Wichita eagle., 1889-10-06
A Story Of American



little silken braid that had hung ON Ned
Ferry's cap ever since the day of his ar
rIval-all the while. too, looking shyly
up in his eyes as her fingers worked;
when it was seen that she presently de-
tached it from the button and then, half
hesitatingly, but evidently in compliance
with his wishes, handed it to him; when
| he was seen to toss i: carelessly-even
contemptuously-aw and then bend
down lower, rs though gazing into her
shaded ewes, Mrs. Lawrence could stand
It no longer.
"Mr. Graham" said she, isn't your
) friend, Mr.. Perry, something of firt!'
"Who?-Ned?' asked Mr.. Graham, in
well feigned amaze and with sudden
! glance towards the object of his inquiry.
"How on earth should | know anything
| about il? OF course you do not seek ex-
! pert testimony in asking me. He tries,
! suppose, to adapt himself to circum-
stances. But why do you ask:''
Because see that he has been induc-
ing Mrs. Belknap to take off that little
tassel on the button of his cap. He has
worn it when off duty ever since he
came; and we supposed it was something
! he cherished: know she did"
! Graham broke forth in a peal of merry
laughter, but gave no further reply, for
! Just then the colonel and the doctor left
their chairs, and, sauntering over to the
hammock, brought mighty relief to Bel
KNAPP at the whist table and vexation of
spirit to his pretty wife. The Irritation
was broken at most interesting point,
and Perry, rising suddenly, came over
and Joined Mrs. Lawrence.
If she expected to see him piqued or
annoyed at the interruption and some
what perturbed in manner, she was
greatly mistaken. Nothing could have
been more sunshiny and jovial than the
greeting he gave her. A laughing apol-
ogy to Graham for spelling his tete-a-
tete was accomplished in moment, and
then down by her side he sat and plunged
into merry description of his expert
ences at dinner, where he had been
placed next TO the chaplain's wife on the
one hand, and she had been properly ag
grieved at his attentions to Mrs. Belknap
on the other.
you must remember that Mrs. Wells
is very strict Presbyterian, Mr.. Perry;
and, for that matter, none of us have
seen dinner such as the colonel gave us
this evening for ever and ever SO long.
We are quite unused to the ways of
civilization; whereas you have just come
from the east-and long leave. Perhaps
it is the fashion to be all devotion to
ones next door neighbor at dinner"
Not if she be as repellent and vener-
able as Mrs Wells, | assure you. Why,
| thought she would have been glad to
leave the table when, after having re-
fused sherry and Pontet-Canet for up
wards of an hour. her glass was filled
with champagne when she happened to
be looking the other way"
1T is the first dinner OF the kind she
has ever seen here, MIR. Perry, and |
don't suppose either Mr.. or Mrs. Wells
has been up so late before in years. He
would have enjoyed staying and watch
ing whist, but she carried him off almost
as soon as we left the table. Our society
has been very dull, you know-only our
selves at the post all this last year, and
nobody outside of it.
Zone would suppose that with all this
magnificent cattle range there would be
some congenial people ranching near
you. Are there none at all:''
absolutely none, There are some
ranches down in the Washita country,
but only one fine one near us; and that
might as well be on the other side of the
Atlantic. No one from there ever
comes here: and Or. Quin is the only
living soul in the garrison who ever got
within the walls of that ranch. What
be saw there he positively refuses to tell,
despite all our entreaty."
"You don't tell me there's a ranch
with a mystery here near RoSsiter!' ex-
claimed Mr.. Perry, with sudden interest.
why. | do, indeed! Is it possible
You have been here two whole weeks
and haven't heard of Dunraven Rancho
I've heard there was such a thing; |
saw it from a distance when out hunting
the other day. But what's the mystery?
what's the matter with it?'
That's what we all want to know
and cannot find out. Now. there is an
exploit worthy your energy and best
efforts, Mr. Perry. There is a big,
wealthy. well stocked ranch, the finest
homestead buildings, we are told, in all
this part of Texas. They say it is beau
tifullv furnished-that it has a fine
library, grand piano, all manner of
things indicative of culture and refine
ment among It's occupants-but the own
err only comes around once or twice a
year. and is an iceberg of an English
man. All the people about the ranch
are English, too, and the most repellent,
boorish. discourteous lot of men you ever
saw. When the Eleventh were here
they did everything they could to be
civil 10 them, but not an invitation
would they accept, not one would they
extend: and SO from that day 10 this
none OF the officers have had any inter
course with the people at the ranch, and
the soldiers know very little more. Once
or twice a year some very ordinary look
ing men arrive who are said to be very
distinguished people-in England; but
they remain only a little while. and SO
away rs suddenly as they came"
And You have never seen any of
them?"
Never, except at distance Nor
has any one of the officers, except DR..
Quin."
And Won have never heard ANYTHING