At last the scouts reached the stage road, and rode without interruption to a station. Here the precious message to Washington was put in the hands of Uncle Sam’s postmen, who drove the stage-coaches amid such peril and hardship, carrying passengers and letters across the “Great American Desert.” Their duty accomplished, Brother Van and his companion returned to the seat of war. They found Bannack ready for a siege. Captain Bell was in charge of the company of regulars, and there were also two companies of Montana Volunteers from Butte under the command of Major W. A. Clark. When the excitement over their safe return had subsided, Brother Van again turned his attention toward the church. The town was full of people and their need of solace was great. A church building had been started but the Indian wars had halted the work. The missionary scout determined to finish the church and he found that everybody wanted to help; soldiers, settlers, and cowboys went at the building with hearty good will. The little church was thus very speedily completed, and on a beautiful Sabbath Day another of Brother Van’s first enterprises was dedicated to the Lord. Illustration: BROTHER VAN’S DISPATCH TO THE HELENA HERALD, AUGUST 13, 1877, DESCRIBES CONDITIONS AT BANNACK What the helpful presence of the preacher-scout meant to the distressed townspeople in those trying days is shown by a dispatch sent from Bannack to the Helena _Herald_, August, 1877. The correspondent reported: “Word also has just arrived that there is a load of guns and ammunition within fifteen miles of us; an escort has just gone out to meet it. News also comes that Joe Metlin is on his way from Glendale with a company of volunteers for our protection, and that he will arrive in a few hours. It is now midnight, and every now and then some one keeps coming in, so that if we get the guns here by morning we will be in better shape. The Rev. Van Orsdel is here doing duty as a volunteer. He is a whole man. God bless all good men of whatever creed.” A successful work in this community seemed ahead of the scout-missionary. A common fear had drawn the people closely together and nearer to their knowledge of a protecting God. But another work was given to Brother Van and fresh adventures shortly presented themselves. CHAPTER IX NEW TRAILS