if he could, and saw the half-breed's weapon flash, and the body pitch
out across the threshold. Toussaint, gaining his horse, shot three times
and missed Cutler, whom he could not clearly see; and he heard the
scout's bullets sing past him as his horse bore him rushing away.


II

Jarvis Cutler lifted the dead Loomis out of the cabin. He made a try for
Kelley's body, but the room had become a cave of flame, and he was driven
from the door. He wrung his hands, giving himself bitter blame aloud, as
he covered Loomis with his saddle-blanket, and jumped bareback upon
Duster to go to the post. He had not been riding a minute when several
men met him. They had seen the fire from below, and on their way up the
half-breed had passed them at a run.

"Here's our point," said Cutler. "Will he hide with the Sioux, or will he
take to the railroad? Well, that's my business more than being
wagon-master. I'll get a warrant. You tell Lieutenant Balwin--and
somebody give me a fresh horse."

A short while later, as Cutler, with the warrant in his pocket, rode out
of Fort Laramie, the call of the sentinels came across the night: "Number
One. Twelve o'clock, and all's well." A moment, and the refrain sounded
more distant, given by Number Two. When the fourth took it up, far away
along the line, the words were lost, leaving something like the faint
echo of a song. The half-breed had crossed the Platte, as if he were
making for his kindred tribe, but the scout did not believe in this too
plain trail.