Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-11-09

hurried In pursuit. He overlook the
trooper just beyond the guard house and
went with him eagerly TO the stables. A
moment more, and he was bending over
soldiers bedside In little room ad Join.
ing the forage shed and by tho light OF a
dim stable lantern looking down into the
bruised and battered features OF the non
commissioned officer, whom he had pro.
nounced OF all others Mt Rossiter the
most respected and highly thought Of by
tho cavalry garrison.
Sergeant, Tm very sorry TO see you
40 badly mauled," said Perry. "How on
earth did 1t happenY'
Gwynne turned his head painfully until
the one unbandagcd eye could look about
! and see that none Of the stable guard
were within hearing, then back again and
up into the sympathetic face Of his young
superior.
Lieutenant, must tell you and tho
foundly wish TO keep as secret as pos-
sble-tho story of my days adventure.
mean"
"You need not tell mo at all II you do
not wish to-" said Perry; Though
think 1t is due to yourself that the cap
tain should Enow how 1t was you were
gone all day and that your horse and you
both came back in such condition"
II understand, sir, fully" answered
Gwynne, respectfully. 81 shall tell the
captain the whole story, II he so desire
Meantime, can only ask that no one
else be told. II the men in the troop had
an inkling Of the true story there would
be endless trouble; and so l have tried TO
account for it by saying my horse and 1
had an ugly fall while running coyote
through the timber. We did see u CO.
vote, down near the ranch on the Monee,
and did have an ugly fall: was set
upon by three of those ranchmen and
badly handled"
"Yes, damn them!" said Perry, ex-
citedly and wrathfully "rve had an
experience with them myself tonight,
while we were searching for you"
$50 much the more reason, sir, why
my mishap should not be told among the
men. The two affairs combined would
be more than they would stand There
are enough Irishmen here In our troop
alone to go down and wipe that ranch
ont Of existence; and fear trouble as II
stands"
whether there will be trouble or not
will depend very much on the future
conduct Of the proprietor and manager
down there. OF course we cannot tol.
crate for an instant tho idea of their
maintaining gang Of ruilians there who
arc allowed to assault officers or men
who happen to ride around that neigh
borhood. You were not inside their
limits, were your
"Yes, sir" said the sergeant, pain
fully, 81 was; had tied my horse out
side and ventured in to get q nearer
look at the buildings"
"What time did it happen?'
This morning, sir; not moro than an
hour and half after you spoke TO me In
the valley"
"Indeed! Then you must have lain
there all day! Why, Gwynne, this will
never do. I'll go and get the surgeon
and have him look you all over. You
must have been brutally mauled, and
must be utterly exhausted"
Don't 90, sir" said tho sergeant,
eagerly stretching forth hand. 1T
It isn't as you think, sir. have been
kindly cared for. They're not all ruff
| fans down there, and the men who as
saulted me will he fully punished. I've
been quite as well nursed and fed and
branG "a and bandaged as though I'd
been carried right to hospital. Indeed,
don't need anything but rest. I'll be
all right in day"
"But think DIR. Quin ought to SEQ
you and satisfy us you are not injured"
"Be satisfied, sir. The doctor has seen
me-"
"Why, but how?-where? He was here
all day, and only went away at sunset.
He joined mo mt Dunraven about 0
o'clock, and hadn't returned when /
came in. Did ho find you and bring
you back3'
Gwynno hesitated painfully again:
"The doctor saw me this evening
down near where l was hurt but l got
back here without his help, sir. Lieu
tenant" said the soldier, suddenly,
there are one or two things connected
with this days work that cannot tell.
Como what may, must not speak of
them, even to the captain.
Perry was silent moment. Then he
/ kindly answered.:
''I do not think any one here will
press you to.tell what you consider it
might be ungrateful or dishonorable in
! you to reveal. l will do what can to
see that youi wishes are respected. And
now, if you are sure ! can do nothing
for you, good night, sergeant" And the
| young officer held out his hand.
"Good night, sir" answered Gwynne.
He hesitated one moment. 1t was the
first time since he entered the service,
nearly five years before, that an officer
offered him his hand. 1t was new and
strange sensation. 1t might not be ''good
discipline" to take advantage Of it, but
there were other reasons. Gwynne
looked up in the frank blue eyes Of his
lieutenant and read something there that
told new story. Out came hand as
slender and shapely as that of the young
officer, and the two were silently and
firmly clasped.
"How can question him" said Perry
to himself as he walked slowly home.
ward. "Is there not something / am
holding back?-something cannot speak
of? By Jupiter! can his be the same rea-
son?'
CHAPTER TX.