Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-06-12

she needn't have missed this one,
said Parke. at was my week, and
told him to go; and Capt. Stryker said so
too; but
Here Mr.. Parke broke off suddenly and
looked in mild wonderment in Dana's
face, for that young gentleman had man
aged, unseen by Mrs. Belknap, to swing
free his right foot and give the speaker
left vehement kick. Too late, however
Mrs. Belknap had heard it.
care you cavalrymen all so little to be
trusted?" she asked, with brilliant smile
upon her flushing face. Exercise and
excitement had lent unusual sparkle tc
her eyes and color to her cheeks-"she is
positively beautiful today" as Mrs. Law.
renee confessed to the colonel at the mo-
ment.
- had a note from Mr.. Perry this
morning saying he was grievously dis
appointed, but that some troop duty had
been assigned to him which could not be
transferred and he must stay and finish
it."
''What he said is true, Mrs. Belknap,
promptly asseverated Mr.. Dana. 1.-THE
papers have all to be in readiness for
muster on Monday. and the saddle kits
put in shape for inspection"
"Only in Capt. Stryker's troop" softly
inquired the lady. with eyeIids rising in
credulously.
'No, of course not. One officer is
back at the post from each troop 1t
happened to fail on Perry in his"
al fancy l should prefer serving in
some older captains troop if | were Mr..
Perry. 1t seems that while your other
captains stay home and look after their
companies, Capt. Stryker has a sub
altern attend to his while he comes a
hunting.
''On the other hand, we fellows have
a dozen things to do in our troops that
Capt. Stryker does himself ia his. It's
as broad as it's long. Mrs. BsikHap," said
Dana He did not fancy her criticising
the methods of his cavalry associates,
and was possibly little piqued at the
decided annoyance she showed at Perry
failure to attend. Meantime, Stryker,
all unconscious of her censure, was chat
ting laughingly with Mrs. Sprague and
exchanging shots with the colonel and
Mrs. Lawrence. The four were getting
on admirably together, and seemed toe
much absorbed in their own fun to note
the fact that Mrs. Balknap and her knot
of four or five satellites had been grad
ually edging away toward the right, and
that the rest of the hunt was becoming
widely scattered.
1T is time we stirred up jack rabbit
at least" said the colonel. Suppose we
veer over toward tire northwest a little.
Whatever we do, we want no chase down
there toward Dunraven; those wire fences
would spoil it all"
II wonder if those people never huntY
said Mr. Farnham, who had Joined the
quartet: he always kept close to his
colonel as beftted an aspirant for the
adjutancy. "Englishmen are generally
game for all sorts Of sport"
Il can see hOrsemen out there on the
prairie to the east of the ranch, said
Strykcr. whose eyes were keen, land
could have sworn moment ago that
saw u horsewonan.
nonsense, Capt. Strykerr exclaimed
Mrs. Lawrence, yet with quick glance
at Mrs. SPrague What could you
have taken for lady on horseback?
Do you suppose there could be ladies at
Dunraven and we not know it?"
Hardly possible" answered the cap
tain, "and therefore i doubted the evil
dence of my senses. Yet something very
like lady followed by a groom rode
down the slope into the valley about ten
minutes ago She is out Of sight in the
timber now. If Perry were only with
us I'd send him off there to see."
Eyes, we miss Perry on our hunts, 3"
said the colonel to his lady friends.
HE is one Of our best riders and most
enthusiastic spOrtsmen. He will be out,
will he not, Stryker?"
Eyes, sir. There is really no neces-
sity for his staying in, and so told him;
but he felt that he ought to, at least
until certain work was finished. Then
he said he could ride eastward and join
u.s. Hurrahl there they gov'
Far out to the front, straight to the
east, ga gray streak with white tip to
it, went shooting into space as though
launched from some invisible bow drawn
by giant power. a big jack rabbit, all
legs and ears, had listened quivering and
trembling to the sounds of the approach
ing hunt. until an enterprising terrier,
foremost s1irmisher of the line, fairly
tumbled over him as he crouched behind
a little bunch of weeds: then with one
mighty leap and the accompaniment of
wild yelp from his discoverer he sprang
forth into race for his precious life.
"Hoy! hoyF' yells the sergeant as he
sights the quarry. ''HurrahP' shout the
nearest huntsmen, and, with one stimuli
taneous impulse, skirmishing ours,
stealthy, springing hounds, eager steeds,
and jubilant riders-men and women
away goes the entire field sweeping in
pursuit. At first all is one mad rush
until it is certain that the rabbit is a
veteran who understands well the maxim
that "a stern chase is a long chase" all
the world over.
ITO be continued