San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-08-06

sell, and no one In our community
would have known anything at all about
the dangers his comrades and he had en-
countered in their frontier service. It's
only when some fellow like Noel comes
to us that we learn anything whatever
Of our army and its doings."
He took his cousin to the great mold
ing works of which he was the sole head
and proprietor, and presented his fore
men and his clerks to the captain, and
told them of his career in the Indian
wars on the frontier. and then upon
change, and proudly introduced my
cousin, Capt. Noel" to the masnates of
the Queen City; and, though not one
out Of a dozen was in tho least decree
interested in ''the captain" or cared
grain of wheat what the army had done
or was doing on the frontier, ALMOST
every man had time to stop and shake
hands cordially with the handsome Off
Ger, for Amos Withers was said to be
man whose check for a round million
would be paid at sight, and anybody
who was first cousin to that amount Of
spot cash was worth stopping to chat
with, even in the midst Of the liveliest
tussle 'twixt bull and bear on the floor
of the Chamber of Commerce. A tall,
gray haired gentleman, with slight
stoop to his shoulders and rather tired,
anxious eyes, who listened nervousiy to
the shouts from 1.-The pit" and scanned
eagerly the little Geographic slips thrust
into his hand by scurrying messenger
boys, was introduced as Mr.. Vincent,
and Mr. Vincent inquired if Noel knew
Lieut.-or, rather, Capt.-Lane.
Know Fred Lane? He is the best
friend | have in the world" was tie en-
thusiastic answer. land one of the best
men that ever lived"
"Ah! I'm glad to know you-glad to
know what you say. The captain is
constant visitor at our house, great
friend of ours in fact. All! excuse me a
moment" And Mr.. Vincent seized
certain well known broker by the arm
and murmured some eager inquiries in
his ear, to which the other listened with
ill-disguised impotence. ..t
Withers and, of course. "the captain"
| were the center of cordial-not to say
| obsequ;ous-group so long as they re-
manned upon the floor, and the secretary
presently came to them with the COM
pliments of the president and a card ad-
| hitting Capt. Gordon Noel to the floor
of the chamber at any time during bust
ness hoars, which that officer most grace
fully acknowledged, and then went on
replying to the questions of his new
l.
which he had secuted and fought, and
the characteristics of the Indian tribes
with whom he had been brought in con-
tact. And by the time Cousin Amos de-
clared they must go up to the club for
luncheon everybody was much impress
Ell by the hearty, jovial manner Of the
dashing cavalryman, and there were re-
peated hand shakes. promises to call,
and prophecies of delightful sojournin
| their midst as he took his leave.
HAS Capt. Lane come in yet to
lunch?" inquired Mr. Withers of the
liveried attendant at 1.-The Queen City,"
as his cousin inscribed his name and
regiment in the visitors book, as intro
duced by "a. w." in ponderous strokes
of the pen.
"No, sir. It's considerably past the
time the gentleman generally comes I
don't think he'll be in today, SIR"
Then we won't wait, Gordon. Well
order for two. What wine do you like"
Over at the dingy recruiting Office
Capt. Lane had forgotten about lunch
con. There were evidences of careless
ness on the part of the clerk who had
made out his great batch of papers, and
the further he looked the more he found.
The orderly had been sent for Taintor,
and had returned with the information
that he was not at his desk. Sergt.
Burns, when called upon to explain how
it happened that he allowed him to
slip away, promptly replied that it was
half-past II when he came out of the
captains Office and said that the captain
would want him all the afternoon, so he
had best go and get his dinner now.
Half-past - came, and he did not re-
turn. The sergeant went after him, and
came back in fifteen minutes with wor
ried look about his face to say that
Taintor had not been to dinner at all,
and that the door of the little room he
occupied was locked. He had not been
in the house since that morning.
I'm afraid sir, he's d1inkin' again.
said Burns; ''but he's so sly about it
never can ELL until he is far gone"
sGVou ,rO ont yOr,rSalf ap1 sand two of