Hamlin’s hand clasped hers firmly, but his eyes were riveted on something in the distance.

“Wait,” he said, checking his horse, “what is that?  See; down in the valley of the creek!  Is it not a moving body of men?”

CHAPTER XXXIV

THE ADVANCE OF CUSTER

The Sergeant swung down from the saddle and forced both ponies back below the crest of the hill, his swift glance sweeping back over their trail.  Then he gazed again searchingly into the valley below.

“What is it?” she questioned.

“A moving column of horsemen, soldiers from their formation, for Indians never march in column of fours.  They are too far away for me to be certain yet.  What troops can be away out here?”

“Wasn’t there to be a winter campaign against Black Kettle?” she questioned.  “It was the rumor at Dodge.  Perhaps—­”

“Why, yes, that must be it,” he interrupted eagerly.  “Custer and the Seventh.  What luck!  And I’ll be in it with the boys after all.”

“Shall we not ride to meet them?”

“Soon, yes; only we need to be certain first.”

“Are you not?” and she rose in her stirrups.  “I am sure they are cavalrymen.  Now you can see clearly as they climb the hill.”

“There is no doubt,” he admitted, “a single troop ahead of the main body; the others will be beyond the bend in the stream.”

He stepped back, where he could look directly into her face.

“They are soldiers all right, but that was not what I wanted to be so certain about.  When we ride down there, Molly girl, we shall be swallowed up into the old life once more, the old army life.”

“Yes.”

“Perhaps you do not realize how different it will all be from out here alone together.”

“Why should it be different?”

“I shall be again a soldier in the ranks, under orders, and you Major McDonald’s daughter.”

“But—­but—­” her eyes full of appeal.

“No, little girl,” he explained quickly, reaching up and touching her gently; “we are never going to say anything about that to those down there—­his comrades in arms.  It is going to be our secret.  I am glad you told me; it has brought us together as, perhaps, nothing else could, but there is no reason why the world should ever know.  Let them think he died defending his trust.  Perhaps he did; what you overheard might have been said for a purpose, but, even if it were true, he had been driven to it by a merciless woman.  It is ours to defend, not blacken his memory.”

She bent slowly down until her cheek touched his.

“I—­I thought you would say that,” she returned slowly, “but what else you said is not so—­there will never again be a barrier of rank between us.”  She straightened in the saddle, looking down into his eyes.  “Whoever the officer may be in command of that detachment, I want you to tell him all.”