Send Two Horns to me if you can find him. Keep silent
as to these reports."
"All right, Major."
Curtis did not underestimate the dangers of the situation. If the troops
did not arrive, and if the armed posse of the settlers should come and
attempt to arrest Elk, war would follow, that was certain. Meanwhile he
was one day's hard riding from either the fort or the telegraph line,
with the settlers between, and no news could reach him for twenty-four
hours.
At that very moment the morning papers were being distributed bearing a
burden of calumny. The department would open his telegram in a few
minutes, but the Secretary's reply could not reach him before sunset at
the earliest, "and by that time I will be master of the situation or
there will be war. I must parley--delay them, by any means, till the
troops arrive. Colonel Daggett will forward the men at once--I hope
under Maynard--and Jack is no sluggard. He will be here if only the
Colonel takes action."
The sun rose as usual in a cloudless sky, but the wind was again in the
northwest, and as he stood on the little porch looking up the valley he
could see the smoke of the camp-fires in Grayman's camp, and beyond him
the Crawling Elk and his people occupied a larger circle of shining
tepees. The two villages seemed as peaceful as if the people were
waiting for their rations, but as he lifted his eyes to the hills he
could see the mounted sentinels patiently waiting the coming of the sun,
and he knew that beyond and to the east every butte was similarly
crested with spies. These people of the wide spaces had their own signal
service and were not to be taken unawares. Each movement of the enemy
would be flashed from hill to hill, miles in advance of the beat of
their horses' hoofs.
As he was returning to his library Elsie met him. "Good-morning,
Captain. Did you sleep?"
"Oh yes, indeed!" He spoke as lightly as he could. "But my messengers
reporting disturbed me a little during the early morning."
"With bad news?"
"Oh no, quite the contrary. I think we are well out of our difficulty."
"I'm sure I hope so. You look tired."
"I'm ashamed of it. You must have slept well--you are radiant. I am
sorry I cannot promise you the Elk for a sitter to-day."
"I like him better as the leader of his people. Do we breakfast with the
sheriff this morning?"
"That affliction is bearing down upon us," he replied. "He is even now
moving morosely across the road. I fear he is in bad temper."
"I think I will be late to breakfast in that case," she said, with a
little grimace, and fled.