The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-03-02

Rayner nor her sister could entirely re-
cover from the surprise and pain which
the strangers singular words had caused.
So far from fealing in the least rebuffed, |
Mrs. Rayner well understood from his /
manner that not the faintest discourtesy !
was intended. There was not symptom /
of rudeness, not yestige of irritation or
haste, in his tone. Deep embarrassment, |
indispensable sadness even, she read in
the brief glimpse she had of his paling
face. 1t was all mystery to her and to
the girl seated in silence by her side
Both followed him with their eyes as he
hurried away to the rear of the car, and
then, with joyous shouts, three or four
burly, fur enveloped men came bursting
in the front door, and the two ladies,
the baby. and the kitten were bounced
upon and surrounded by group that
grew larger every minute. Released
finally from the welcoming embrace Of
her stalwart husband, Mrs. Rayner found
time to present the other and younger
officers to her sister. AS many as half a
dozen had followed the captain in his
wild rush upon the car, and, while he
and his baby boz were resuming ac-
craftsmanship after separation of
many long months, Miss Travers found
herself the center of a circle of young
officers who had braved the wintry biz
zard in their eagerness to do her proper
| homage. Her checks were atlame with
excitement and pleasure, her eyes dane
ing, and despite the fatigue of her long
journey she was looking dangerously
pretty, as Capt. Rayner glanced for a
moment from the baby's wondering
eyes, took in the picture like an instan-
taneous photograph, and then looked
again into Mrs Rayner's smiling face.
''You were wise in providing against
possibilities as yol did, Kate, he said,
with significant nod of the head.
"There are as many rs a dozen of them,
or at least there will be when the til
gets back from the field. Stannard is
out yet with his battalion"
''Oh, yes; we saw them at station
east of here. They looked frozen tc
death; and there are ever SO many OF
the soldiers frozen. The baggage car is
full of them. Didn't you know it?''
mot a word of it. We have beer
here for three mortal hours waiting a
the station, and any kilograms must
, have been sent right out to the fort
The colonel is there, and he would have
, all arrangements made. Here, Graham
5 Foster! Mrs. Rayner says there are ;
5 lot of frozen cavalrymen forward in TIN
2 baggage car. Run ahead and see VIVA
is necessary, will you? I'll be there in
minute, as soon as we've got these ladie
: off the train"
Two of the young gentlemen who hat
been lowering around Hiss Travers tool
o themselves off without moments delay
h The others remained to help their senio
IS officer. Out into the wllirling edd;es c
IS snow, bundling them up in the big
V warm capes of their regulation ovel
Q coats, the officers half led, half carrie
= their precious charges. The captain boz
n his son and heir; Lieut.. Ross escorto
> Mrs. Rayner; two others devoted then
5. selves exclusively to Miss Travers:
A. fourth picked up the Maltese kittel
le Two or three smart, trim looking il
fantry soldiers cleared the section
ID bags and bundles of shawls, and the e
N tire party was soon within the doorwa
he of the waiting room, where red h
e. coal stove glowed fierce welcome. He
y the ladies We're left for a moment, viii
ne all the officers again hustled out into Il
IN storm and fought their way against t
I'd northwest gale until they reached Il
I'd little crowd gathered about the doorw;
e. of the freight sheds. A stout, sho,
w burly man in beaver overcoat and C;
he pushed through the knot of half numb
id spectators and approached their leader
n. "We have only two ambulances, ca
d. tain-that is all there was at the pc
re when the dispatch came-and there q
us a dozen of these men, besides Dr.. Crime
k. all more or less crippled, and Grim
wv has both hands frozen. We must G
N, them out at once. Can we take 70
wagon
to Certainly, doctor. Take anything
es- have If the storm holds, tell the driy
IN not to try to come back for US. We c
he make the ladies comfortable here at t
hotel for the night Some of the ofTic4
Id have to get back for duties this evenil
or The rest will have to stay. How {
at they happen to get caught in such
,ut freeZe?"
lily "They couldn't help it. Stannard /
the chased the Cheyennes across the ran
ad- and was ordered to get back to the I;
Lur way. 1t was twenty below when tt
his s+or+ed ornd they made three davs' CHI
up in that weather; but no one seemed
care so long as they were on the tr
n, Then came the change of wind, AM
les driving snow storm, in which they
he the trail as q matter of course; and Il
this blizzard struck them on the b;
'ie track. Grimes is SO exhausted that
she could barely hold out until he got hC
ing 10 sors be never conld have brou
L. them through from Buff Siding but
0of Mr.. Hayne: he did everything"
Oh mr. Haynel Was he with themg
IFS. "He was on the train, and came il
not once to offer his services. Grimes S
Lou he was invaluable"
''But Mr.. Hayne was east on leav,
know he was. He was promoted to
company last month confound the |
and was to have six months leave
fore joining. wish it was six ye
Where is he now?" And the cap
peered excitedly around from under
shaggy cap. Oddly, too, his face