The sun is not an hour high, but the bivouac at the springs is far behind.  With advance-guard and flankers well out, the regiment is tramping its way, full of eagerness and spirit.  The men can hardly refrain from bursting into song, but, although at “route step,” the fact that Indian scouts have already been sighted scurrying from bluff to bluff is sufficient to warn all hands to be silent and alert.  Wilton with his company is on the dangerous flank, and guards it well.  Armitage with Company B covers the advance, and his men are strung out in long skirmish-line across the trail wherever the ground is sufficiently open to admit of deployment.  Where it is not, they spring ahead and explore every point where Indian may lurk, and render ambuscade of the main column impossible.  With Armitage is McLeod, the cavalry sergeant who made the night ride with the scout who bore the despatches.  The scout has galloped on towards the railway with news of the rescue, the sergeant guides the infantry reinforcement.  Observant men have noted that Armitage and the sergeant have had a vast deal to say to each other during the chill hours of the early morn.  Others have noted that at the first brief halt the captain rode back, called Colonel Maynard to one side, and spoke to him in low tones.  The colonel was seen to start with astonishment.  Then he said a few words to his second in command, and rode forward with Armitage to join the advance.  When the regiment moved on again and the head of column hove in sight of the skirmishers, they saw that the colonel, Armitage, and the sergeant of cavalry were riding side by side, and that the officers were paying close attention to all the dragoon was saying.  All were eager to hear the particulars of the condition of affairs at the corral, and all were disposed to be envious of the mounted captain who could ride alongside the one participant in the rescuing charge and get it all at first hand.  The field-officers, of course, were mounted, but every line-officer marched afoot with his men, except that three horses had been picked up at the railway and impressed by the quartermaster in case of need, and these were assigned to the captains who happened to command the skirmishers and flankers.

But no man had the faintest idea what manner of story that tall sergeant was telling.  It would have been of interest to every soldier in the command, but to no one so much so as to the two who were his absorbed listeners.  Armitage, before their early march, had frankly and briefly set before him his suspicions as to the case, and the trouble in which Miss Renwick was involved.  No time was to be lost.  Any moment might find them plunged in fierce battle; and who could foretell the results?—­who could say what might happen to prevent this her vindication ever reaching the ears of her accusers?  Some men wondered why it was that Colonel Maynard sent his compliments to Captain Chester and begged that at the next halt he would join him.  The halt did