The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1890-01-01


began to talk, but he refused to listen.
SAT last they halted at a little stream
and fatty refused to go a step further.
He ordered, begged and implored. He
promised heavy reward to any one of
their number who would come and show
him the way. Then they heard the night
cries or signals of some war parties across
the fields, and the sergeant and most of
the men put spurs to their horses; the
others followed, and they rode back five
miles until they were within our patrolled
lines; then they bivouacked, supposing,
of course, the Lancer had followed them.
But he hadn't: he never joined them all
next day, and likely as not he had done
his best to get through that strange
country by night alone, and had tried to
carry his dispatches to the detachment.
They knew they must tell straight
story or be severely punished. They
were twelve against one when it came to
evidence, as the sergeant pointed out,
and so they agreed on the one that sent
him to Coventry.
''Some of the Lancer officers got hold
of this and swore they believed it true;
but meantime the government had had
the devils own time in tiding his lord
ship the general over the numerous
plumbers he had made in the campaign,
and the Lancers were summarily or
dered off elsewhere. There was no one
left to take up poor Archie's cause at
home, and the thing died out"
''By the Lord Harry, Mr.. Even, it
wouldn't die out here! We Yankees
old as mummy.
sometimes think old Maitland
would be glad of the chance to do it,
even broken as he is; sometimes, Mrs.
Cowan says, he walks the floor all night
and holds Archie's last letter in his
hands. She thinks he charges himself
with having driven the boy to suicide"
''Does Miss Maitland never revisit the
old homer asked Perry after mo-
ment's thought.
''She goes with her father-every-
where. He is never here more than twice
a year, and seldom for more than six
weeks at IL time. Were it not for her, he
would settle down here, believe. He
went to Cape Colony and tried to find
the men who gave out that story, but
one of them was dead and the other had
utterly disappeared, There were still
six survivors of that escort, the sergeant
among them, and he was man of some
position and property. They stuck to
the original story, and said the two men
who had started the sensation were mere
Matchmaking Migrants. Maitland ad,
vertised everywhere for the missing man,
but to no purpose. think he and Miss
Gladys have finally abandoned all hope
of ever rigbting Archie's name She was
only child when it all happened. but
she worshiped him, and never for an
instant has believed the story OF his hav-
ing funked Shes out here iIding some
where this morning, by the way.
"Who! Nils .laitland?' exclaimed
Perry, with IL >.. len start and flash of
eager light in III blue eyes.
Even smile, 'ietly as he answered.
Eyes She needed exercise and wanted
to come down to the gate and meet DR..
Quin. She went on up the valley, and
wonder she is not back"
The bright light faded quickly as it
came, the glad blue eyes clouded heavi-
ly Even looked at the young soldier,
surprise in his ford face: surprise that
quickly deepened into concern, for Perry
turned suddenly away, as though look
ing for his comrades of the hunt.
81 think they're coming now, - said