The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1890-01-11

"Mr. Perry, l have been to see you
twice today, but could not find you, and
I wanted to speak with you on matter
of some Importance"
"You could have found me ON drill or
the court, if anything immediate was
needed. Ihave been nowhere else, ex-
cept to stables" said Perry, shortly.
"It was personal matter-a some
what embarrassing one-and I thought
best to see you alone"
"Well, here am, DR.. Quin; drive
ahead and let us have it."
81 wanted to ask you if, while you
were ut the ranch last night, you saw
anything of large signet ring, with a
crest and motto engraved on the stone" I"
II did not, unless you mean the one
Mr.. Maitland wore."
1.-THE very one! You noticed that, did
your"
II noticed he had something of the
kind on his left hand when he came
down."
"And it was nowhere to be found after
you went away. You may remember
you were chafing and slapping that hand,
and I thought you might have accident
ally removed it at that time"
"The reflection is not u pleasant one,
DR.. Quin," said Perry, with an angry
light in the blue eyes.
pardon ME, Mr.. Perry; put it awk-
wardly, but l mean no reflection what
ever. Miss Maitland mentioned your ef-
forts to restore the old gentleman to con-
sciousness, and together we searched the
sofa and the floor after we had put him
safely to bed and discovered tho loss of
the ring. 1t is one to which he attaches
peculiar value, and its loss has prcyed
upon him. While l know very well you
could not have the ring, l was asked to
ascertain if you remembered seeing it,
and so establish the truth of Mr.. Matt
lands belief that it was on his finger
when he went to that ROOM"
"It was; but do not recollect its be-
ing on his hand after he was carried to
the sofa. 1t would surely have attracted
my attention while chatting it."
"The parlor, hall and piazza have been
swept and searched, am told by this
note" and the doctor indicated q little
missive he held in his hand, whercat
Perrys face did not brighten, "and with
no success. was asked to inquire of
you, and if it has annoyed you, as in
fer by your manner, pray let that be
my apology. Then l am to say you saw
it when Mr.. Maitland entered the room.
but not again!"
Precisely; unless you choose to add
to your correspondent that the next
time am associated with missing prop
erty ut Dunraven I would prefer to be
questioned direct, and not through a
third party"
A quiet smile shone for an instant on
the doctors grave face:
II fear that have not accomplished
my mission very automatically, Mr..
Perry, and am sorry to have vexed you.
The colonel tells me, by the way, that
ought to say to you that the reason
was SO long in reaching your party last
night was that was detained attending
to another case-one of our own men.
Good evening, SIR" And, raising his
forage cap, the doctor walked slowly
and with dignity away, leaving Perry
too surprised to speak,
"The colonel told him to tell mel" was
Perry's wondering soliloquy at last.
"Thcn 1 suppose he must have told the
chief some story to account for his being
away" 1t was pretty evident from the
young fellows manner as he entered the
house that the story was not one which
struck him as being entitled to conf
dence or consideration.
On the table in his little sitting room
lay dainty note. It was not the first
he had received under that superscrip-
ton, and he had not been slow to open
and read them. If anything, the cloud
upon his forehead seemed to deepen at
sight of it. He picked it up, looked i'm
patiently at the address, hesitated a mo-
ment, tossed it back on his desk and went
into the inner room. He would not read
it now; it was almost parade time; he
had to bathe and change his dress, for
after parade he was to dine at the quarters
of an infantry friend, and Capt. and
Mrs. Lawrence were to bo of the party.
Already it was noted that when any of the
few infantry people at the post gave a
little tea or dinner at which only eight
or ten were gathered together, tho Bel
knaps were not invited on the same even
ing with Mr.. Perry, and vice versa. When
Parke came in, whistling and singing
aud banging doors and making all man
ner of uncouth noise in the exuberance
of his spirits, he bolted into Perry's do
main, as was his wont, and begin rat
Ting comment on the events of the day.
"By the way" he broke in, suddenly,
1--WE can't both go tomorrow; and sup
pose you want to-"
"Go where!"
"Why, out with the hounds: to-mol-
rows the day, you know"
Perry gave a whistle Of perplexity.
The colonel had promised the ladies that
there should be run this very week.
All the fleet hounds of the cavalry bat
TALON were to be out, and all the officers
who could be spared from the days du-
ties; a detachment was to go over into
the valley of a stream some ten miles
away, pitch tents in the shade, and there
set luncheon for the entire party; horses
were to be provided for all tho ladies
who cared to go mounted, buggies and
"buckboards" were to convey the others,
and it was to be gala occasion. Ante
lope, coyote or jack rabbit-any four
footed game the prairie afforded-was to
be :'coursed' in due state and ceremony;
the ladies ''in at the death" We're to be
crowned and subsequently presented
with trophies Of the chase more slightly
than the mask or brush au naturel. The
affair had been gayly talked over that
very evening of the colonels dinner, but
the events of tho previous day and the
perplexities of the one just closing had
completely driven it all out of his head.
And yet he was engaged to ride with
Mrs. Belknap, the amazon of Fort Rossi.
ter! And for the first time in his life
Ned Perry would have been glad of all
excuse to get away from gallop with
an accomplished equestrienne.
"You don't mean to say you had for