noon
Gleason had a vehement interview with the post commander and galloped off to town , where he spent much time telegraphing and awaiting replies . Then , to wear off the tedium of the intervening hours , he resorted to several haunts well known to the inhabitants of those days , and did more or less betting on uncertain games , and much more wrestling with an insidious enemy . He was crazy drunk when lifted from the hack at his quarters late that night ; and his orders were to take stage for Fetterman at three P.M. the following day . Captain Webb , returning from his Kansas court , would reach Cheyenne at noon and go by same conveyance . It was arranged that the two officers should be in readiness at the fort , and the coach would drive through and pick them up . Mr. Ray was hobbling about his room blithe as a lark . He had slept soundly , awaked refreshed , enjoyed his breakfast and the music of the band at guard-mounting ; was rejoicing in the arrival of Dandy , who had been sent down from Laramie , and was now in a little paddock in the back-yard of the quarters he and Blake occupied in company .