Then he turned to the
wondering adjutant beside him.
"You never knew him, did you, Cook?"
"I think not, sir; who is he?"
"Captain Nolan--you have heard the story."
The younger officer wheeled about, staring, but the despatch bearer had
already become indistinguishable among the troopers.
"Is that so?" he exclaimed, in evident surprise. "He has a manly face."
"Ay, and he was as fine a soldier as ever fought under the flag,"
declared Custer, frankly. "Poor devil! The hardest service I was ever
called upon to perform was the day we broke him. I wonder if Calhoun
will recognize the face; they were good friends once."
He stopped speaking, and for a time his field-glasses were fastened
upon a small section of Indian village nestled in the green valley.
Its full extent was concealed by the hills, yet from what the watchers
saw they realized that this would prove no small encampment.
"I doubt if many warriors are there," he commented, at last. "They may
have gone up the river to intercept Reno's advance, and if so, this
should be our time to strike. But we are not far enough around, and
this ground is too rough for cavalry.
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