Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-12-07

They kne W the7 could not get their horses
by fair means, for Gwynne was above
suspicion. He was English, too, and
striving to shield his countrymen from
the threatened vengeance. They there
fore dete mined, in collision with Kelly,
to lure him outside the stables, bind and
gag him, set their horses, having once
rified Gwynne of the keys, ride down to
the ranch, and, after having Donny-
brook fai- on the premises, get back to
Rossiter Ia plenty of time for reveille and
stables. No sentries were posted in such
way as 70 interfere with them, and the
! plan was feasible enough but for one
thing. Gwynne had made most gallant
and spirited resistance, had fought the
whole gang like a tiger, and they had
been unable to overpower him before the
noise had attracted the attention Of the
sergeant of the guard and some of the
men in quarters. An effort, of course,
was made to show that the assaulting
party were from without, but it was
futile, AMI Stryker's cross-questioning
among the men had convinced them that
he knew all about the matter. There
Gwynne must have given them away"
as the troopers expressed it.
Despite the fact that he had been as
saulted an J badly beaten, this was soue-
thing thai few could overlook, and the
latent jealousy against the "cockney
sergeant" blazed into feeling of deep
resentmen-. Garrison sympathy was
with Leary and his fellows.
Thursday came, and Sergt. Gwynne
returned to light duty, though his face
was still bruised and discolored and he
wore pat IN over one eye. He resumed
charge of the stables in the afternoon.
after brief conversation with his cap
tain, and VAS experimenting the issue
of forage, when Perry entered to inspect
the stalls Of his platoon. Nolan was
being led cut by his groom at the mo-
ment, and pricked up his tapering ears
at sight of ais master and thrust his lean
muzzle to receive the caress OF the hand
he knew so well. Perry stopped him
and carefully and critically examined
his knees, feeling down to the fetlocks
with searching fingers for the faintest
symptom OF knot or swelling in the ten
dons that had played their part so
thoroughly in the drama of Monday.
Satisfied, apparently, he rose and be-
slowed few hearty pats on the glossy
neck and shoulder, and then was sur
prised to find the stable sergeant stand
ing close beside him and regarding both
him and horse with an expression that
arrested PeIry's attention at once.
Feeling all right again, sergeant he
asked, thinI ing to recall the non com
missioned officer to his senses.
Almost, sir. I'm trihe stiff vet
Anything wrong with Nolan, SIR"
Nothing. gave him rather tough
run the other day-had to risk the prai-
RE dog holes-and, though l felt no Jar
then, I've watched carefully ever since
TO see that he was not wrenched. Iwish
you would keep an eye on him too, will
your
There was no answer. Perry had been
looking ove- Nolan's launches as he
spoke. and once more turned to the SER
geant. To lis establishment, Gwynne's
lips were twitching and quivering. his
hands, ordinarily held in the rigid pose
of the Eng sh service-extended along
the thigh-were clinching and working
nervously, and something suspiciouslv
like tear WAS creeping out from under
the patch. Eefore Perry could recover
from his surprise the sergeant suddenly
regained his self control, hastily raised
his hand in salute. saying something
half articulate in reply, and turned
sharply away. leaving his lieutenant
gazing after him in much perplexity.
That night, just after tattoo roll call.
when little group OF officers was gath
cred at the colonel's gate, they were sud
denly Joined by DR.. Quin, who came
from the direction of the stable where he
Kept his horse in rear Of his own quar-
tiers. Col. Brainard greeted him warmly
and inquired after his patient at Dun
raven. Every one noted how grave and
subdned was The tone in which the doc
tor answered:
He Is a very sick man, colonel, and
1t is hard 10 say what will he the result
of this seizure"
You may want to 60 down again,
doctor, if that be the case-before sick
call tomorrow, l mean; and you had
better take one Of my horses I'll tell
my man to have one in readins s."
You are very kind, sir / think old
Brian will do al the work needed. But
| would like to go down at reveille, as
we have no me in hospital at all now.
And, by the way, is Mr.. Perry here?"
81 am here, answered Perry coldly.
lie was leaning against the railing,
rather away from the group, listening
yet unwilling to meet or hold
conversation with the man he conceived
to be so inimicl to his every hope and
interest.
Mr.. Perry said the doctor, pleas
antly, and utterly ignoring the coldness
Of the young fellows manner. Mr..
Maitland has asked to see you; and il
would crafty him if you would ride
down in the morning."
Even in the darkness Perry feared that
all would see the flush that lea ped to his
face. Summoned to Dunraven Ranch.
by her father. with a possibility Of see
ING her! 1t was almost too sweet too
thrillingl He could give reply for n
rna-..ent. s...d al. a~~ kwnrcl silence fell on
II shall be glad to go. What timer"
better ride down early. Never mind
breakfast. Miss Maitland will be glad
10 give you cup of coffee, fancy"
And Perry fell as though the fence had
taken to waltzing. He made no answer,
striving to regain his composure, and |
then the talk went on 1t was Striker
who was talking now:
HAS the ring been found, DOCTOR"
NO! That is most singular thing.
md one that worries the old gentleman
great deal. 1t had a history; it be-
onged to Mrs. Naitland's father. who |
was from lreland-indeed, Ireland was
ler country, as ii was my father's-and
hat ring she had reset for her son Archie
Ind gave it to him when he entered serv-
ce with the Lancers. 1t was sent home
With his watch and other property from
south Africa-for he died there-and old |
Maitland always wore it afterwards.
Archie was the l. st 81 ,hra., .,,,.,. -, 4.