Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-10-26

horss's powerful hamnch, that ~ e6sct
was that Of nsither security nor repcee.
His saddle, too. was the long, Dat ssated,
Australian model. pig skiH, with huge
rounded leathern cushiono circling In
front az,A over tho knees, adding TO the
cumbrupsncss Of his equipment and In
no wise to the comfort; but HE Bit and
curb chain were Of FURNISHED steel,
glsaming ~ though fresh from the hands
Of some Incompatible English groom,
and the russet rcins were soft and plia-
BILE. telling Of excellent stable manage.
ment and discipline. Perry couldn't
help admiring that bride, even In his
temporary fit Of indignation.
Al for him-tall. slender. elegantly
made, clothed In the accurately fitting
undress "bloussr Of the army and In rid.
ing breeches that displayed to best nd.
vantage the superb molding of his pow
eSful thighs, sitting like centaur well
down 10 the saddle. his feet and lower
legs. cased In natty riding boots, swing.
ing close In behind the cleaning shoul.
ders Of his steed. erect - on parade. yet
swaying with every motion Of his horse,
graceful. gallant, and to the full as pow.
erful ~ his burly companion, the advan.
tage In appearance was all on Perry's
side, and was heightened BY Nolan's
spirited action and martial trappings.
Perry was an exquisite In his soldier
taste. and never, except on actual cam.
paign. rode his troop horse without his
broidered saddle cloth and cleaning
bosses. All this, and more, the English.
man seemed quietly noting as, finally,
without the faintest trace Of irritability,
with even q suspicion Of humor twink
ling about the corners Of his mouth, he
replied:
"A fellow may do a. he likes when
he's on his own bailiwick. ! suppose"
"All tho same, wherever I've been,
from here to Assiniboia. men meet like
Christians, unless they happen to be road
agents or cattle thieves. What's more,
am an officer Of regiment Just arrived
here, and, from the Missouri down, there
isn't a ranch along our trail where We
were not welcome and whose occupants
were not hail fellow well met in our
camps. You are the first people to shun
us; and, as that fort yonder was built for
your protection in days when it was bad.
ly needed. want to know what there is
about its garrison that Is SO obnoxious to
Dunraven Ranch-that's what you call
it, believe"
"That's what--it is called"
"Well, herei I've no intention of in
truding where we're not wanted. sim
ply didn't suppose that on the broad
prairies Of the west there was such a
place as ranch where one of my cloth
was unwelcome. am Mr.. Perry, Of the
--th cavalry, and I'm bound to say I'd
like to know what you people have
against us. Are you the proprietor"
"Tm not. I'm only all employe."
"Who is the owner?"
"He's not here now."
"Who Is here who can explain the
situation?"
"Oh, as to that, fancy I can do it as
well as anybody. 1t is simply because
we have to do pretty much as you fel-
lows--obey orders. The owners orders
are not aimed at you any more than any
body else. He simply wants to be let
alone. He bought this tract and settled
here because he wanted place where
he could have things his own way-see
people whom he sent for and nobody
else. Every man in his employ is ex-
pected to stick to the ranch SO long Us
he is on the pay roll, and to carry out
his instructions. II he can't, he may
CO."
"And your instructions are to prevent
DpOnIa Opffinp into tba raucb.n
"Oh. hardly that, you know. We don't
interfere. There's never any one ocome.
as rule, and. when they do, the fence
seems to be sufficient"
AMPLY, should say: and yet were
to tell you that had business with the
proprietor and needed to ride up to the
ranch, you would open the gate yonder.
SUPPOSE
mo; would tell you that the owner
was away, and that in his absence l
transacted all business for him."
"Well. flank you for the information
given me at all events. May ask the
name of your misanthropical boss? You
might tell him called"
Several officers called three years
ago, but he begged to be excused"
''And what Is the manner"
"Alr. Maitland-is what he is called"
"All right. Possibly the time may
come when Mr. Maitland will be as
ANXIOUS to have the cavalry around him
as he is now to keep it away. But If
you ever feel like coming up TO the fort,
just ride In and ask for me-"
I'll feel like it dozen times week,
you know; but man mustn't quarrel
with his bread and butter. met one Of
your fellows once on hunt after strayed
mules, and he asked me in. but couldn't
go. Sorry, you know. and all that, but
the owner won't have it,"
"Well, then there's nothing to do for
it but say good day to you. I'm going
back. Possibly I'll see some of your
people up at Rossiter when they come 10
get horse shod."
"a horse shod! Why. man alive, We
shoe all our horses here!'
swell. 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."
A quick change came over the En-
glishman's face; flush of surprise and
anger shot up to his forehead; he
wheeled about and gazed eagerly, lower
hoo Il f,r k,,tt