Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-12-26
but always friendly and kind. One thing

but always friendly and kind. One thing
went the rounds like lightning.
you'll be getting your discharge now,
sergeant" said Mrs. Reed. the voluble
wife of the leader of the band. land
taking up your residence at the ranch,
suppose. OF course the British minister
can get it for you in minute"
"Not bit of it. Mrs. Reed" was the
laughing answer II enlisted to serve
Uncle Sam five years. and he's been too
good friend to me to turn from.
shall serve out my time with the -th.'
And the sergeant v'sc true TO his word.
If old Maitland could have prevailed, an
application for his sons discharge would
have gone to Washington; but this the
soldier positively forbade. He had eight
months still to serve, and he meant to
carry out his contract to the letter.
Stryker offered him a furlough, and
Gwynne thankfully took week, that
he might be by his fathers side and help
nurse him TO better health. "By that
time. too, the garrison will have grown
little more accustomed TO it, sir, and
/ will have less embarrassment in going
on with my work"
Two days before his return to duty
there came a modified sensation in the
shape of the report that a trooper of
Wayne's company had deserted. He
was man who had borne bad reputa-
ton as a turbulent. mischief making
fellow, and when Sergt. Leary heard of
his going he was in a state of wild ex-
citement. He begged to be allowed to
see his captain, and to him he confessed
that one of his little party of three had
seen the ring drop from Mr.. Maitland's
finger the night of the first visit to Dun
raven, had managed to pick it up and
carry it away in the confusion. and had
shown it to his friend in Wayne's troop
when they got back. The latter per-
suaded him to let him take it. as the
lockers of the men who were at Dun
raven were sure, he said, to be searched.
1t was known that he had a grudge
against Gwynne; he was one of the men
who was to have gone to the ranch the
night they purposed riding down and
challenging the Englishmen to come out
and fight, but had unaccountably failed
at the last moment. They believed that
he had chosen that night to hide the
ring in the sergeant's chest: he could
easily have entered through the win
dow. And this explanation-the only one
ever made-became at once accepted as
the true one throughout the garrison.
During the week of his furlough the
sergeant found time to spend many hours
by the bedside of Lieut. Perry, who was
rapidly recovering, and who by the end
of the week had been lifted into an easy
invalid chair and wheeled in 10 see Mr.
Maitland. When not with Mr.. Perry,
the young troopers tongue was ever
wagging n his praisHat!-e knew many
a fine officer and gal&nt gentleman in
the sery iQs. of the old country. he said,
and he adj many a nsptain.nnd sub
altern in of his adopted land. but
tho first orl 70 whom he "warmed"--the
first one 70 win his afecron-was the
Young cavalryman who Had met his pain
full wound IN their defense. Old Matt
land listened to it all eagerly--he had |
already given orders that the finest thor
oughbred at Dunraven should be Perry's /
the moment he was able TO mount again
and he was constantly revolving in mind
how he could show his appreciation of
the officers who had befriended his son.
Mrs. Cowan, too, never tired of hearing
Perry's praises, and eagerly questioned
when the narrator tagged. There was
another absorbed auditor, who never
questioned and who listened with down
cast eyes. 1t was she who seldom came
near Perry during his convalescence, she
who startled and astonished the young
fellow beyond measure, the day the am
bulance came down TO drive him back to
the fort, by Withdrawing the hand he
had impulsively seized when at last she
appeared to bid him adieu, and cutting
short his eager words with Mrs Belknap
will console you, dare say" and alb
ruptly leaving the room.
Poor Nedl In dire distress and per-
plexity he was driven back to Rossiter.
and that very evening he did a most sen
sible and fortunate thing; he told Mrs.
Sprague all about it; and, instead of con-
doing with him and bidding him strive
to be patient and saying that all would
come right In Tune, the Httle woman
kind eyes shone with delight. her cheeks
flushed with genuine pleasure; she fairly
sprang from her chair, and danced up
and down and clapped her hands and
laughed with glee, and then. when Perry
ruefully asked her If that was the sym
patty he had a right to expect from her,
she only laughed the more. and at last
broke forth with:
"Oh, you great, stupid, silly boyl You
ought to be wild with happiness. Can't
you see she's jealous?"
And the very next day she had long
talk with DR.. Quin, whose visits to Dun
raven still continued; and one bright
afternoon when Gladys Maitland rode up
to the fort to return calls, she managed
to have quite a chat with her, despite the
fact that Mrs. Belknap showed a strong
desire to accompany that fair English
girl in all three of her visits In this
effort, too, the diplomatic services of
Capt. Stryker proved rather too much
for the beauty Of the garrison. Was it
possible that Mrs. Sprague had enlisted
him also in the good cause? Certain it
IS that the dark featured captain was