Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-05-22

case, carefully tried the hammer and
cylinder, saw that each chamber was
loaded, and turned once more to the SER
geant.
"Your pistols all rightT'
"All right. sir; fresh loaded when we
started"
81 don't know that they'll be necessary
at all, sergeant; but this is queer place,
from what I've heard and the little I've
seen. Keep your eyes and ears open.
Capt. Stryker and some of the men may
come down into the valley if they find
no trace of Gwynne up on the prairie.
Watch for the doctor, too"
Then, through the deepening twilight
he strobe, following the trail that led
southwark up the slopes. Five minutes
brisk walk along the springy turf
brought him to the crest and in view of
the lights at the ranch buildings, still
some six or seven hundred yards away.
All through the eastern sky the stars were
peeping forth, and even through the
CLEAN Of the twilight in the west two
brilliant planets shone like molten gold
All was silence and peace on every hand,
and, but for those guiding, glimmering
lights at the south, all would have told
of desoIation. Behind him in the valley
waited his faithful men. Far beyond the
Monee, out on the northern prairie, he
knew that comrades were securing the
face of the earth in search of their miss
ing brother. Up the stream, somewhere
hnh nd fbo Thovonn1o
tiently trailing the hoof tracks as long
as light should last; he knew that search
must be at an end by this time, and that
some of their number, at least, would be
riding down to join his men. Whoever
found the sergeant was to fire three shots
in air; the signal could be heard a long
way in that intense stiffness, and that
signal was to recall the searching par
ties Every step brought him deeper
into the darkness of the night yet
nearer and nearer those twinkling lights
ahead.
Already he could distinguish those in
the main building, the homestead, from
those more distant still, in the store
rooms and office. Far over among the
stables and corrals he heard the deep
baying of hounds, and he wondered if it
was to be his luck to encounter any on !.
terprising watch dogs. An English bull
terrier would be a lively entertainer.
thought he, with instructive motion to-
wards the flap of his holster; and it
would be a wonder Il a ranch that sur
rounded itself with fifty miles of barbed
wire fencing were not further environed
by pack Of watch dogs Of the most ap-
proved and belligerent breed. Once
having passed the distant barrier of that
gate on the Monee, however, his way
was unimpeded, and, to all appearance,
utterly unmarked; he had arrived with
in fifty yards of the foremost building,
the homestead, before he was brought to
halt. Then he stopped short, sur
prised, half credulous, and all attention,
listening to the concord of sweet
sounds" that came floating from the
open easement somewhere along the east
front of the big, gloomy house.
"One part of the story verified, by
Jovel It's a piano-and we'll played.
too"
Full a minute he stood there listening
Perry was a dancer, whose nimble feet
moved blithely to any measured, rhyth-
mical strains, and soldier whose soul
was stirred by martial music, but with
Chopin and Mendelssohn, Bach and
Rubenstein he had but slight acquaint-
ance. That any one should be playing
a piano here on the borders of the Llano
EStacado was in itself sufficient cause
for wonderment; that the invisible per
former was playing-and playing with
exquisite taste and fecling-one of the
loveliest of the ''Lieder Dime Worte,
the Spring Song" was fact that con
veyed no added establishment to his soul;
he never knew it until one sweet night
long after
However. matters more pressing than
music demanded Mr.. Perry's attention
Just here He had reached Dunraven,
after all Neither dog nor man had
challenged Once within those barbed
and frowning barriers, all the encircling
objects spoke of security and rest Far
away towards the corrals he heard the
sound of voices in jolly conversation;
rich, melodious laugh rang out on the
cool evening air; he heard some one
shouting genial good night to somebody
else, and then the slam of distant door
Presently light popped out from a
window in what he believed to be a
storehouse, and all was still again. Even
the piano had ceased Now was his
time. thought Perry; and so, boldly
mounting the steps, he stood upon a
dark portico and strobe to the black
shadow in the wall before him where he
knew the main doorway must be. Ii
was his intention to knock or ring. Up
stairs dim lights were shining through
the open windows, but on this front of
the ground floor all was darkness His
gauntleted hand felt all the face of the
door in search of knob or knocker. but
nothing of the kind was there; neither
was there such a thing on either door
post. Just as he decided to hammer
with his clinched fist the piano began
again.
He waited for pause, but none came.
This time the music was vehement and
spirited, and no banging of his on oaken
doorway would be audible against such
rivalry. Uncertain what to do, he con-
cluded to reconnoiter the eastern front.
A few steps brought him to the corner,
and there lay the veranda before him,
bathed at its farther end in a food OF
light that streamed from one opened
venetian window, and through this cur
tanned aperture poured the grand tones
of the melody. "That fellow can rattle
more music out Of piano than any man
| ever heard.n mnttered Mr.. Perry tc