Having struck his trail, I reached Cheyenne just about four hours after he left there with these despatches for the Big Horn.
I caught up with the fellow on the south bank of the Belle Fourche, and being well aware that no threats or gun play would ever force him to confess the truth, I undertook to frighten him by trickery.

I brought along some drawing-paper and drew your father's picture in phosphorus, and gave him the benefit in the dark.

That caught Murphy all right, and everything was coming my way.

He threw up his hands, and even agreed to come in here with me, and tell the whole story, but the poor fellow's brain could n't stand the strain of the scare I had given him.
He went raving mad on the Powder; he jumped on me while I was asleep, and since then every mile has been a little hell.

That's the whole of it to date." They were up with the pack-train by now, and the cavalrymen gazed with interest at the new arrivals.