"Well, then, it amounts to the same thing here. We are bound to strike a good vein or two in the summer--in fact, we have as good as struck it. All right. After all the risk and trouble we've stood to find it, Uncle Sam lopes in and serves us with a notice to quit. It isn't in reason that we should stand that." "Well, you see, Vipan, we've no sort of title here. This is an Indian reservation, and Uncle Sam's bound by treaty to keep white men out. There are others here besides us, and I reckon in the summer the Hills'll be a bit crowded up with them. So we shall just have to chance it with the rest, and if we're moved, light out somewhere else." "Well, I don't know that _I_ shall. It's no part of good sense to chuck away the wealth lying at our very feet." And the speaker's splendid face wore a strangely reckless and excited look. "The scheme is for the Government to chouse the Indians out of this section of country by hook or by crook--then mining concessions will be granted to the wire-pullers and their friends. And we shall see a series of miscellaneous frauds blossoming into millionaires on the strength of _our_ discoveries." "And are you so keen on this gold, Vipan? Ah I reckon you're hankering after Europe again, but I judge you'll be no happier when you get there." The scout's tone was quiet, regretful, almost upbraiding. The other's philosophy was to end in this, then? "It isn't exactly that," was the answer, moodily, and after a pause. "But I don't see the force of being `done.' I never did see it; perhaps that's why I'm out here now. However, the Sioux won't stand any more `treaties.' They'll fight for certain. Red Cloud isn't the man to forget the ignominious thrashing he gave Uncle Sam in '66 and '67, and, by God, if it comes to ousting us I'll be shot if I won't cut in on his side." "I reckon that blunder won't be repeated. If the cavalrymen had been properly armed; armed as they are now, with Spencer's and Henry's instead of with the sickest old muzzle-loading fire-sticks and a round and a half of ammunition per man, Red Cloud would have been soundly whipped at Fort Phil Kearney 'stead of t'other way about." "Possibly. As things are, however, he carried his point. And there's Sitting Bull, for instance; he's been holding the Powder River country these years. Why don't they interfere with him? No, you may depend upon it, a war with the whole Sioux nation backed by the Indian Department, won't suit the Govermental book. `Uncle Sam' will cave in-- all the other prospectors will be cleared out of the Hills, except-- except ourselves." "Why except ourselves?" said the scout, quietly, though he was not a little astonished and dismayed at his friend and comrade's hardly-suppressed excitement.