Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-09-11


at sunrise, the post was always garri-
soned, and now, with the Southern Pa
cifc piercing the range but a short dis
lance below, and landing stores and for
age at the quartermasters depot within
four miles of the corrals, it became easier
to maintain force Of cavalry at Gra-
ham; and one Of the troops there sta
toned was Lanes new command, the re-
lict of the late lamented Curran, ''the
Devils own D."
An easy going old dragon was Cur
ran, and for years before his retirement
it was an open secret that his first ser
geant ''rap the troop" to suit himself and
that the captain never permitted his sub
alterns TO interfere. A more independ-
ent, devil-may-care, and occasionally
drunken lot of troopers were rarely gath
cred in one such organization, and while
steady and reliable men on getting their
discharges at the end of their term of
enlistment would refuse to "take on"
again in D troop, bat would go over to
Capt. BreeSe or perhaps to company at
| another station, all the scamps and roll
licking characters in the regiment would
drift over into I'D" and be welcomed by
the choice spirits therein assembled.
And this was the gang that Capt. Lane
was now expected to bring up with
round turn and transform into dutiful
soldiers. Obedient to the colonefs be-
hest, he had stopped over a couple of
| days at headquarters, had had most
cordial greeting from every officer at the
post, had called on all the ladies-not
emitting his fair defamers-and then
| had fastened on to Graham and his new
and trying duties
Every day, as he was whirled farther
from the home of her whom he SO de-
votedly loved, he wrote long letters to
| her, filled with-only lovers know what
all. And his heart leaped with joy that
tOpmost in the little packet of letters
awaiting him at the adjutant's office
when he reached his post was a dainty
billet addressed to him in her beloved
hand. Until he could get his quarters
in habitable condition the new. troop
commander was the guest of Capt. and
Mrs. Nash; and he could hardly wait for
the close Of that amiable woman's well
coming address to reach his room and
devour every word Of that most precious
missive. She had writxn-bless her!-
the very day after he left, and a sweet,
womanly letter it was-so shy and half
timid, yet so full of faith and pride in
him. Every one at Graham remarked
On the wonderful change for the better
that bad come over Lape since he went
eiEt Never bid they seen him so Joy
Gus, so blithe in manner. He seemed to
walk on air; his eyes beamed on every
one; his face seemed "almost to have
halo round it," said Mrs. Nash, and
neither she nor any woman in garrison
had the faintet doubt as to the explana-
ton Of it all. Love had wrought the
change, and being loved had intensified
and prolonged it. Every man, every wo-
man in garrison was his friend, and the
happy fellow would gladly have taken
dozens of them into his confidence and told
them all about it, and talked by the
hour of her,
But there were reasons, Mrs. Vincent
had said, why it was most desirable that
there should be no announcement Of the
engagement as yet. What these were
she did not explain to Mabel herself, but
assured her that it was her fathers wish
as WELL Lane had rushed to the great
jewelry house of Van Loo 81 Laing, and
the diamond solitaire that flashed among
the leaves of the exquisite rosebud he
smilingly handed her that night was one
to make any woman gasp with delight.
Could anything on earth be rich enough,
pure enough, fair enough to lavish on
her, his peerless queen?
She had held forth her soft white hand
and let him slip it on the engagement
finger, and then bend the knee like
knight Of old and kiss it ferYently. She
reveled in it, rejoiced in it, but, needing
her mothers advice, slowed it away
where none could see it, in the secret
drawer of her desk, and Lane was per-
fectly satisfied. 81 will tell you the
reason some day." Mrs. Vincent had said
to him, ''but not just now, for might
be doing wrong;" and he had protested
that she need never tell him. What
cared he so long as Mabel's love was
his, and they understood each other as
they dids
And so, while people at Graham piled
MIN with questions and insinuations
and side remarks about the ''girl he left
behind him" in the east, he kept faith
fully to the agreement, and though the
whole garrison knew he wrote to her
every day and took long rides alone that
he might think of her, doubtless, and
though every one knew that those dainty
missives that came so often for Capt.
Lane were written by Miss Mabel Vim
cent, never once did he admit the exist
ence of an engagement-never once I'M
I'll long afterwards.
The first real things that the Graham
people had of her came In letter from
headquarters. Mrs. Riggs had had such
long, charming letter from Mr.. Noel
that she called in several of her cronies
and read it all to them; and that very
evening one of the number, unable to
bear the burden of so much information,
shifted it from her mental shoulders by
writing it all to Mrs. Nash. Perhaps the
best plan will be to read the extract
which referred to Lane exactly as Mr..
Noel wrote it:
TO BE CONTINUED.