Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-01-20

/ sumo there is some distant connection.
4 All doubtless I recall him only
! vaguely. He belonged TO a much older
/ set and went very little into general So
ciety. a man of the highest social con-
neclions, however, and much wealth, -
and the doctor glanced keenly at her as
/ he propounded this tentative.
''Yes, Mr. CORTLAND is nearly sixty
now and, rs you say doctor, he goes
very little into general society. He pre-
fers his library aud his books and an oc-
| casional canter in the park TO any other
entertainment. In fact, except his
game of whist with some old eronies,
that is about all the entertainment he
| seeks. His wife, my Aunt Laura, is
quite an invalid -
And they have no children?
yes, one A son who is now abroad.
Shall we go up and see Mrs. Forrest
now, doctor? She is looking for a visit
from you Mr. Blunt's appearance was
a great shock to her
1t was growing dusky as they passed
through the hallway. The sun was well
down in the west and heavy banks of
rain cloud obseIred the heavens. Miss
Forrest turned the knob and threw open
the door leading into the unpieturesque
yard at the rear of the quarters. "a
little light here will be an improve
ment, - she said. Whyi who can that
be?''
As she spoke, soldier who had appar-
emily been seated on the back steps was
striding hurriedly in the direction of the
gate. He had started up Just as she
opened the door
'Ah-my man!-halt there, - called
the doctor, and obediently the soldier
turned and stood attention, raising his
hand in salute. He wasa dark, swarthy
fellow, with glittering eyes and rather
fiat features. He wore the moustache of
the trooper and had permitted his chin
whiSkers to grow. The crossed sabreS of
the cavalry and the letter and number of
his troop and regiment. all brilliantly
polished, adorned his forage cap, and his
undress uniform was serupulously neat
and fitting The moment he turned
Miss Forrest recognized him.
oh. it is Celetineis soldier friend,
she said.
''What are you doing here, my MANI"
asked the doctor, loftily.
''Nothing, sir; - was the reply, both
prompt and respectful. 1.-the doctor
probably doesn t remember me. l came
in with the wounded to-day at noon-Mr.
Blunt's striker, sir. -
other division, and You ought TO stay
there.
~ know, sir we only been here a
moment 2 was the respectful answer.
81 wanted to ask Celestme to let me
have little ice if she had any, but
there S no one around the kitchen -
$50 over TO my quarters and tell my
man Robert to give yen u big lump of it.
My house is yonder at the corner. Tell
him DR.. Bayard sent you.
The soldier saluted, faced about and
moved away trifie YEARLY this time
''He looks very tired - said Miss For
rest.
81 believe he Is, - answered the doc
tor. Hold on Il moment, there!'' he
called. g Were you out with Mr.. Blunt's
command? -
p" Yes, sir. All yesterday and last
night. had to SIT up with the lieuten-
ant all night, sir, to battle his wound. y
'True, true. And of course you
hadn t a wink of sleep. Go to your bar
racks and get a nap. IN going back to
Mr.. Blunt in five minutes, and l IL send
the ice over right afterwards.
q thank the doctor, but I'm not
sleepy. / II get rest enough tonight >, -
was the reply, and again the soldier sa-
''How faithful and devoted those
rough looking fellows can be TO their
OfIicers!'' said Miss Forrest
eyes, - answered the doctor musingly
as he gaZed after the Tetreating form
% Yes-very. Some of them are models !
and yet, somewhere or other | think l
have seen that man before. Do you
know his name!''
ono. IN ask Celestine, if YOU wish
to know. She ought to be up stairs with
the children now. May l not run over
and see Miss Bayard presently -
My Nellie! We shall be charmed |
If you viii only wait moment until 1 |
have seen MIR. Blunt | shall be delighted |
to escort you. She is all alone unless |
Mrs Miller has returned to her, and the |
house is deserted down stairs Mr.. |
Holmes is out somewhere with the ma
jOr -
But Miss Forrest did not wait. No |
sooner had the doctor finished his brief |
visit TO her sister-in-law than the young |
lady threw a light wrap over her should
ers, and, just as the bugle was sounding |
first call for retreat, she walked rapidly |
to the big house at the southeast corner, |
opened the door without the
Of ringing for admission, and /
in the gathering darkness of the hallway
within. where she had to grope a mo-
ment to find the banister rail, she came
face to face with Mrs. Miller
lTo BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK
*striker is the universal army expression for
soldier, servant groom,