Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-11-07

ranch mans defenseless head.
The e was instant rush and commotion.
In vain old Maitland feebly piped his
protes5 Is from the veranda; in vain the
overseer seized and held back one or two
of the men and furiously called off the
rest. Aided by the darkness which
yelled them, the others made a simulta-
neous rush upon the young officer and
sought to drag him from his plunging
horse. Perry held his pistol high in air,
threat med with the butt the nearest as
sailani, yet loath to use further force.
He was still in the broad glare Of the
parlor lights-a conspicuous mark; eager
hands had grasped his bride rein at the
very bit, and he could not break away;
and then missiles began to fly about his
devoted head, and unless he opened fire
he was helpless. While two men firmly
held Nolan by the curb, half a dozen
others were hurting from the ambush of
darkness a scattering volley of wooden
billets and chunks of coal. He could
easily have shot down the men who held
him.
1t was sore temptation, for already he
had been struck and stung by unseen
projec lies; but just as the manager
sprane forward and with vigorous cuffs
induced the men to loose their hold on
his rem, there came three horsemen
charging full tilt back into the crowd,
scattering the assailants right and left;
and. tits time unrebuked, Sergt. Leary
leaped from the saddle and. with a rage
of fierce delight, pitched headlong into
battle with the biggest ranchman in his
way. And this was not all; for behind
them at a rapid trot came other troopers,
and in a moment the open space was
thronged with eager, wondering com-
rades-full half of Stryker's company
in whose overwhelming presence all
thought of promiscuous combat seemed
TO leave the ranchmen. They slipped
away n the darkness, leaving to their
employers the embarrassment of &C
counting for their attack.
Lear was still Tuning with wrath and
raging for further battle and shouting
into the darkness fierce invective at the
vanished head of his opponent. He
turned on the overseer himself, and but
for Perry's stern and sudden prohibition
would have had a round with him, but
was forced 70 content himself with the
information conveyed to all within hear
ing that he'd fight any tin min" the
ranch contained if they'd only come out
where the lieutenant couldn't stop him.
The troopers were making eager inquiry
as to the cause of all the trouble, and,
fearing further difficulty, Perry prompt
ly ordered the entire party to fall in"
Silence and discipline were restored In Q
moment, and as the platoon formed rank
he inquired OF a sergeant how they came
to be there. The reply was that it had
grown 10 dark on the prairie that further
search seemed useless. Capt. Stryker and
most of the men had been drawn off by
signals from the Cheyennes up the val
ley towards the post, and these men who
hal bee beyond Dunraven on the north
ern prairie were coming back along the
Monee trail when they saw the lights
and hes I'd voices over at the lower shore
There they found Leary, who was excit-
ed about something, and before they hao
time TO ask ne suddenly shouted, They're
KILN the lieutenant Come on, boysw
and gal oped off with his own party; so
they followed. Perry quietly ordered
them o. leave a corporal and four men
with him, and told the senior sergeant
TO march the others back to the post; he
would follow in FIVE minutes. Then he
turned 10 the manager.
you will have to put up with nv
keeping some Of my men with me, in
view of all the circumstances" he said,
coldly. But after this exhibition OF
lawlessuess on the part of your people I
do not propose to take any chances. I
want &c say to you that il is my belief
that some Of those rufians you employ
can tell what has become of our missing
man, and that you will do well to inves-
tigate tonight As to you, Mr.. Matt
land" be said, turning to the old gentle
man, who had sunk into low easy
chair. 'much as l regret having dis
turbed your privacy and-that of the
ladies OF your household, you will ad-
NIT now that justice to my men and to
the service demands that should report
my suspicious and my reception here to
the COLI handing officer at Fort Rossi-
ter"
There was no reply.
81 wish You good night, sir" said
Perry; Tut his eyes wandered in 20 the
lighted parlor In search Of a very differ
ent face and form-and still there was
no answer
The manager came back upon the pi-
azza ano stepped rapidly towards them.
Perry quickly dismounted and bent
down over the crouching figure.
why herer he suddenly exclaimed,
your employer is faint, or-something's
gone wrong"
"Hush9 was the low spoken. hurried
answer Of the Englishman. Just bear
hand, will you, and help me to lift
him to yDnder sofay'
Easily, between them, they bore the
slight. aitenuated form OF the old man
into the lighted parlor. A deathly pallor
had SETTLED on his face. His eyes were
closed. AID he seemed fallen into deep
swoon. Perry would have set a cushion
under his head as they laid him down ON
a broad, easy couch, but the manager
jerked it away, lowering the gray hairs
to the vey level of the back, 50 that the
mouth 81 ped wide and looked like death
itself.
Just steady his head in that position
one minute, like a good fellow. I'll be
back In a twinkling." said the manager,
as he dared from the room and leaped
hurriedly up the hall stairway.
Perry leard him rap at distant door.
apparently at the southwest angle Of the
big house Then his voice was calling,
Mrs Cowan! Mrs. Cowani would Won
have the goodness to come down quick?
the master ILL"
Then, before any answer could he
given, al other door opened aloft and
trailing skirts and light foot falls came
flashing down. the stairway. Almost be-
fore he could turn to greet her, she was
in the room again. and with quick, i'm
pulsive movement had thrown herself
on her knees by his side.
'Oh, pa pa! dear father! | was afraid
OF this! Let me take his head on INV
arm. So she hurriedly murmured; land
would you step in the other room and
fetch me little brandy? 'Tis there on
the sideboard"