The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-08-15

NJ
He aorote long letters to her.
Only a short distance from the Ari-
zona border, with the blue range of the
Santa Catarina shutting out the sunset
skies, with sand and cactus and Spanish
bayonet on every side, the old post of
Fort Graham stood in the desert like a
mud colored oasis. All the quarters, all
the store houses, stables, corrals and
barracks were built of the native adobe;
and though whitewash had been hber-
ally applied, especially about the homes
of the officers, and the long Venetian
painted the coolest Of deep greens, and
clear running water sparkled through
the ~acequias that bordered the parade,
it could not be denied that at its best
Graham was an arid and forbidden sta
ton, so far as one could judge by
appearances. Trees, verdure, turf were
items almost unknown within a days
march of the flag staff; but in
the old times when the Navajoes
were the terror of the wide south
west, and even the Comanches
bOuiCtlniCo CdIIltu tuclI IdltlS dCIOSS
the Rio Bravo del Norte-the Rio Grande
of today-the post had been located"
where it might afford protection to the
"Forty-Niners" and to the pioneers of
the prairies; the trans-continental trail
led past its very gates, and many a time
and oft the miner and the emigrant
thanked God and the general govern
ment that the old fort was placed just
where it was, for Indian pursuers drew
rein when onc in sight of its dingy
walls; and so from year to year for more
than thrice a decade the flag was raised
at sunrise, the post was always garri-
soned, and now, with the Southern Pa
cific piercing the range but a short dis
lance below, and landing stores and for
age at the quartermaster's depot within
four miles of the corrals, it became easier
to maintain a force of cavalry at Gra-
ham; and n of the troops there sta
toned was Lanes new command, the re-
lict of the late lamented Curran, ''the
Devils own D."
An easy going old dragon was Cur
ran, and for years before his retirement
it was an open secret that his first SER
geant "ran the troop to suit himself and
that the captain never permitted his sub
alterns to interfere. A more independ-
ent, devil-may-care, and occasionally
mi lot of troopers were rarely gath
cred in n such organization, and while
steady and reliable men on getting their
discharges at the end of their term OF
enlistment would refuse to ''take on"
again in d troop, but would go over to
Capt. Breese or perhaps to a company at
another station, all the scamps and roll
licking characters in the regiment would
drift over into ID" and be welcomed by
the choice spirits therein assembled.
And this was the gang that Capt. Lane
was now expected to bring up with a
round turn and transform into dutiful
soldiers. Obedient to the colonel's be-
hest, he had stopped over a couple of
days at headquarters, had had a most
cordial greeting from every officer at the
post, had called on all the ladies-not
emitting his fair defamers-and then
had fastened on to Graham and his new
and trying duties.
Every day, as he was whirled farther
from the home of her whom he SO de-
votedly loved, he wrote long letters to
her, filed with-only lovers know what
MI. And his heart leaped with Joy that
topmost in the little packet of letters
awaiting him at the adjutant's office
when he reached his post was a dainty
billet addressed to him in her beloved
hand. Until he could get his quarters
in habitable condition the new troop
commander was the guest of Capt. and
Mrs. Nash; and he could hardly wait for
tho close of that amiable woman's well
coming address to reach his room and
devour every word Of that most precious
missive. She had written-bless herr
h very day after he left, and a sweet,
wOmanly letter it was-so shy and half
timid, yet so full Of faith and pride in
him. Every one at Graham remarked
on the wonderful change for the better
that had come over Lane since he went
east. Never had they seen him SO joy
Gus, so blithe in manner. He seemed to
walk on air; his eyes beamed ON every
one; his face seemed ''almost to have q
halo round it," said Mrs. Nash, and
neither she nor any woman in garrison
had the faintest doubt as to the explana-
ton of it all. Love had wrought the
change, and being loved had intensified
and prolonged it. Every man, every wo-
man in garrison was his friend, and the
happy fellow would gladly have taken
dozens of them into his confidence and told
them all about it, and talked by the
hour of her,
But theie were reasons, Mrs. Vincent
had said, why it was most desirable that
there should be no announcement of the
engagement as yet. What these were
she did not explain to Mabel herself, but
assured her that it was her fathers wish
as well. Lane had rushed to the great
jewelry house of Van Loo g. Laing, and