Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-06-26
eDe Afdeftot:.
[Conitnued frs.n Last Week.l
CONTINUED frsm Last Week.
DUNRAVEN RANCH
A Story of American Frontier
Life.
By Capt, CHARLES KING, U.SA.,
Author of"The Colonies Daughter" From
the Ranks, /" "The DeSeTter," Etc.

Copyrighted 1893 by j. b. L1ppincOtt Company,
Philadelphia, and published by special arrange
meut through the American Press Association
AT last they halted at little stream
and fatty refused to go step further.
He ordered, begged and implored. He
promised heavy reward to any one of
their number who would come and show
him the way. Then they heard the night
cries or signals of some war parties across
the fields, and the sergeant and most of
the men put spurs to their horses; the
others followed, and they rode back five
miles until they were within our patrolled
lines; then they bivouacked, supposing,
of course, the Lancer had followed them.
But he hadn't: he never Joined them all
next day, and likely as not he had done
his best to get through that strange
country by night alone, and had tried to
carry his dispatches to the detachment.
They knew they must tell straight
story or be severely punished. They
were twelve against one when it came to
evidence, as the sergeant pointed out,
and so they agreed on the one that sent
him to Coventry.
"Some of the Lancer officers got hold
of this and swore they believed it true;
but meantime the government had had
the devils own time in tiding his lord
ship the general over the numerous
blunders he had made in the campaign,
and the Lancers were summarily or
dered off elsewhere. There was no one
left to take up poor Arches cause at
home, and the thing died out"
by the Lord Harry, Mr.. Even, it
wouldn't die out here! We Yankees
would resurrect such thing if it were
old as a mummy"
Sometimes / think old Maitland
would be glad of the chance to do it,
even broken as he is; sometimes, Mrs.
Cowan says, he walks the floor all night
and holds Archie's last letter in his
hands. She thinks he charges himself
with having driven the boy to suicide. :"
docs Miss Maitland never revisit the
old home?" asked Perry, after a mo-
ment's thought.
''She goes with her f2ther-every-
where. He is never here more than twice
a year, and seldom for more than six
weeks at time. Were it not for her, he
would settle down here, believe. He
went to Cape Colony and tried to find
the men who gave out that story, but
one of them was dead and the other had
utterly disappeared. There were still
six survivors of that escort, the sergeant
among them, and he was man of some
position and property. They stuck to
the original story, and said the two men
who had started the sensation were mere
Matchmaking Migrants. Maitland adj
vertised everywhere for the missing man,
but to no purpose. l think he and Miss
Gladys have finally abandoned all hope
of ever righting Archie's name. She was
only child when it all happened, but
she worshiped him, and never for an
instant has believed the story of his hav-
ing funbed. She's out here riding some
where this morning, by the way
:'Who! Miss MaitlandT' exclaimed
Perry, with a sudden start and flash of
eager light in his blue eyes.
Even smiled quietly as ne answered,
Yes. She needed exercise and wanted
to come doNn to the gate and meet DR..
Quin. She went on up the valley, and
wonder she is not back"
The bright light faded quickly as it
came; the glad blue eyes clouded heavi-
ly. Even looked at the young soldier,
surprise in his florid face; surprise that
quickly deepened into concern, for Perry
turned suddenly away, as though look
ing for his comrades of the hunt.
81 think they're coming now" said
the manager, peering up the valley I'M
der the shading willovA ''Yes. Won't
you stop bit?"
Not now," was - hurried reply.
THANK you for that story; it has given
me lot to think about. I'll see you
again." The last words were almost
shouted back, for, urged by sudden dig
of the spur, Nolan Indignantly dashed
his heels, then rushed in wrathful gallop
towards the eastern bluffs. 1t was no
willful pang his rider had inflicted on his
pet and cOmrade; it was only the invol
untary transmission of the shock to his
own young heart-a cruel, jealous stab,
that came with those thoughtless words,
''She wanted to come down 20 the gate
and meet DR.. Quin. and went on up the
valley" He would not even look back
and see her riding by that mans side.