The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1890-02-12

hoarsey muttered, II know nothing
about it never placed it there"
''Dooyou mean to tell me you never saw
it before?" asked Wayne, sternly. And
Gwynne was silent.
lis this the first time you ever saw it.,
say?" repeated the captain angrily.
"No, sir: | have seen it before was
the answer.
''Then you must have known twas
stolen, and you have connived at it's con-
cealment. was Wayne's triumphant
conclusion; and on the report of his Off
GERS Col. Brainard had no alternative but
to order Gwynne's close arrest Only
Strykers appeal and guarantee saved the
sergeant from confinement in the guard
house.
The next sensation was the sight of
DR.. Quin galloping back to the post like
mad and boiling unceremoniously into
the colonels gate. Then Stryker was
sent for, and the three officers held an
excited conversation Then the orderly
went 1T run over to the quarters, and
ever and dressed with scrupulous care.
looking anything but like guilty man,
was seen crossing the parade towards his
colonel's house. The men swarned out
on the porches as the tidings went from
lip to lip, and some of the Irish troopers
in Waynes company were remarked as
being oddly excited. Just what took
place during that interview none could
tell, but in ten minutes the news was fly
ing around the garrison that Sergt.
Gwynne was released from arrest. and
in less than half an hour, to the wonder
ment of everybody, he was seen riding
away towards Dunraven with DIR. Quin,
and for two days more did not reappear
at Rossiter.
But when the story flashed from house
to house about the garrison that Sergt
Gwynne was not Sergt. Gwynne at ALL
but Mr.. Archibald Wyndham Quin Matt
land, late of her majesty's til Lancers
the only surviving son of the invalid
owner of Dunravan Ranch and other
valuable properties. the amaze amount
ed to stupefaction. It was known that
old Mr. Maitland lay desperately weak
and i'll the day that Quin the doctor
came riding back. All manner of stories
were told regarding the affecting ma
ture of the interview in which the
long lost son was restored to his over
ioyed father, but, like most stories, they
were purely the offspring of imagination,
for at that interview only three were
present: Gladys led her brother to the
room and closed the door, while good
Mrs. Cowan stood weeping for joy down
the long corridor, and DR.. Quin blinked
his eyes and fused and fdgeted and
strobe around Perry's room with his
hands in his pockets, exploding every
now and then into sudden comment on
the romantic nature of the situation and
the idiocy Of some people there at Ros-
sitter. Joy does not KILL" he said
maitland would have been dead man
by the end of the week but for this; it
will give him new lease of life"
And it did. Though the flame was
feeble and Pickering, it was famed by a
JOY unutterabie. The boy whom the
stricken father believed his stubborn
pride and condemnation had driven to
despair and suicide was restored to him
in the prime of manly strength, all ten
derness. all forgiveness, and Maitland's
whole heart went up in thanksgiving.
He begged that Brainard and Stryker
would come to him, that he might thank
them for their faith in his son; he babe
the doctor say to Perry that the moment
h0 lNnI Tod h o hn1 hfx n