The Dickinson press., 1889-12-21

it but say good day to you. I'm going
back. Possibly I'll SEQ somo of your
people up at Rossiter when they come to
get a horse shod."
GA horse shod! Why, man alive, wc
shoe all our horses here.
"Well, that fellow who rode out of
your north gate and went up towards the
fort about an hour or so ago had his
horse shod at cavalry forge, or I'm
duffer"
\ quick change came over tho En-
glishman's face; q flush of surprise and
anger shot up to his forehead; ho
wheeled about and gazed eagerly, lower
ingly, back towards tho far away build
ings.
GLOW do you know there was
What fellow did you sec?" ho sharply
asked.
"Oh, don't know who he was," an.
swered Perry, coolly. Gle avoided mo
just as pointedly as you did-gallopcd
across tho Moneo and out on the prairie
to dodge me; but he camc out of that
gate on the stream, locked it after him,
and went on up to the fort, and his horse
had cavalry shoes. Good day to you,
my Britannia friend. Como and SEQ us
when you get tired Of prison life" And,
with grin, Mr.. Perry turned and rode
rapidly away, leaving the other horse
man i'll q brown study.
Once fairly across the Moncc ho am
bled placidly along, thinking of the odd
eft of f.,fT Toir of
reservation, and almost rcgretting that
he had paid the ranch the honor of Il
call. Reaching the point where the
wagon tracks crossed the stream to the
gateway in the boundary fence, lie
reincd In Nolan and looked through Il
vista in tho cottonwoods. There was the
Englishman, dismountcd, STOPPING over
the ground and evidently examining
the hoof prints at the gate. Perry
chucklcd at the sight, then whistling
for Bruce, who had straycd off through
the timber, he resumed his jaunty way
to tho post.
In the events of the morning there
were several things to give him album
dant cause for thought, if not for lively
curiosity, but he had not yet reached
the sum total of surprises in store for
him. He was still two miles out from
the fort, and riding slowly along the
bottom, when he became aware of Il
trooper coming towards him on the trail
Tho sunbeams were glinting ON the pol
isEcd ornaments of his forage cap and
on the bright yellow chevrons of his
snugly fitting blouse. Tall and slender
and erect was the coming horscman, a
model of soldicrly grace and carriage,
and as he drew nearer and his hand
went up to tho cap visor In salute i,
gesture from his young superior brought
an instant pressure on the rein, and
horse and man became an animated
statue. 1t was Il wonderfully sudden
yet easy check Of stccd in rapid mo.
tion and Mr. Perry, capital rider him
self, could not withhold his admiration.
"Whcre did you learn that sudden
halt, scrgeant:' he asked ~ never saw
anything so quick except the Mexican
training; but that strains a horse and
throws him on his launches"
cit is not uncommon abroad, sir" was
the quiet answer. 81 s;lw it first in the
English cavalry; and it is easy to teach
the horse"
81 must get you to show INC the knack
some day. I've noticed it two or three
times, and would like to learn it. What
l stopped you for is this: You've been
stable sergeant ever since wc got here,
have you notT'
"Ycs, SIR"
"Then If anybody besides members of
the troop had horses shod at our forge
you would be pretty apt to know IT.
81 know that no one has, SIR" And a
flush was rising to the young scrgcant's
face and u paincl look hovcrins about
his bright blue eyes. Yet his manner
was self restrained and full of respect.
Don't think I'm intimating anything
to the contrary, Sergt. Gwynnc. NJ
soldier in tho regiment more entrel,
holds the confidence Of his captain-o
all the of1lcers-than you. l was moi
thinking of that. But somebody dowI
there at that big ranch below lis has had
his horse shod by cavalry farrier-it
may have been done while the Eleventh
were herc-and, willie knew yo,l would
not allow it at our FORGE / thought it
possible that it might DO done in your
absence"
''lt's the first time Two been out of
sight of the stables since wo calno to tho
post, sir, and the captain gave me per-
mission to ride down the VALLEY this
morning. May ask the lieutenant why
he thinks some ranchman is getting his
shocing done here at the post?'
give been down there this morning,
and met Il man coming up. He avoided
Inc, and rode over to the south side, and
SO excited my curiosity; and as they
keep that whole place incloscd in u wire
fence, and he had evidently come out Of
tho north gate, | was struck by tho
sight Of the hoof prints; they were per-
fectly fresh there on tho trail, and plain
as day. There's no mistaking the shoe,
you know. BY tho way, llo rode up to
the fort, and probably entered at your
side of the garrison; did you see him%
"No, sir, and, except for breakfast
| just after revcillc-I have been at stables
all the morning. l was there when the
lieutenant got his horse"
| c5, IclnclnEcr linen no one rOuo
in from the valleyt'
"No civilian-no ranchman, sir The
only horscmcn I've seen wcro some
Cheyenne scouts during the last two
hours, and DR.. Quin-just before sick
call"
CDR. Quin!-tho post surgeon! Are
you sure, scrgeant?'
"Ccrtainly, sir. The doctor rode into
the post just aboutan hour after the lieu
tenant left-coming up tho valley too.
He went right around to his own stable
over towards the hospital"
A look of amaze and stupefaction was
settling on Perry's face. Now for the
first time he recalled Mrs. Lawrence's
intimations with regard to the doctor
and his connection with the signal lights
Now for the first time it occurred to him
| Al, 80