“Are you sure you saw but one squawman in the party that assaulted you?” asked the colonel, after Parker had gone over his adventure for the second time.
“I saw but the one, sir,” said Parker, “and I wouldn’t have known what he was if it had not been for his voice.”
“I will wager that there were two of them there,” said the commanding officer. “You see,” he added, turning to his officers, “there used to be two hard characters in this country who were named Harding and Ainsworth, and they hired out to Carl’s father to herd cattle for him. They understood their business, but Mr. Preston thought that it would be well worth while to watch them. One night he detected them robbing him, and he shot both of them; but they made out to get away in spite of their wounds. One would think that they would go as far from this country as they possibly could, but it seems that they had friends among the Sioux, and right there was where they went. They sent word to Preston where they were, adding that they were waiting an opportunity to take revenge upon him. They said they were waiting for a chance to wipe out the entire family.”
“But do you suppose that is the only thing they have in mind, sir?” asked the major. “Don’t you imagine that there is somebody who is going to step in and enjoy the property that Carl may leave behind him?”
“I have heard that hinted, too, but somehow I can’t believe it,” said the colonel. “Mr. Preston died a natural death, and if they make away with Carl, they will do away with the last one of the family. I do wish I could get my hands on those men,” added the officer, rising to his feet and walking back and forth in the room. “It does not make any difference where a man goes, he is bound to make some enemies if he is so fortunate as to fall into property. In the States they are jealous of him, and out here they want to kill him. If Carl was a poor man those squawmen would not take the least notice of him.”
It was evident that the colonel blamed himself for allowing Carl, the Trailer, to go off to Standing Rock Agency with Lieutenant Parker; but Carl had been off there a dozen times and came back safe, and he supposed he could keep on doing it. After taking a few turns up and down the floor he announced that he couldn’t see any way out of it, and that all they could do would be to stay there in the fort and wait to see what was going to happen to Carl.
“I would like to take a few of my men and go up there and release him,” said he, once more seating himself in his chair, “for somehow I am as much interested in that boy as though he were my own. But you see I can’t stir without orders. If I go up there it will bring on a fight, sure.”
The colonel rested his elbows upon his knees, gazed fixedly at the floor for a few minutes, and then raised his eyes and fastened them upon Lieutenant Parker.
“I will tell you what I might do,” said he. “I could make out a report to General Miles, and request that he make a demand on the Sioux for Carl, the Trailer. In that way I can get him.”
The officers all drew a long breath of relief, for they were thinking about that very thing themselves.