Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-10-30

In front OF officers row dark featured,
black bearded, soldierly looking captain
separated himself from the rest and en-
tered tue coloners yard. The command
ing officer happened to be seated on his
veranda at the moment, aud in close
Capitalization with DIR. Quin. Both gen.
tiemen ceased their talk as the captain
entered, and then rose from their seats
as he stepped upon the veranda floor.
Good evening, Stryker," said the col
onel, cheerily. Come in and have a
seat. The doctor and l were just won
dering if we could not get you to take
hand at whist tonight"
II shall be glad to join you, sir, after
| parade. l have come in to ask permits
sion to send a sergeant and couple OF
men, mounted, down to the Monee. One
of my best men is missing"
Indeed! Who is that? Send the men,
| of course"
'Sergt. Gwynne, sir. The first time
| ever knew him to miss duty"
Your stable sergeant, too? That Is
unusual How long has he been gone"
''Since battalion drill this morning. He
was on hand when the men were sad
ding, and asked permission to take his
horse out for exercise and ride down the
valley a few miles. l said yes, never
supposing he would be gone after noon
roll call; and we were astonished when
he failed to appear at stables. Perry says
be met him two miles out"
1.-THE two culpritsr' said the colonel,
laughing. Poor Perry is down in the
depths again. He rode up to me with
such a woebegone look on his face at
drill this morning that / could hardly
keep from laughing in front Of the whole
line. Even the men were trying hard
not to grin; they knew he had turned
up just in the nick of time TO save him
self an absent. What do you suppose
can have happened to Gwynne?'
Il cannot imagine, sir. and am in
clined to be worried. He would never
willingly overstay a pass; and l fear
some accident has happened"
lis he good RIDER asked the doctor.
''None better In the regiment De is
a model horseman, in fact, and, though
he never alludes TO nor admits it, there
Is general feeling among the men that
he has been in the English cavalry ser
vice. Of course, there is no doubt of his
nationality; he is English to the back
bone, and, ! fancy, has seen better
| days"
What made them think he had been
in the cavalry service abroad"
"Oh, his perfect knowledge of trooper
duties and management of horses. 1t
took him no time to learn the drill, and
he was a sergeant before he had been
with me two years. Then, if you ever
noticed, colonel said Capt. Stryker, APP
| pealing to his chief, whenever Gwynne
stands attention he always has the fin
| gers Of both hands extended and point
ing down along the thigh. close against
| it-so." And Stryk er illustrated. Now
| you never see an American soldier do
that; and | never saw it in any but Eng
| lish trained soldiers He has quit il
somewhat of late. because the men told
him it showed where he was drilled
We have other English 'non-coms,' Won
know-but for long time | noticed that
in him. Then he was enlisted in New
York city. some four wears ago, and all
his things were Of English make-what
he had"
What manner of looking fellow is
he" asked the doctor. Il think | would
| have noted him had | seen him"
Yes, you Engiishmen are apt to look
to one another" said the colonel in re-
ply, land Gwynne is a particularly fine
specimen He has your eyes and hair,
doctor, but hasn't had time to grow
grizzled and bulky yet, as you and
have One might say that you and the
sergeant were from the same shire"
THAT would help me very little, since
l was only three years old when the gov
ernor emigrated," answered the doctor,
with a quiet smile. I'VE keep some
traces Of the old sod, / suppose. but
I've been Yankee for forty years, and
have never once set eyes on Merrie Eng
land in all that time. Did the sergeant
say where he wanted to go?" And the
questioner looked up sharply.
Nowhere in particular-down the
valley was all / remember, though,
that Mr.. Parke said he seemed much ex-
ercised over the name of that ranch down
the Monee-Ive forgotten what they call
Il. Have you heard IL, colonel"
Seems to Inc have, but I've forgot
ten. You have, doctor, have you pot?-
Heard what, colonel"
"The name of that ranch down the
Monee-an English ranch, they tell me,
about seven miles away"
"Oh, yesl-that onel They call it Dun
raven Ranch.-Did the sergeant take any
OF the hounds with him, captain? 1t oc-
ours TO me he might have been running
a coyote OF a rabbit, and his horse have
stumbled and fallen with him. There is
no end of prairie dog holes down that
way"
mo, the dogs are all In. ] wouldn't
be surprised if he had gone to the ranch.
That's an English name, and they are all
Englishmen down there, hear Very
possibly that is the solution. They may
have tempted him to stay with English
hospitality; though it would astonish me
II he yielded I'll tell the men to inquire
there first, colonel, and will go and send
them now" And, bowling to his com
mander, Capt. Stryker turned and left
the porch.
The doctor rose, thrust his hands deep
In his pockets, paced slowly to the south
ern end of the veranda, and gazed down
the distant, peaceful valley, an anxious
cloud settling on his brow. The colonel
resumed once more the newspaper he
had dropped upon the floor. After a mo-
ment Dr. Quin came slowly back. stood
IN front of the entrance a few seconds
looking irresolutely at the soldier
sprawled at full length in his reclining
chair, stepped towards him with n pre-
paratory clearing Of his throat as though
about 10 speak. and then, suddenly and
helplessly abandoning the idea, he
plunged down the short flight of steps.
hurried out Of the gate and disappeared
around the fence corner in the direction
OF the hospital Immersed in his paper,
the colonel never seemed 10 note that he
had gone; neither did he note the fact
that two ladies were coming down the
walk.
The soft swish of trailing skirt being
Insufficient 20 attract HE attention As