Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-07-24

every person of any education or stand
ing must be familiar with the pages of
DebFett.
"How should know anything about
it, laughed Perry. He felt in merry
mood; another page in his volume of sus-
picion and dread was being torn away,
and Ouin's relations with the household
were turning out to be such as made
him an object of lively interest, not OF
jealous doubt.
Then came the callers from the garri-
son. 1t seemed as though all Of sudden
the blockade had been raised and that no
people were 50 warmly welcomed at
Dunraven as the very ones who had been
especially prescribed. Mr.. Maitland,
weak and i'll as he was, had asked to be
allowed to see Col. Brainard on the occa-
sion of that officers second visit; Stryker,
Dana, Graham and Parke had all been
allowed to come up and see Perry few
moments, but Mrs. Cowan was vigilant
and remorseless, would allow them only
brief interview, and, with smiling de-
termination, checked her patient when
he attempted to talk. The third day OF
his imprisonment DR.. Quin came scowl-
ing in along in the afternoon, manifestly
annoyed about something, and said few
words in a low tone to Mrs. Cowan, and
that usually equable matron f1uttered
away down stairs in evident excitement.
"It's Mrs. Belknap," explained the
doctor, in answer to Perry's inquiring
look. "She has ridden down here with
Dana and sent her card up to Gladys
who can't bear the sight of her; l don't
know why; intuition, suppose.
Presently Mrs. Cowan reappeared:
''NIiss Gladys has asked to be excused, as
she does not wish to leave her father at
this moment; and the lady would like to
come up and see Mr.. Perry"
''Tell her nor said Quin, savagely.
No-here: I'll go myself" And down
went the doughty medical officer, and
straightway the rumbling tones of his
harsh voice were heard below: the words
were indistinguishable, but Mrs. Cowan's
face indicated that there was something
in the sound that gave her comfort. She
stood at the window watching the pair
as they rode away.
Miss Gladys shuddered when she had
to shake hands with her that day when
we came away from Mrs. Sprague's, " said
she. II hope that lady is not particu-
lar friend of yours, Mr.. PerryT'
1--WE have been very good friends in
deed" said he, Loyalty. ITO be sure, l
have hardly known Mrs. Belknap a
month, but both she and the captain
have been very kind to me-" All the
same, down in the bottom of his heart,
he did not wonder at Miss Maitland's
sensations. He was beginning to despair
of ever seeing her, and yet could get no
explanation that satisfied him.
"You know she can walk only with
great pain and difficulty even now,
said Mrs. Cowan. "Her ankle was very
| badly wrenched, and she hardly goes
farther than from her own to her faith
er's room You ought to feel cOmpli-
mented that she has been here to your
door three times.
Il feel more like butting my brains
out for being asleep" muttered Perry in
reply Il wish you would wake me
next time, Mrs. Cowan | shan't believe
it until see it. or hear her voice at the
door.
She had excused herself to Mrs. Bel
KNAPP, and the doctor had denied that
lovely woman her request to be allowed
to come up and see Mr.. Perry; and yet
the very next day, when the big four
mule ambulance from RosSiter came
driving up to the front door, and Mrs.
Sprague and Mrs. Lawrence, escorted
by the colonel and Capt. Stryker, ap-
peared on the veranda, how did it hap
pen that the ladies were speedily s'ercC
upstairs to Miss Maitland's own room,
| and that, after an animated though low
toned chat of half an hour with her,
they were marshaled down the long cor
ridor by Mrs. Cowan in person, and, to
Perry's huge delight, were shown in to
his bedside? 1t looked as though Quin
were showing understandable discrimina-
ton Stryker and the colonel, too, came
in to see him, and the latter told him that
both Mr.. Maitland and Mr.. Even had
begged that the arrested soldiers might
not be punished Including Sergt. Leary
and Kelly, there were now twenty men
under charges more or less grave in their
character, and he had asked that a gen.
eral court martial be convened for their
trial. The colonel deeply appreciated the
feeling displayed by the stricken propri-
etor and his overseer; he was touched
that even in his extreme illness and pros
tration Mr.. Maitland should intercede for
the men who had made so hostile an in
vasion of his premises and brought upon
| IL g o;crlf 90 IrooI
and anxiety; but discipline had to be
maintained, he replied, and the ringlead-
ers in the move had been guilty of a
fragrant breach which could not be over,
looked.
But on the following day-the fourth
of Perry's stay-the doctor came down
with face full of gloom and distress.
Both nurse and patient noted it, and in
duired the cause. For a time Quin
avoided any direct reply: something
had ruff1ed him up at the post" he an
swered: "can't tell you about it now.
I'll do it by and by. 1 want to think.
He examined Perry's leg, dressed and re.
handaged the wound, and then went
back to Mr.. Maitland's room. They could
hear his voice in the hall after a while,
and Perry's heart began to throb heavily
he was sure the low, sweet tones, almost
inaudible, that came floating along the
corridor, were those of Gladys. When
Mrs. Cowan spoke to him on some or
binary topic, he impatiently babe hel
hush-he could not bear to be disturbed
and, far from being hurt at his petu
lance. Mrs. Cowan smiled softly as she
| turned away,