Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-11-09

SWIO NtAdiAtld anu "
e. cigar. caught sight of a
cavalry sergeant hurriedly passing his
front gate. The main searching parties
had long since come home, unsuccessful;
Lieut.. Perry had returned and made re-
port that the people az Dunraven denied
having seen or heard anything of
Gwynne, that both proprietor and mana
ger had treated his visit as an affront,
and that he had had much difficulty In
preventing a fracas between his men and
n gang Of rough fellows employed at the
ranch, that Mr.. Maitland had fallen
back in a swoon, and that he had left
him to the care of DR.. Quin, who ar
rived soon after the occurrence.
The colonel had been greatly interested
and somewhat excited over the details of
Perry's adventure as that young gentle
man finally gave them, for at first he
was apparently averse TO saving much
about it. Little by little, however. all
his conversation with Maitland and Even
was drawn out, and the particulars of
his hostile reception. The colonel agreed
with him that there was grave reason TO
suspect some OF the ranch people of
knowing far more of Sergt. Gwynne's
disappearance than they would tell; and
finally, seeing Perry's indisposition to
talk further, and noting his preoccupa
ton and apparent depression of spirits.
he concluded that between fatigue and
rasped nerves the young fellow would be
glad To go To bed, so he said, kindly:
"Well, won't keep you, Perry, you're
tired out. III sit up and see the doctor
when he gets back and have a talk with
him, then decide what steps we will take
In the morning. I'll send party down
the valley at daybreak, anyway. May !
offer you some whisky or a bottle of
beery"
THANK you, colonel, believe not to-
night. A bath and a nap will set me all
right, and I'll be ready to start out first
thing in the morning. Good night. sir"
But Col. Brainard could not go TO sleep.
The garrison had turned in, all except
the guard and Capt Stryker. That officer
had returned an hour after dark, and,
getting a fresh horse, had started out
again, going down the south side OF
eaht -ApAA1t W cNaANiA llt lAlllbti Will
lanterns, the Cheyenne scouts having
that Gwynne's horse had come
up that way. He had been missed by
Mr.. Perry, who galloped up the trail to
catch the platoon before il reached the
post, and the colonel, now that he had
heard the lieutenant's story, was impa
tiently awaiting his return. Up TO with.
in a few minutes of midnight, however.
neither STRIKER nor the doctor had come;
dim lights were burning in both their
quarters and at the guard house. Every
where else the garrison seemed shrouded
in darkness. Catching sight of the yellow
cheyrons as they fitted through the food
of light that poured from his open door
way, the colonel instantly OWNED that
this must be "A sergeant of STRIKERS troop
going in search of his captain, and
promptly hailed him:
"Whst Is it, sergeant? ANY news"
Yes, sir" answered the soldier, halt
ing short. "Sergt. Gwynne's come
back was going to the captains to
report"
How did he get back? Isn't he in
jured?'
''He SAYS he's had fail, sir. and has
been badly shaken up, but he walked in. "
why, that's singular! Did he see
none of the searching parties?-see none
of their lights
IL can't make out, sir He's a little
queer-doesn't want to talk, sir. He
asked If his horse got in all right, and
went and examined the scratches, and
seemed troubled about them: but he
doesn't say anything"
Has he gone TO the hospitalg"
mo. sir; he'll sleep in his usual bunk
at the stables tonight. He is only
bruised and sore, he saws. His face is
cut and scratched and bound up in his
handkerchief.
Very well. said the colonel, after a
moments thought. The captain will
look into the matter when he gets back.
You take your horse and ride down the
south side Of the valley and find the
Cheyenne scouts. Capt. Stryker is with
them. Tell him the sergeant is home,
safe"
Very well, sir" And the trooper
saluted, faced about, and disappeared
in the darkness; while the colonel arose.
and, putting thoughtfully at his cigar,
began pacing slowly up and down the
piazza. He wished Stryker were home;
he wished Capt. Lawrence were officer
Of the day, and, 80, liable TO come out
Of his quarters again; he had heard Just
enough about that odd English ranch to
make him feel disturbed and i'll at ease.
There had evidently been hostility be-
tween his predecessor and the proprie-
tor of Dunraven, and very probably
there had been bad blood between the
men of the Eleventh cavalry and the en-
ployes of the ranch: else why should
there have been so unprovoked an as
sault upon the lieutenant this night?
Then there were other things that gave
him disquiet. Several officers had gath
cred upon the piazza during the early
evening; they were mainly of his own
regiment, but Capt. Belknap and two OF
the infantry subalterns were there; Law
renee did not come. OF course the talk
was about the incident of the evening.
and, later, the rumors about Dunraven.
All this was new to the cavalrymen:
they had heard, as yet, nothing al all,
and were not little taken aback by the
evident embarrassment and ominous ST.
lence of the three infantrymen, when
the colonel turned suddenly on Belknap
with the question
by the way, captain, had no time
to ask Lawrence, and it really did not
occur to me until after he had gone, but
what did he mean by saying that DR..
Quin could tell us something about the
people at Dunraven?"
Belknap turned red and looked un-
at his two comrades. as
though appealing to them for aid. The
younger officers, however, would say
nothing at all, and the colonel promptly
saw that he had stumbled on some piece
on garrison gossip.
Newer mind" he said, with kindly
laugh. 81 don't want to drag any stories
out by the roots. The doctor can doubt
less explain 1t all in good season."
well, Col. Brainard," answered Bel.
KNAPP, bulkily, Ito tell the truth. really
don't know anything about it, and /
don't know any one who does, though I
have heard some woman tall about III.