Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-02-24

her. Phil CORTLAND had to go into q
| retreat once, but believe it was because
| she treated him so. His father was sure
| that she cGald reform and make man of
him, and he almost implored her TO take
| pity on his gray hairs and save his boy +.
! tell you l think it was sheer ingratitude
Even if she couldn t have reformed him
there would have been all that money -
And Mrs. Forrest sighed pathetically at
the thought of the thousands her hard
! headed, hard-hearted sister had refused.
4 Bayard, congratulating himself on his
| success thus far, had still another point
on which he desired informatiou-a vital
! point
What seems so bad about the whole
matter, - he said after a sympathetic
echo of the lady's sigh, is the disap-
/ pointment OF old Mr.. CORTLAND. No
doubt, despite their cousinship, this has
/ long been his cherished scheme-and il
must make him-at least do not won
der that it makes him trifle bitter
against her. -
Why, doctor, that is one of the
| queerest things to me. One would sup
/ pose that any girl of ordinary gratitude
would try and repay and appreciate
such devotion as has been Iayished on
her. She simply repels people who try
! to be loving TO her. l IN sure I've
| tired every way in my power. Of
course at first he was very bitter and said
! some severe things-at least she so told
| Capt. Forrest-but she has no right to
| treasure them up against him He said
he had reared and educated and cherish
! ed her purposely TO be the salvation of
! his hayward son, and as she would not
have the son she could not live under his
roof. Then he had always given her q
! liberal allowance, besides paying the
| most extraordinary bills, and she hurt
| him fearfully-I know she did-by refus-
! ing to accept it afterwards. He has sent
| it to her even here and she almost hurls
! it back at hin-and here are Maud and
| Vickie without decent dress to their
names, walled Mrs. Forrest in some
what irrelevant conclusion, and the tears
welled again from her weary eyes.
BaYard was again silent g moment,
waiting for his patient TO recover her
composure and her tongue. It was COM
fort to think that at least Mr.. Court
land 5 muniticence was still fact. But
how about the future?
Anything that might tend to widen
the breach between them would of course
be deplorable, - he presently said, f'but
l infer from the fact that he continues to
send her allowance TO her that he will be
apt to provide literally for her in his
viii. -
''He would do anything for her, We
no doubt. despite her ingratitude, but
she has told Capt. Forrest that after
what has passed she cannot and will not
accept a penny from him. Now, what
can one say to girl like that?'
And this question the doctor could not
answer. After a few moments thought
he arose as if to go.
Liam heartily glad to know she is so
much better this afternoon. These are
ANXIOUS DAYS for us all and it is not to be
wondered at that so many of our ladies
are Frustrated Will you kindly say to
her that called to inquire after her and
am rejoiced to think we will so soon be
] able TO welcome her out again? And,
Mrs. Forrest, you might say to her that
it would gladden. my little girl if she
would come over and sit with her or sing
to her. Elinor has been very low-spirited
to-day, owing, no doubt, to the fact that
JEANNE Bruce has been in tears much of
the time since Hatton left. Good after
noon, Mrs. Forrest. GOOD bye, little
ones And the courtly doctor took his
leave.
As he descended the stairs with charac-
teristic deliberation and dignity Celestine
came forth from the dining room and met
him at the foot of the stairs.
''Mr. Holmes is come, doctor, - she
said, showing her white teeth. ''Specks
he'l II be glad to find Miss Nellie sittin up
again. T'warnt no use N Miss Fanny t.
try to catch hlm n told her so when she
was writin to him. He's out yahnder
along with Major Miller now -
And though the doctor irowned maies-
" ND OF la ST hi
without word, it gave him an uncom-
Portable start to hear her words. What
had happened that Fanny Forrest should
be writing now to Roswell Holmes? This
was something to be looked into.
XVI.
Tt was nearly two days before authentic
news came in from the Niobrara where
Hatton IS little command had been ''cor-
rallied. - Just as at first reported, the
Indians in overwhelming numbers had
suddenly charged down upon the de-
tachment from behind a ridge that lay
fulFha mile to the east of the road
while others, crouching in a dry water
course had picked off the leading soldiers
the two men thrown out to the front to
scout the trail aud secure the main body
against surprise. Hatton, all told, had
only twenty men, and the fall of the two
far in the advance had for an instant
Hurried their comrades back at the
wagons. There was no time to run these
numbering vehicles, empty though they
were, into the familiar old ''prairie
fort, - in square or circle, but while
some OF the teamsters sprang from their
saddles and took refuge under their
wagon, others seized their arms and
joined the soldiers in a sharp fire up
on the charging and yelling warriors with
the usual effect of compelling then to
veer and wheel and scamper away, still
keeping up a lively fusillade of their own.
One mule team and wagon went tearing
off at full tilt across the prairie pursued
by score of jeering, laughing and ex-
ultant braves and was finally rounded
up and captured by them a mile away
to the west, and Hatton had promptly
availed themselves Of this episode to
make a rush with his entire party for a lit
tie hillock three hundred yards east of
the road. He had marked the spot be-
fore and knew its possibilities for defense,
and there in less than five minutes, he had
his men sheltered in an oval ''dip''
along the crest and yet commanding the
approaches in every direction. From
here they not only successfully CstOod