The Dickinson press., 1890-01-18
CHAPTER XII

i &SESKTTtIIs!* ~
A[E&yA 1D1NG eastward Just
fNSNeNL.x before noon, somewhat
V&lkfky comforted in con-
,A4WNiE@, science because of his
GgdTls&D self denial of the morn
ing, Ned Perry scanned the distant prairie
i'll search of the hunt. 1t was nearly lun-
cheon time. and he expected to find the
party making its way to the little stream
whittier the baskets, boxes and hampers
had been dispatched by wagon some
hours before; but when he sighted the
quartermaster driving homeward in his
buggy he learned from that bulky vet
eran that rabbit after rabbit had been
run, and that the whole party had finally
decided to give dogs and horses cool
drink down in tho Monee valley before
starting northward across the prairie.
"They must be getting down into the
valley two or three miles east of the
ranch just about now, and will go due
north from there, unless they stir up
more game along the Monee. If were
you," said the quartermaster, I'D ride
over to the lunch stand. You won't get
there much before the crowd"
Perry thanked him for the information,
but, so far from accepting his advice,
the young officer turned his horses head
in the direction of Dunraven, and was
speedily riding thither with an alacrity
that he himself could hardly explain.
In his brief talk with the colonel after
parade on the previous evening Perry
had told him what he could of the char.
acteristics of Messrs Maitland and Even.
The odd letter which had been sent by
them had given the commanding officer
cause for much thought, and he was de,
sirous, evidently, Of gathering from
Pcrry's observations as complete all idea
as was possible of their life and surround
ings. And still Perry had found it inn
possible to volunteer any description of
Miss Maitland; he could not bear to speak
of her until-until he knew more of the
doctors purpose in his visits to the ranch.
He had been detained by his commander
just long enough to make it necessary
for him to go direct to the Spragues'
without leaving his helmet and saber at
home. They were waiting dinner for
him as it was, but Mrs. Bclknap took no
note of that circumstance; what she saw
was that he had avoided even passing
within hail of her piazza both before and
after parade.
Now, though conscious of no intention
of avoidance, Perry rode forth to the
meeting of this day with some little mis-
giving. In the first place, he knew that
he must strive to mako his peace with
this sighted lady; and yet, in view Of
all he had seen and heard in tile past
forty-eight hours, how utterly dwarfed
had that affair-his laughing Irritation
with Mrs. Belknap-becomel Had any
one told him his attentions to her and
her marked preference for his society
were matters that people were beginning
to talk of-sone with sly enjoyment,
others with genuine regret-he would
have been grateful for the information,
instead of resentful, as, with most men,
would be the case ninety-n times out
Of hundred. But he knew nothing of
this, and had too little experience to sus-
pect the comments in circulation. She
was most interesting-up to the day be.
fore yesterday; he loved to ride or dance
with her; he enjoyed chat with her
more than he could tell. A most SYM
pathetic and attentive listener was Mrs.
Bellnap, and her voice was low and
sweet and full of subtly caressing tones.
She had made him talk to her by the
hour of his home, his hopes and ambi-
tions, his profession and his prospects,
and had held him in q silken bondage
that he had no desire to escape.
And yet, as he rode out on the breezy
plain this brilliant day, he found all
thought of her distasteful, and his eyes,
far from searching for the flutter of her
trim habit in the distant riding party,
would go a-roaming over the intervening
shades and shadows down in the Monce
valley and seek the bare, brown walls of
Dunraven far across the stream. 1t was
odd indeed that he should have sought
this, the longest way round, on his ride
in quest of his companions from the
fort
Once again he looked at the isolated
clump of buildings from his post of OBJ
scrvation on tho bluff onco again he
saw across the stream and through the
trees the barbed barrier that had caused
both him and his men such laceration of
flesh and temper; once again he saw the
shallow valley winding away to the
southeast, deckcd with its scrubby
fringe work of cottonwood and willow;
but this time, three miles away, its ac-
customed solitude was broken by groups
of riders and darting black specks of
dogs, all moving northward once more
and already breasting the slopes. He
should have turned away eastward and
ridden across country to join them, but
down here in the valley, only short
distance away, absorbed in watching
tho hunting party, sat Mr.. Even on
paving and excited bay. Whatever
GOODNESS his rider might feel at this dis
covery, it was not shared by Nolan; he
pricked up his ears and hailed his fel-
low quadrupcd with cordial and unaf-
fccted pleasure, a neigh that the English
bred horse was so utterly ,,ninsular as to
whirl about and answer with corrc-
spending warmth. Even caught at his
heavy Derby and jcrked it off his bullet
head with an air of me,gled cmbarrass-
mcnt and civility, replacing it with
similarly spasmodic haste. Perry coolly,
but with a certain easy grace, raised his
forage cap in response to the salutation,