San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-08-13

verely over the knuckles, if nothing
worse. Lane could not, and would not.
for an instant blame his fiancee, but he
gently pointed out to her that Mr.. Noel
ran great risks in making such jour
ney, and that it would be well on that
account to discourage similar expedi-
tons in the future. To this she made
no direct reply, but that she observed
his canton is quite possible.
AT all events no further mention OF
visits on the part of Mr. Noel appeared
in any of the letters which reached him
before the orders for the scout actually
did arrive: but that was not until near
the very end Of the month. 1t was just
about the -2Sth of August when rumors
came of turbulence and threatened out
break among the Indians asthe Chirica-
hua reservation. Troops were already
marching thither from the stations in
Arizona, and Capt. Lane was ordered to
cross the range and scout on the east
side of the reservation, in order to drive
back any renegades who might be tempt
ed to make break" Just one day be-
fore the start he was surprised at receiv-
ing letter from Mrs. Vincent. She
spoke gladly of Mabel's improved health
and appearance; she spoke hopefully of
Mr.. Vincent, whose letters, she said,
We're more cheerful than they had been,
and who had been able to come up and
spend two Sundays with them. Mabel
had doubtless told him of Mr.. Noel's
visit, and how glad they were just then
to see any face so pleasant and familiar.
And now she wished to remind him of
their contract before his leaving for the
frontier. He doubtless remembered that
she had promised that in the near future
she would give him the reasons why it
seemed best to her that the engagement
should not be announced. 1t would take
a pretty long letter to tell all the reasons
why, so she would not venture upon that
at the moment; but the necessity no
longer existed, and if he so desired she
would gladly have it made known to his
relatives, us she would now proceed to
announce it to Mabel's.
Lane was greatly rejoiced at this He
had been a trihe uneasy and Respondent
of late, yet scarcely knew why. Her let
tiers were not all he had hoped they
would be by this time, but then he did
not know but that it was all natural and
right; he had never had love letters be-
fore-had never seem them-and his
ideas of what a wOman's letters to her
betrothed should be were somewhat
vague and underlined However, there
was no one in the garrison to whom he
engagement. People had ceased of late
making remarks or inquiries. as nothing
had been successful in extracting infor-
nation from him in the past Giving
directions that his mail should be for
wardel once Il week, or twice week if
possible, to the railway station nearest
the Chiricahra mountains, where he
could get it by sending couriers once in
while, provided there was no danger
in doing SO, Lane marched away one
evening on what proved to be an absence
of an entire month. He never again
saw Fort Graham until the end of Sep
TENDER, and then only long enough to
enable him to change from his scouting
rig into travelling costume, to throw a
few clothes into trunk and to drive to
the railway station as fast as the ambu-
lance could carry him in order to catch
the first express train going east.
Nothing of very great Importance had
occurred on the scout. A few renegades
managed to escape eastward from the
reservation and to take to the mountains,
through which Lanes command was
then scouting: and to him and to his
troop was intrusted the duty of captur-
ing and bringing them back to the res
ervation. This took him many a long
mile south of the railway. 1t was three
weeks and more before he made his way
to the reservation with his prisoners.
There he found small package of let
ters, which had been forwarded direct
from Graham, where they evidently
knew that he would go into the agency
before reaching the railway, where his
other letters were probably awaiting
him. Among those which he received
was one from Mr.. Vincent. Briefly it
said to him, IF possible thing, come
to us as soon as you can obtain leave of
absence. There are matters which ex-
cite my greatest apprehension, and l
feel that must see you. My health, |
regret to say, is failing me rapidly.
Come, if you can"
Another was from Mrs. Vincent. She
spoke with great anxiety of Mr.. Vim
cents waning health; said very little of
Mnhnl nnthin-r u.hntaNnr of NJ Noel