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criticizing a fellow officer to a trumped-up duffer like Scott. Quickly, he added, “But why would Irvine take such a step? How could he know what the Indians’ purpose was? Do you expect that one of them would pull him aside and say, ‘By the way, just in the interests of fair play, I want to let you know we have all decided to exterminate the white man. I would get ready if I were you, old sport.’ ”
    The secretary drew himself up in his chair; his hand fumbled about on the desktop and found a pencil. It broke in his fingers with a savage crack. When he spoke again, his voice was soft and menacing. “Assistant Commissioner Irvine has been made aware of my displeasure. But that does not mitigate the fact that the Cypress Hills is your beat, Sub-Inspector Walsh. I am gravely disappointed.”
    “If I may speak frankly, I am not a mind reader, Mr. Secretary, nor a crystal ball gazer. I could not foresee a future when we would bundle into bed with the Yanks. If I had sent a message to Fort Benton, and Custer hadn’t gotten himself so soundly spanked, perhaps our neighbours would have accused me of spreading rumours intended to disrupt their commerce and terrify their population.”
    “You do not have a crystal ball? Then let me be your crystal ball. I will predict your future. From this day forward you will not keep the Americans in the dark about anything whatsoever that might affect them. You will provide the commander of the garrison at Fort Benton with any and all intelligence that could conceivably assist the Americans in conducting a successful campaign against the Sioux. And, sir, you will do it expeditiously and with good grace.”
    “So you are ordering me, who has sworn an oath to our majesty the Queen, to put myself in the service of a foreign power – to ferry information to Major Ilges, that ass in Fort Benton, like a servant carrying plates to the master’s table?”
    “Let me remind you that I too have sworn an oath to Her Majesty,” the secretary said frigidly. “It is her interests that I am entrusted to safeguard. Both the Dominion of Canada and the government of Great Britain wish no friction to arise with the United States. We wish no outburst of that anti-British feeling which so frequently is excited in the American public and in the Congress. That would be highly regrettable.”
    “These are very vag principles for my poor soldier’s head to con. I’m a straightforward man and I’d like a straightforward answer. If the Sioux take refuge on the Canadian side, how am I to respond to their presence?”
    “Do everything possible to persuade them to return to their country.”
    “If your aim is to please the Americans, I do not think that would do it.”
    “You should recall who you are speaking to, sir. Do you permit your subordinates to address you so impertinently?”
    “I apologize,” said Walsh, “but I am struggling to make a point. If I were Sitting Bull, I’d sure as Christ want a safe harbour from the American Army. I think persuading them to give up such a refuge would fall on deaf ears. If they refuse to go, what am I to do? Do you expect me to expel thousands of Sioux warriors with the ninety men I have at my disposal at Fort Walsh? Or is it the government’s plan to reinforce us with militia and British Regulars?”
    “No military will be deployed; it would impose too great a cost on the Treasury. Besides, we have no desire to incite a war with the Indians, to repeat mistakes that have been made south of the border.” Scott tangled his fingers in his beard and gave it an irritated tug. “However, if the Sioux do come, it is imperative that we do everything to prevent them using Canada as a base of operations against the United States. If we fail in this, we provide an excuse to the American Army to deal with the problem, not on their soil, but ours.” Scott paused. “This cannot be allowed to happen. When Americans pay a visit, they have a habit of staying. Think of