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But Captain Duane was gone into the house for a cigar. Albumblatt, with Sergeant Casey and a detail of six men, was in truth hastening over that broad mile which opens between Fort Brown and the Agency.
But no blood had flown from that; blood will not run, you know, when a man has been dead some time. One single other shot had struck him one through his own heart. It had singed the flesh. "You see, Mr. Albumblatt," said Duane, in the whole crowd's hearing, "he killed himself directly after killing Casey. A very rare act for an Indian, as you are doubtless aware.
From his porch Duane viewed both Augustus approach and the man stop at the hospital, and having expected a bungle, sat to hear; but at Albumblatt's mottled face he stood up quickly and said, "What's the matter?" And hearing, burst out: "Casey! Why, he was worth fifty of Go on, Mr. Albumblatt. What next did you achieve, sir?" And as the tale was told he cooled, bitter, but official.
"Reinforcements is it, Mr. Albumblatt?" "The howitzer, Captain." "Good. And G troop?" "For my double flank movement I " "Perhaps you'd like H troop as reserve?" "Not reserve, Captain. I should establish " "This is your duty, Mr. Albumblatt. Perform it as you can, with what force you need." "Thank you, sir. It is not exactly a battle, but with a, so-to-speak, intrenched "
Captain Duane now ceased talking, but urbanely listened; and from time to time his eye would scan Augustus, and then a certain sublimated laugh, to his wife well known; would seize him for a single voiceless spasm, and pass. The experienced Albumblatt meanwhile continued, "By-the-way, Doctor, you know the Charite, of course?"
Augustus Albumblatt, young and new and sleek with the latest book-knowledge of war, reported to his first troop commander at Fort Brown. The ladies had watched for him, because he would increase the number of men, the officers because he would lessen the number of duties; and he joined at a crisis favorable to becoming speedily known by them all.
"I refer to the flattened trajectory and the obus controversy." "We have not heard the reports," answered the commandant, with becoming gravity. "But we own a mountain howitzer." "The modernity of German ordnance " began Augustus. "Do you dance, Mr. Albumblatt?" asked Mrs. Starr. "For we'll have a hop and all be your partners," Mrs. Bainbridge exclaimed.
"We're cut off from all that sort of thing here," said he. "I've not been east of the Missouri since '69. But we've got the railroad across, and we've killed some Indians, and we've had some fun, and we're glad we're alive eh, Mrs. Starr?" "I should think so," said the lady. "Especially now we've got a bachelor at the post!" said Mrs. Bainbridge. "That has been the one drawback, Mr. Albumblatt."
The sounding hoofs of the troops brought the Indians out of their tepees to see. When Albumblatt reached the Agency, there waited the agent and his two chiefs, who pointed to one lodge standing apart some three hundred yards, and said, "He is there." So then Augustus beheld his problem, the military duty fallen to him from Providence and Captain Duane.
Starr asked Albumblatt, would not artillery strengthen the garrison? "Even a light battery," pronounced Augustus, promptly, "would be absurd and useless." Whereupon the mess rattled knives, sneezed, and became variously disturbed. So they called him Albumbattery, and then Blattery, which is more condensed; and Captain Duane's official tone availed him nothing in this matter.
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