Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-11-02

unwelcome to this one. She stood erect
her fingers interlacing as she clasped her
hands in front of her and looked him
well over with her brave eyes The color
ebbed and flowed through the creamy
wilderness of her face, but the roses were
winning every moment-the red roses Of
the house of Lancaster.
"And-you wished to see-whomY"
she presently asked, with courtesy in
every word.
why, hardly know" answered
Perry, with a smile that showed his
white teeth cleaning through the curl
ing blonde mustache. "a sergeant Of
my troop has been missing since morn
ing. His horse came back to the fort
just as we were on parade at sunset,
bleeding and without his rider. We
have searching parties out all over the
prairie, and I was ordered to come here
to the ranch 10 make inquiries"
She hesitated a moment-thinking.
My father is at home, but fear he is
not well enough to see you. Mr.. Even
is with him, and he might know. viii
you-would you step in one moment, and
will go and ask"
Thank you very much. / wish you
would not trouble yourself. l presume
| can go over to those stable building, or
wherever it is the men sleep; they would
be most apt to know if our sergeant has
been SEEN"
"Oh, no! it is no trouble; besides, they
are all asleep over there by this time,
fancy. They have to be out SO very early,
don't you know"
But Perry had stepped inside even as
he offered to go elsewhere-a fact that
the girl had not been slow to notice, for
a quizzical little shadow of a smile how
cred for an instant at the corners of her
pretty mouth. "Pray sit down, she said,
as she vanished into an adjoining room,
leaving Ned Perry standing gazing after
her, spell bound.
He listened to the swish of her trailing
skirts through the dimly lighted room
beyond, through an invisible hallway,
and then to the quick pit-a-pat of her
feet up some uncarpeted stairway. He
heard her moving quickly, lightly, along
the corridor of the upper story until the
footballs were lost at the rear of the
house, then distant tap upon a door
calling, Papa" He heard her speak
again, as though in response TO inquiry
| from within; he heard her raise her
voice, as though to repeat an answer to
| previous question, and this time her
| words were distinct. IAN officer from
the fort" she announced; and then fol-
| lowed sensation.
He heard door quickly opened; he
heard mems voices in low, eager, excited
talk; he heard her sweet tones once
more, as though in expostulation, saying
something about the sergeant, lost or
wounded, and they were merely inquir-
ing for him; he heard stern, harsh in
junction of Silence! that will do" some
quick, hurrying footsteps, mans spur
red boots descending some staircase at
the back of the house, colloquy aloft
in fainter tones, and then-closing doors
and silence.
He waited fve-ten minutes, and still
no one came; but the murnur of voices
in subdued but earnest controversy was
again audible on the second floor, and
at last door was opened and he heard
the same stern tones that had command
ed her silence before, and this time they
said:
That is entirely my affair! / will
see the gentleman myself, and let him
know my opinion of this impudent and
neutrality-suspicious. intrusion"
"WhewI" whistled Mr.. Perry to him
self at sound of these menacing words.
This is boarding the lion in his den
with vengeance! Now trot out your
Douglas in his hail. and let's see what
it all means. I've seen the girl, anyhow,
and he can't take that back, even if he
turns me out"
He heard a heavy step, accented by
the sharp, energetic prodding Of a cane;
1t came slowly along the hall, slowly
and majestically down the stairs, slowly
into the lower front room, and presently
there doomed forth from the darkness
into the broad glare of the astrals at the
hanging portieres the figure of a tall,
gray haired, specialized, slimly built and
fragile looking Englishman, erect as
pride and high spirit could hold
man against the ravages OF
age and rheumatism; sharp, stern
and iInperious of mood, as every glance
and every feature plainly told; vehement
and passionate, unless twitching lips and
frowning brows and angry, swapping
eyes belied him; a man who had suffered
much, unless the deep lines and shadows
under eyes and mouth meant nothing
but advancing years; a man who entered
full of wrath and resentment at this in,
vasion of his privacy-this forcing of his
guarded lines; and yet-s gentleman,
unless Ned Perry's instincts were all Of
little worth.
The young soldier had been standing
by center table, coolly scanning the
pictures on the walls. and determining
to present a rather exaggerated pictur,
of nonchalance as reward for the hostile
language of the proprietor of Dunraven
He expected TO hear an outburst of in
vective when that gentleman reached the
room; but no sooner had he passed tn,
portiere than he halted short, and Mr.
Perry, turning suddenly, was amazed a
the pale, startled. yet yearning look il
his quivering face.
The moment the young man confront
ed him there came as sudden change
II was with evident effort that he con
trolled himself. and then, after brie
searching study Of Perry's face, accostes
him, coldly and with sarcastic emphasis
"To what circumstance do ] owe tn
, honor of this intrusion?"
II regret you 30 consider it, Mr.. Matt
, land, as believe you to be- The ole
gentleman bowed with stately dignity
, lone OF our men, a sergeant. rode down
this way quite early this morning and
failed TO Ietrrn. His horse came bach
bleeding at sunset, and we feared soms
accident or trouble. Searching partie,
, are out all over the prairies, and tn.
colonel ordered me To inquire here"
Does your colonel take us for ban
dith here, and ascribe your desertionl
and accidents to our machinationsy"
Far from it, sir, but rather as a hos
; pitable refuge to which the injured mar
: had been conveyed" answered Perry
with quiet smile, determined to thau
the hauteur of Dunraven's lord IL cour