Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-11-02

come down into the valley II they find
no trace OF Gwynne up on the prairie.
| Watch for the doctor, too"
Then, through the deepening twilight
he strobe, following the trail that led
southwark up the slopes. Five minutes
brisk walk along the springy turf
brought him TO the crest and in view OF
! the lights at the ranch buildings, still
some six or seven hundred yards away.
All through the eastern sky the stars were
pecping forth. and even through the
| CLEAN Of the twilight In the west two
! brilliant planets slone like molten gold.
All was silence and peace on every hand,
and, but for those guiding, gimmering
lights at the south, all would have told
OF desolation. Behind him in the valley
waited his faithful men. Far beyond the
Monee, out on the northern prairie. he
knew that comrades were securing the
face Of the earth in search Of their miss
ing brother. Up the stream, somewhere
behind them. tho Cheyennes were pa
| tiently trailing the hoof tracks as long
rs light should last; he knew that search
must be mt an end by this time. and that
some Of their number, at least. would he
| riding down to join his men Whoever
| found the sergeant was To fire three shots
| In air. the signal could bc heard long
way in that intense stiffness, and that
signal was to recall the searching par
ties. Every step brought him deeper
into the darkness of the night yet
nearer and nearer those twinkliDg lights
ahead.
Already he could distinguish those in
| the main building the homestead. from
| those more distant still. IN the store
rooms and Office. Far over among the
stables and corrals he heard the deep
baying Of hounds, and hc wondered If it
was to be his luck To encounter any en-
tcrprising watch dogs. An English bull
terrier would be lively entertainer,
thought he. with instructive motion to-
/ wards the flap Of his holster; and II
| would be n wonder l. u ranch that sur.
] rounded itself with fifty miles Of barbed
wire fencing were not further environed
by a pack Of watch dogs of the most ap
proved and belligerent breed. Once
| having passed the distant barrier Of that
gate on the Monee. however. his way
WAo uhhulptutu, anu, W
utterly unmarked; he had arrived with
in fifty yards Of the foremost building,
the homestead, before he was brought to
halt. Then he stopped short, sur
| prised, half crcdulous. and all attention.
listening to the concord of sweet
sounds" that came floating from the
open easement somewhere along the east
front of the big, gloomy house.
"One part of the story verified, 10y
Jovei It's piano--and well played.
too"
Full minute he stood there listening
Perry was dancer, who's, nimble feet
moved blithely to any measured, rhyth-
mical strains, and n soldier whose soul
was stirred by ma.tial music, but with
Chopin and Mendelssohn, Bach and
Rubenstein he had but slight acquaint-
ancc. That any one should be playing
piano here on the borders of the Llano
Estacado was in itself sufficient cause
for wonderment; that the invisible per-
| former was playing g-and playing with
exquisite taste and feeling--one of the
loveliest Of the "Licder ohne Worte,"
| the "Spring Song" was a fact that con.
/
he never knew 1t until one sweet night
long after.
However. matters more pressing than
music demanded Mr.. pcrry's attention
| just hero. He had reached Dunraveu,
after all. Neither dog nor man had
challenged. Once within those barbcd
and frowning barriers, all the encrciing
objects spoke of security and rest. Far
away towards the corrals he heard the
sound of voices in jolly conversations n
rich, melodious laugh rang out on the
cool evening air; he heard some one
shouting genial good night to somebody
else, and then the slam of distant door.
Presently n light popped out from n
window In what -A--@r+irrrdi to tu II
storehouse, and all was still again. Even
the piano had ceased. Now was his
time, thought Perry; and so, boldly
mounting the steps, he stood upon a
dark portico and strobe to the black
shadow in the wall before him where he
knew the main doorway must be. 1t
was his intention to knock or ring. Up
stairs dim lights were shining through
the open windows, but on this front of
the ground floor all was darkness. His
gauntleted hand felt all the face of the
door in search of knob or knockcr. but
nothing of the kind was there; neither
was there such a thing on either door
post. Just as he decided to hammer
with his clinchcd fist tho piano began
again.
He waited for pause, but none came.
This time the music was vehement and
spirited, and no banging of his on ,oaken
doorway would be audible against such
rivalry. Uncertain what to 90, he con,
cluded to reconnoiter the eastern front.
few steps brought hin. to the corner
and there lay the veranda before him,
bathed at its farther end in food OF
light that streamee from one opened
venetian window, and through this cur.
tanned aperture poured the grand tones
Of the melody THAT fellow can rattle
more music out Of piano than any man
! ever heard" muttered Mr.. Perry tc
himself, as he strobe down the wooder
gallery. wonder If it's that boss COW
puncher ! net this morning." Another
moment and he stood ut the open win
dow, rooted to the spot, and with hi,
frank blue eyes fairly starting from thcil
sockets in amazement at the sight thai
met them, all unprepared,
Across spacious room, hung with ricl
curtains. carpeted with costly rugs oi
Oriental make, furnished with many /
cozy chair and couch. and tables covered
with dainty bric-a-brac, and shelves viii
tempting books, lighted by several Ia, s,
and beautiful astral lamps, some Will
colored shades of crimson and gold anI
lul,...at.. In