The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1890-12-25


enne scouts. their po1ics scampering In
pursuit. but veerins Of the green as their
riders realized that they were tnsruding
on the ceremony of the day. Relieved
Of his pursaers. the fugitive speedily set
tied down into a lunging tru&. and with
streaming nane and tail. with head and
ears erect. with falling bride rein and
Tapping stirruTs, he circied rapidly tins
open space between tho colonel and the
line OF battle, then came trotting back
along the front, as though searching in
the stolid rank Of bearded faces for the
friends he knew. Officer after officer
he passed In review until he came 90
Stryker's troop, posted on tho right OF
the cavalry. and there, with q neigh OF
recognition, he feariessly trotted mp TO
the carkain's outstretched hand. Another
minute and two men fell out and made o
temporary gap In the rank; through this
a sergeant file closer extended his white
glove, relieved the captain Of his charge
and led the painting stecd away.
The men retook their places; the cap
tain again resumed his position In front
of the center Of his company, dropped
the point Of his sabcr to the ground and
settled back into parade rcst;" the hand
went on laundering down the line.
countcrmarched and came hack TO iz
post on the right. making the welkin
ring with the triumphant strains OF
Northern Route" the trumpets pealcd
the retreat" the adjutant stalked his
three yards to the front, faced fiercely
to the left and shouted his resonant or
ders down the line, three hundred mar
tial forms sprans to attention, and the
Furnished arms came to the carry"
with simultaneous crash. ranks were
opened with old time precision. the
parade presented" to the colonel with
all due formality. the manual was ex-
ecuted just as punctiliously as though
nothing unusual had happened; first SER
| geants reported, orders were published,
parade formally dismissed; the line Of
| officers marched solidly TO the front,
| halted, and made its simultaneous salute
to the colonel, who slowly raised and
lowered his white gloved hand in recog-
nition; and then. and not till then, was
any one allowed to speak Of what wa
uppermost in every mind-that Sergt.
Gwynne's horse had come In without
him, and that the animals right flank
was streaming with blood.
Ten minutes later Lieut. Perry, In rid
\ ing dress, came hurrying down to the
colonel's quarters, where two or three
officers were now gathered at the gate.
The ladies had put aside the albums, and
with anxious faces were scanning the Lit.
tie group as though striving to gauge
from their gestures and exp~ssion the
extent of the calamity or the possible de.
gree of danger. But Mrs. Lawrence
looked fairly startled when her hus
bands voice was heard for the first tims
above the general hum Of consultation
"Col. Brainard, Mr.. Perry is coming,
see, and presume there is no time to b,
lost You have asked If none Of us whe
were stationed here ever visited tht
ranch, and the answer was no. May
suggest that DR.. Quin could perhaps tel
something Of its inhabitantsy'
"Where Is the doctor?" asked the col
onel, turning suddenly. "Orderly, &c
and give my compliments to the pos
surgeon and say wish to see him here
a moment. All ready. Perry? You have
made quick work Of it."
"All ready, sir. At least, will be
the moment my horse gets here. There
go the men running to the stables now.
"Capt. Stryker will send a sergeant
and four men to report to you, and you
are to 60 direct to Dunraven Ranch
The rest OF the troop, with the Chey.
ennes, will scout the prairie to the easi
and south. Twill soon be too dark Il
trail, but three Of the Indians are going
back on the horses track as far as they
can. The adjutant Is writing q note Il
the proprietor of the ranch-I don't know
his name"-
His name is Maitland, SIR"
as 1t? Have you been there"
"Tve been around one end OF It, out
side, but nowhere near the buildings
It's ali fenced in, sir, and the gates KEEP
locked"
"What an incomprehensible proceed
ing for Texas! Wait q moment while
, !, speak to Mr.. Farnham: he's writing her
at my desk. Gentlemen, come In on tn
porch and sit down, will you notr'
But they excused themselves 40
4 FASTENED away to remove their full dresl
: Capt. Lawrence had no need to csii hi
> wife. She bade her companion goo
a evening, thanked the colonel with
smiling glance for the pleasure the PIX
Q tographs had given her, and added
$ word of earnest hope that they migf
/. find the sergeant uninju-ad. Then Oh
Il joined her husband, and together the
walked quickly away. Mrs. Belknap an
q Mr.. Perry were left for the moment alon'
"Can you walk home with me?" oh
; asked, in her low, modulated tones, Il
4 great. heavily lashed, swimming daz
a eyes searching his face. II have NJ
A seen you since they broke In upon os
:. talk last evening, and there Is somethiI
4 I want to ask you"
"a "Pm sorry, Mrs. Belknap, but I'm {
A duty, you see" was the young fellow
answer as he gave tug to the strap
,. his cartridge belt. Cant You ask n
- herel"
= "How can T"-and the eyes were II
4 Of pathetic disappointment-"when tn
may come out any moment? You d
- not finish telling me about-about Il
! tassel last night believe'you were q
% when they interrupted US. Were "
not?"
= Nonsense, Mrs Belknap! Twas ha
: ing too good a time-lots Of fun"
YES" was the reproachful answt
"A "that is what it was-to you-mere fu
10 And now you are going away aga
a. after promising to come In this evening
to II have to go, Mrs. Belknap Why
want to go. Haven't you heard wt
n has happened-about Sergt GwynneT
!. "Oh, yes, 1t Is your duty, Of cour
:, but how unlucky" And the pretty Il
- was dropping with its weight Of dis
';sl pointment and sadness. She lean
hs against the railing near his gauntlet q
- cred hand, the dark eyes pen&vely dov
cast, the dark lashes sweeping her %
flushing cheek. "And tomorrow y
!; are on guard" she presently continues
"Yes unless eomo one bas to GO on