Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-06-19
CHAPTER XL.

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AS Ms3G IDING eastward Just
| fNaSE4ln< before noon, somewhat
VS. kSV comforted in con-
| aE3Tk3iEs> science because of hiS
SS39HTSaD self denial of the morn.
! ing, Ned Perry scanned the distant prairie
in 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 a cool
drink down in the 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 quartermastcr I'D ride
over to the lunch stand -. Won't get
there much before the or
Perry thanked him for t. nation
but, so far from accept.n,, :I, 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 Ills 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 he'd given the commanding officer
cause for much thought, and be was de-
sirous evidently, of gathering from
Perry's observations as complete an idea
as was possible of their life and surround
ings. And still Perry had found it i'm
possible TO volunteer auY description of
Miss Maitland; he could not bear to speak
If her until-until he knew more of the
ioctor's purpose in his visits to the ranch.
de 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. Belknap 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 make his peace with
this sighted lady; and yet, in view of
all he had seen and heard in the 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-some 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-nine times out
of a 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 a chat with her
more than he could tell. A most SYM
pathetic and attentive listener was Mrs.
Belknap, 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-
ions, his profession and his prospects,
and had held him in a silken bondage
hat 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 futter of her
rim habit in the distant riding party, |
would go a-roaming over the intervening |
hades and shadows down in the Monee |
ALLEY and seek the bare, brown walls of |
0unraven far across the stream. 1t was |
i'd indeed that he should have sought |
his, the longest way round, on his ride |
n quest of his companions from the
ort.
Once again he looked at the isolated
lump of buildings from his post of OBJ
ervation on the bluff; once again he
aw across the stream and through the
rees the barbed barrier that had caused
9th him and his men such liberation of
Iesh and temper; once again he saw the
hallow valley winding away to the
outheast, decked with its scrubby
ringe work of cottonwood and willow;
ut this time, three miles away, its &C
solitude was broken by groups
f riders and darting black specks of
ogs, all moving northward once more
nd already breasting the slopes. He
hould have turned away eastward and
ldden across country to join them, but
own here in the valley, only short
istance away, absorbed in watching
be hunting party, sat Mr.. Even on q
awning and excited bay. Whatever
oolness his rider might feel at this dis
overy. it was not shared by Nolan; he
Kicked up his ears and hailed his fell
wv quadruped with cordial and unaf-
ected pleasure, neigh that the English
red horse was so utterly uninsular as to
Ihirl about and answer with CORE !
bonding warmth. Even caught at his