Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-05-01

ODJcCI VI nus eHIlEe QSNOI1Ou, oOueOOug
had settled on him, and that was pretty
Mrs Belknap.
And though Ned Perry hated reveille
and morning stables, as has been said,
and could rarely "take his week" with
out making one or more lapses, here he
was this beautiful May morning out at
daybreak when il was his juniors tour
of duty, and vending his way with that
youngster out to the line of cavalry sta
bles, booted and spurred and equipped
for ride.
The colonel had listened with some
surprise to his request, profered just as
the party was breaking up the night be-
fore, to be absent from garrison few
hours the following morning.
"But we have battalion drill at 8
o'clock, Mr.. Perry, and 1 need you there"
he said.
"Oh, I'll be back in time for that, sir.
l wanted 10 be off three hours or so be-
fore breakfast"
The colonel could not help laughing.
"Of course you can go-go wherever you
like at those hours, when you are not on
guard; but never imagined you would
want to get up so early"
Neither l would, colonel, but I've
been interested in something heard
about this ranch down the Monee, and
thought I'd like to ride down and look
at it.
$50 ahead, by all means, and see
whether those lights came from there.
1t made me think of play l once saw
the Colleen Bawn'-where a fellows
sweetheart signaled across the lake by
showing a light in her cottage window
Just that way three times, and he an
swered by turning out the lights in his
room. OF course the distance wasn't
anything like this; and there was no one
here to turn down any light Eth! what
did you say
IL beg pardon, colonel. didn't mean
to interrupt" put in Il gentle voice at his
elbow, while little hand on Perry's arm
gave it a sudden and vigorous squeeze,
'but Capt. Lawrence has called me twice
he will not re-cnter after lighting his
cigar-and must say good night"
"Oh, good night, Mrs. Lawrence. I'm
sorry you so so early. We are going to
reform you all in that respect as soon rs
we get fairly settled. Here's Perry, now,
would sit up and play whist with me an
hour yet"
mot this night, colonel. He has prom
ised to walk home with us" (another
squeeze), land go he must, or be faith
less escort. Good night. We've had
such lovely, lovely time"
And Ned Perry, dazed, went with her
to the gate, where Capt. Lawrence was
awaiting them. She had barely time to
murmur:
''You were Just on the point of telling
him about the doctors lights. cannot
forgive myself for being the means of
seeing it; but keep my confidence, and
keep-thiS until everybody is talking
about it: it will come soon enough"
Naturally, Mr.. Perry went home some
with conjecture as to what these things
could mean. The first notes of 'aSsem-
bly, of the trumpeters" generally known
as ''iirst call'-roIsed him from his sleep,
and by the time the men marched out to
the stables he had had his plunge bath, q
vigorous rub and chance to think over
his plans before following in their tracks,
dressed for his ride. The astonishment
of Lieut.. Parke, the junior of the troop,
was something almost too deep for words
when Perry came bounding to his side.
What on earth brings you out. Ned?"
was his only effort.
"Goins for gallop-lOwn the Monce;
that's all. haven't had freshener for
a week.
Cad! we get exercise enough at
morning drill, one would think, and our
horses too. Ohr- And Mr.. Parke
stopped suddenly. 1t flashed across him
that perhaps Perry was going riding
with q lady friend and the hour was her
selection. If so. twas no business of
his, and remarks were uncalled for.
When he mounted and rode away from
the stable Mr.. Parke was outside at the
picket rope, and busily occupied in his
duties. supervising the fastening of the
fresh, spirited horses at the line. for the
troop commander was Il man intolerant
Of disorder of any kind, and nothing
more offended his eye than the sight of
two or three of his charges loose and
plunging and kicking up and down the
stable yard. On the other hand, there
was no one exploit that seemed to give
the younger animals keener delight
nothing that made the perpetrator big
ger hero in his own eyes or the object OF
greater envy among his fellows-and as
consequence every device of which
equine ingenuity was master was called
into play, regularly as the morning came
around, to break loose either from the
controlling hand of the trooper or from
the taut and straining picket rope. The
first care of the officer in charge of the
troop sergeants was, therefore, to see
that all the horses were securely dashed
and knotted. Not until he had examined
every chatter shank" was Mr.. Parke at
leisure to look around, but when he did
his comrade had disappeared from view.
And over this broad level, horizon
bounded, not a moving object could be
seen. Far away. in little groups of three
or four, black dots Of grazing cattle
marked the plain, and over in the
"breaks" Of the Monee, just beyond the
fringing cottonwoods, two or three
herds of Indian ponies were sleepfy
cropping their morning meal, watched
by the little black imp Of boy whose
dirty red blanket made the only patch Of
color against the southern landscape.
Later in the day, when the sun mounted
high in the heavens and the brisk west
erly winds sent the clouds sailing swift
across the skies, all the broad prairie
seemed in motion, for then huge -shad-