Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-10-13

quartersandH at the guard house. Every
where else the garrison seemed shrouded
in darkness Catching sightof the yellow
chevrons they fitted through the food
of light that poured from his open door.
way, the colonel instantly OWNED that
this must be sergeant of STRIKERS troop
going In search of his captain, and
promptly hailed him:
'sW1at is it, sergeant? ANY news?"
eyes, sir" answered the soldier, halt
ing short. ''Serat. Gwynne's come
back. Twas going to the captains to
report"
"How did he get back? Isn't he in.
juredr'
"He says he's had fall, sir, and has
been badly shaken up, but he walked in. :"
WHY, that's singular! Did he see
none of the searching parties:-see none
of their hghtsT'
~ can't make out sir. He's little
oueer-doesn't want to talk, sir. He
asked if his horse got in all right, and
went and examined the scratches, and
seemed troubled about them; but he
doesn't say anything
elias he gone to the hospital:'
mo, sir; he'Ilsleep in his usual bunk
at the stables tonight. He is only
bruised and sore, he says. His face is
cut and scratched and bound up in his
handkerchief"
every WELL" said the colonel, after q
moments thought. 1.-The captain will
look into the matter when he gets back.
You take your horse and ride down the
south side of the valley and find the
Cheyenne scouts. Capt. Stryker is with
them Tell him the sergeant is home,
safe"
every well, SIR" And the trooper
saluted, faced about, and disappeared
in the darkness; while the colonel arose,
and, putting thoughtfully at his cigar,
began pacing slowly up and down the
piazza He wished Stryker were home;
he wished Capt. Lawrence were officer
of the day, and, SO, liable to come out
of his quarters again: he had heard just
enough about that odd English ranch to
make him feel disturbed and i'll at ease.
There had evidently been hostility be.
trr"en has Predecessor ana 2 &c UroLriF
lot &C Dt,7.'s -, s"a Fsrg pf-yo Di-
yb=ro uo0 oeeo 90 o.oUu between tba
men OF the Eleventh Csgvaity and the en-.
ployes Of the ranch: else why should
there have been SO unprovoked an as.
s2ulc upon the lieutenant this night!
Then there were other things that gave
him disquiet. Several officers had gath.
cred upon the piazza during the early
evening; they were mainly of his OWL
regiment, but Capt. Belknap and two oil
the infantry subaIterns were there; Law.
renee did not come. OF course the talk
was about the incident Of the evening,
and, later, the runOTs about Dunraven.
All this was new TO the cavalrymen
they had heard, as yet. nothing at all
and were not little taken aback by the
evident embarrassment and ominous 81
lence of the three infantrymen, when
the colonel turned suddenly on Belknap
with the question
by the way, captain, l had no time
to ask Lawrence, and it really did moi
occur to me until after he had gone, but
what did he mean by saying that DR..
Quin could tell US something about the
people at Dunraven?"
Belknap turned red and looked I'm.
comfortably at his two comrades, as
though appealing to them for aid. The
younger officers, however, would say
nothing at all, and the colonel promptly
saw that he had stumbled on some piece
on garrison gossip.
Never mind, he said, with kindly
laugh. Il don't want to drag any stories
out by the roots. The doctor can doubt
less explain it all in good season.
well, Col. Brainard,' answered Bel
KNAPP, bulkily, ''to tell the truth, [ really
don't know anything about it, and
don't know any one who does, though
have heard some woman talk about the
post The relations between DR.. OUR
and some of the officers of the Eleventh;
were rather strained, and he is some
what reserved and secretive man. The
stories were set aeo2t here last fell, ard
We had 70 he2- .cora cr less o. then y,,.
IL the Eleventh went away this spring.
We know only that DR.. GUN has been
TO Dunraven and the rest of us haven't
Possibly some of the Eleventh were
piqued because they had no such luck
or perhaps their ladies did not like it be-
cause Quin wouldn't tell them anything
about what he saw. At all events, he
refused to taIk.on the subject at all, and
allowed people to draw their own con
clusions.'
He probably told his post com
mapder," suggested Lieut.. Farnham,
who, as acting adjutant of the post and
an aspirant for the adiutancy of the
regiment, thought it a good opportunity
of putting in a word as indicative of
what he considered the bounden duty OF
an officer under like circumstances.
''Weu, no, fancy not replied Bel
KNAPP. About the only thing we really
do know is that. in somewhat angry
interview last fall. Col. Stratton forbade
DR.. GUMS leaving the post or going tc
Dunraven without his express permits
sion. l happened to be in the Office at
the time"
''Was it before or after that he was
said to go there SO often" asked Farm.
ham.
We'll, both answered Belknap. re-
luctanrly. But understand me, Mr..
Farnham, know nothing whatever OF
the matter"
Il should not suppose that Col. STRAIT
ton would care to restrict his post sur
geon from going thither if they needed
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