Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-12-25

tempted to 'rnake break Just one da,
before the start he was surprised at re
ceiving q letter from Mrs. Vincent. Sh
spoke gladly of Mabel's improved healtl
and appearance; she spoke hopefully of Mr.
Vincent, whose letters, she said, were NOR
cheerful than they had been, and who hat
been ableto come up and spend two Sunday
with them. Mabel had doubtless told hin
of Mr.. Noel's VISIT and how glad they wer'
just then to see any face SO pleasant anc
familiar And now she wished to remind
him of their contract before his leaving fol
the frontier. He doubtless remembered
that she had promised that in the near fu
ture she would give him the reasons why
it seemed best to her that the engagement
should not be announced 1t would take
a pretty long letter to tell all the reasons
why, so she would not venture upon that
at the moment; but the necessity no longer
existed, and if he so desired she would
gladly have it made known to his relatives,
as she would now proceed to announce it
to Mabel's.
Lane was greatly rejoiced at this. He
had been tride uneasy and respondent of
late, yet scarcely knew why. Her letters
were not all he had hoped they would be
by this time, but then he did not know but
that it was natural and right, he had never
had love letters before-had never seen
them-and his ideas of what a woman's
letters to her bctrothed should be were
somewhat vague and underlined. How
ever, there was no one in the garrison to
whom he specially cared to formally an
nounce his engagement. People had ceased
of late making remarks or inquiries, as
nothing had been successful in extracting
information from him in the past Giving
directions that his mail should be for
warded once week, or twice week if
possible, TO the railway station nearest the
Chiricahua mountains, where he could get
it by sending couriers once in a while, pro-
yided there was no danger ia doing so,
Lane marched away one evening on what
proved TO be an absence of an entire
month. He never again saw Fort Graham
until the end of September, and then only
long enough to enable him to change from
his scouting rig into travelling costume, to
throw few clothes into trunk and to
drive to the railway station as fast as the
ambulance could carry him in order TO
catch the first express train going east.
Nothing of very great Importance had
occurred on the scout. A few renegades
eryation and to take to the mountains,
through which Lanes command was then
scouting; and to him and TO his troop was
intrusted the duty of capturing and bring
ing them back to the reservation This |
took him many a long mile south of the
railway. II was three weeks and more be |
fore he made his way to the reservation |
with his prisoners. There he found small |
ABB ,.f l,ff 4 a
warded direct from Graham, where they |
evidently knew that he would go into the
agency before reaching the railway, where
his other letters were probably awaiting
him. Among those which he received was
one from Mr.. Vincent Briefly it said to
him, IF possible thing, come TO us as
soon as you can obtain leave Of absence
There are matters which excite my greatest
and | feel that | must see
you. Ny health, regret to say, is failing
me rapidly. Come if you can"
Another was from Mrs. Vincent. She
spoke with great anxiety OF Mr.. Vincent's
waning health; said very little of Mabel,
nothing whatever Of Mr.. Noel She told
Jim that Encouragement had been formally
to all their relatives, and that
etters of conyratrlation had been show
red on Mabel from al sides, although
here was some little surprise expressed
HIT she should marry Gu army officer
She herself he's not been well at all, and |
eally believe that visit from you would |
10 much to restore her health and spirits.
The has been unlike herself ever since we
anne back from the mountains. A"
In this same package Of letters were two |
rom Mabel. These he read with infinite |
earning in his heart, and they only served {
. increase the wordless anxiety and the I
ltolerable sense Of something lacking. ,
fhich he had first felt after the letter that j
nnounced Gordon Noel's visit to Deer !
lark. One more letter there was This he '
pened, saw that it was typewritten and i
ad no signature, Indignantly tore it into {
and tossed them to the wind.
The commanding general Of the depart y
ient-an old and kind friend OF Lane
as then looking over affairs for himself G
the reservation. Lane obtained few a
lomcnts' conversation with him, briefly
-ated his needs, aud showed him Mr.. Vim
snt's letter. The instant the general saw
he signature lie looked up, startled, and
zen arose from his seat, put he hand on
le captains shoulder aud drew him to
ne side.
"lIy dear boy" he said, "therc is later
ews than this Il is dated Sept Il, you
e. Have you heard nothing mores"
Nothing, general. What has happen
lS' answered Lane, his voice trembling
i'd his bronzed face rapidly paling. Am
-am too lates"
81 fear so, Lane. Had Mr.. Vincent
irtner named Clark"
eyes, sir; his Junior partner"
CLARK defaulted, embezzlcd, hypothe-
ted securities and heaven knows what
|, blew out his brains in his private
lice, and Mr.. Vincent stumbled over the
'dy an hour afterwards, Yves Frustrated
tine shock and died OF heart failure
rec days later. The papers were full OF
G tragedy for nearly week; but there -
c none to be had here, I'm afraid Now
n will want to start at once. Never n
ind your troop. Just tell your lieuten- OF
It to report hore to Capt. Bright for or o,
rs, and I'll have them sent back to Ora ~
m by easy Marches n
Late at night Lane reached the railway. "a
~ to find his train five hours behind v,
: photographed to Mabel that be would N
me to her rs fast as train could brine ~
m-that the sad news had only inst he
,ahaI hfsr. 10, 1+- Ia I