The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1890-12-18
CHAPTER ".

TS
Se@ s:sas @-s I
@A- WEET tempered fell
TAN low as Mr.. Perry con-
argsIcs M fessedly was, there was
@SAy som ething in the
strangers conduct that
= CALLED him inexpres-
sibly. From his hand
some mount, his garb and his general
appearance, Perry set this stranger down
as one of the Englishmen residing at the
ranch. 1t was not fear of arrest and
capture that sent him scowling away
across the prairie; it was deliberate In
tent to avoid, and this was, to Perry's
thinking, tantamount TO insult. One
moment he gazed after the retreating
form of the horseman, then clapped his
forage cap firmly down upon his head,
shook free the rein and gave Nolan the
longed for word, Another ir<tant, and
with set teeth and blazing, angry eyes
he was laundering at headlong speed,
swooping down upon the unconscious
stranger in pursuit. Before that SUM-
burned, curly haired, bull1ily framed
young man had the faintest idea of what
was impending, Mr.. Perry was refining
in his snorting steed alongside and cut
tingly accosting him:
81 beg your pardon, my good sir, but
may ask what you mean by trotting
away when it must have been evident
that l wanted to speak with your
The stranger turned slightly and coolly
eyed the flushed and indignant cavalry
man. They were trotting side by side
now, Nolan plunging excitedly, but the
English horse maintaining his even
stride; and stronger contrast of type and
style one could scarcely hope to find. In
rough tweed shooting jacket and cap,
brown Bedford cords fitting snugly at
the knee but Tapping like shapeless bags
from there aloft to the waist, in heavy
leather CATERS and equally heavy leather
| gloves, the stocky figure of the English
man had nothing of grace or elegance,
| but was sturdy, strong, and full of that
burly self reliance which is so charac-
| terestic of the race. Above his broad,
STOPPING shoulders were bull neck, red
dened by the sun, a crop of close curl
| ing, light brown hair, a tanned and
honest face lighted up by fearless gray
eyes and shaded by thick and curling
beard of lighter hue than the hair Of his
massive head.
He rode with the careless ease and SUI
preme confidence of the skilled horse
man, but with that angularity of foot
and elbow, that roundness of back and
punching of shoulders, that incessani
rise and fall with every beat of his
horses powerful haunch, that the effect
| was that of neither security nor repose.
His saddle, too, was the long, flat seated
Australian model, pig skin, with huge
| rounded leathern cushions circling il
front and over the knees, adding to the
curnbrousness of his equipment and il
nc wise to the comfort; but his BIT ant
| curb chain were of FURNISHED .teel
cleaning as though fresh from tho ha nd
of some incompatible English groom
and the russet reins were soft and plia
BILE, telling OF excellent stable manage
ment and discipline. Perry couldn'
help admiring that bride, even in hi
temporary fit of indignation.
AS for him-tail, slender, elegant,
made, clothed in the accurately fittin!
undress 'blouse" of the army and in rid
ing breeches that displayed to best ad
vantage the superb molding of his pow
erful thighs, sitting like centaur wei
down in the saddle, his feet and lowe
legs, cased in natty riding boots, swing
ing close in behind the cleaning shoul
ders of his steed, erect as on parade, ye
swaying with every motion of his horse
graceful, gallant, and to the full as pow
erful as his burly companion, the advan
tage in appearance was all on Perry
side, and was heightened by Nolan
spirited action and martial trappings
Perry was an exquisite in his soldie
taste, and never, except on actual cam
paign, rode his troop horse without hi
Eroidered saddle cloth and gleamin
bcsses. All this, and more, the Englisf
man seemed quietly noting as, finally
without the faintest trace of irritability
with even suspicion of hunor twink
ling about the corners of his mouth, II
replied:
.A fellow may do as he likes whe
he's on his own bailiwick, suppose"
''AIl the same, wherever I've beer
! from here to Assiniboia. men meet Liz
Christians, unless they happen to be roa
agents or cattle thieves. What's more.
am an officer of a regiment just arrive
here, and, from the Missouri down, theI
isn't ranch along our trail where W
were not welcome and whose occupant
were not shail fellow well met in on
camps. You are the first people to shu
us; and. as that fort yonder was built fe
your protection In days when it was bat
2 " needed, want to know what there
about its garrison that is SO obnoxious
r Dunraven Ranch-that's what you &C
it, believer?
2 That's what-it is called.
"Weli, here, I've no intention of Il
: truain;s wnere we're not wanted ] sin
} ply didn't suppose that on the broa
prairies of the west thcre was such
, place as ranch where one Of my cloi
I was unwelcome am Mr. Perry, Of Il
-th cavalry, and I'm bound 30 say
) like to know what you people has
el against us. Are you the proprietor
.sTm not. I'm only an employe
Who Is the owner -.