Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-06-05

"He says he's had fall, sir, and has
been badly shaken up, but he walked in. "
"Why, that's singular! Did he see
none of the searching parties?-see none
of their lights!"
II can't make out, sir. He's little
queer-doesn't want to talk, sir. He
asked if his horse got in all right, and
went and examined the scratches, and
seemed troubled about them: but he
doesn't say anything"
HAS he gone to the hospital?"
mo, sir; he'll sleep in his usual bunk
at the stables tonight. He is only
bruised and sore, he says. His face is
cut and scratched and bound up in his
handkerchief"
Very WELL" said the colonel, after a
moments thought. ''The captain will
look into the matter when he gets back.
You take your horse and ride down the
south side of the valley and find the
Cheyenne scouts. Capt. Stryker is with
them. Tell him the sergeant is home,
safe"
Every well, sir" And the trooper
saluted, faced about, and disappeared
in the darkness; while the colonel arose,
and, putting thoughtfully at his cigar,
began pacing slowly up and down the
piazza. He wished Stryker were homei
he wished Capt. Lawrence were officer
of the day, and, so. liable to come out
of his quarters again: he had heard just
enough about that odd English ranch to
make him feel disturbed and i'll at ease.
There had evidently been hostility be-
tween his predecessor and the proprie-
tor of Dunraven, and very probably
there had been bad blood between the
men of the Eleventh cavalry and the en-
ployes of the ranch: else why should
there have been so unprovoked an as
sault upon the lieutenant this night!
Then there were other things that gave
him disauiet. Several officers had gath
cred upon the piazza during the early
evening: they were mainly of his OWL
regiment, but Capt. Belknap and two OF
the infantry subalterns were there; Law
renee did not come. Of course the tall
was about the incident of the evening
and, later, the rumors about Dunraven
All this was new to the Cavalrymen
they had heard, as yet, nothing at all
and were not 4 little taken aback by the
evident embarrassment and ominous 81
lence of the three infantrymen, whez
the colonel turned suddenly on BelknaT
with the question
by the way, captain, l had no timt
to ask Lawrence, and it really did no
occur to me until after he had gone, bu
what did he mean by saying that DR.
Quin could tell us something about thu
people at Dunraven?'
Bell1nap turned red and looked un
comfortably at his two comrades, a
though appealing to them for aid. Thu
Younger officers, however, would 81!
nothing at all, and the colonel prompt.
saw that he had stumbled on some piec,
on garrison gossip.
"Never mind" he said, with a kind!
laugh Il don't want to drag any storie
out by the roots. The doctor can doubt
less explain it all in good season"
well, Col. Brainard," answered Bel
KNAPP, bulkily, "to tell the truth, reall.
don't know anything about it, and
don't know any one who does, though
have heard some woman talk about tn
post. The relations between DR.. Quiz
and some of the officers of the Eleventh
were rather strained, and he is n some
what reserved and secretive man. TIL
stories were set afloat here last fall, ant
we had to hear more or less of them TN
til the Eleventh went away this spring
We know only that DR.. Quin has beel
to Dunraven and the rest of us haven't
Possibly some of the Eleventh wer
piqued because they had no such luck
or perhaps their ladies did not like it be
cause Quin wouldn't tell them anything
about what he saw. At all events, h
refused to talk on the subject at all, an,
allowed people to draw their own con
illusions"
HE probably told his post com
mander," suggested Lieut.. Farnham
who, as acting adjutant of the post an,
an aspirant for the adjutancy of TIL
regiment, thought it good opportunit.
of putting in word as indicative o
what he considered the bounden duty o
an officer under like circumstances.
"Well, no, fancy not" replied Bel
KNAPP. About the only thing we reall,
do know is that, in a somewhat angr,
interview last fall, Col. Stratton forbad
DR.. Quin's leaving the post or going t
Dunraven without his express permits
sion. happened to be in the Office a
the time"
"Was it before or after that he wa
said to go there so often?" asked Farm
ham.
"Well, both," answered Belknap, re
Iuctantly. "But understand me, Nh
Farnham, l know nothing whatever O
the matter"
81 should not suppose that Col. STRAIT
ton would care to restrict his post SUI
geon from going thither if they needle,
his professional services" said Col. Brai
nard, pleasantly.
"That was the point at issue, appar
entity" answered Belknap. "Col. STRAIT
ton said that it was not on professiona
grounds that he went, and thereby seemed
to widen the breach between them. DR.
Quin would not speak to the colonel afte
that, except when duty required it.
The conversation changed here, ant
little more was said; but Col. Brainart
could not help thinking of matter tina
he carefully kept to himself. 1t was no
his custom to require his officers to asl
Permission to leave the garrison for nd
or hunt when they were to be absen
from no duty, and only by day. Hero
was midnight, as he thought it over, ant
the doctor had not returned, neither ha'
he mentioned his desire to ride away
although he had been with the colore
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