The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-08-22

Of an entire month He never again
saw Fort Graham until the end Of Sep
tember, and then only long enough to
enable him to- change from his scouting
rig into travelling costume, to throw
few clothes into trnnl1 and to drive to
the railway station as fast as the ambu-
lance 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
managed to escape eastward from the
reservation 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 captur-
ing and bringing them back to the res
ervation. This took him many long
mile south of the railway. 1t was three
weeks and more before he made his way
to the reservation with his prisoners.
There he found small package of let
tiers, which had been forwarded 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 a possible thing, come
to us as soon as you can obtain leave Of
absence. There are matters which ex-
cite my greatest apprehension, and
feel that must see you. My health,
regret to say, is failing me rapidly.
Come, if you cam"
Another was from Mrs. Vincent. She
spoke with great anxiety Of Mr.. Vim
cents waning health; said very little of
Mabel, nothing whatever Of Mr.. Noel.
She told him that the engagement had
been formally announced to all their
relatives, and that letters Of congratula-
ton had been showered on Mabel from
all sides, although there was some little
surprise expressed that she should marry
an army officer. "She herself has not
been well at ali, and really believe that
visit from you would do much to re-
store her health and spirits. She has
been unlike herself ever since we came
back from the mountains"
In this same package of letters were
two from Mabel. These he read with
infinite yearning in his heart, and they
only served to increase the wordless
anxiety and the intolerable sense of
something lacking, which he had first
felt after the letter that announced Cor
don Noels visit to Deer Park. One
more letter there was. This he opened,
saw that it was type written and had no
signature, Indignantly tore it into frag-
ments and tossed them to the wind.
The commanding general of the de-
partment-an old and kind friend of
Lane's-was then looking over affairs
for himself, at the reservation. Lane OBJ
tanned a few moments conversation with
him, briefly stated his needs, and showed
him Mr. Vincent's letter. The instant
the general saw the signature he looked
up, startled, and then arose from his
seat, put his hand on the captains
shoulder, and drew him to one side.
my dear boy" he said, there is
later news than this. 1t is dated Sept.
IA, you see. Have you heard nothing
more"
Nothing, general. What has hap
pened?" answered Lane, his voice trem-
bling and his bronzed face rapidly paling.
"Am lam l too later"
II fear so, Lane. Had Mr.. Vincent
partner named Clark"
Eyes sir; his junior partner"
CLARK defaulted, embezzled, hypothe-
Gated securities and heaven knows what
all, blew out his brains in his private
Office, and Mr.. Vincent stumbled over
the body an hour afterwards, was pros
trated by the shock, and died of heart
failure three days later. The papers
were full of the tragedy for nearly a
week; but there are none to be had here,
I'm afraid. Now you will want to start
at once. Never mind your troop. Just
tell your lieutenant to report here to
Capt. Bright for orders, and I'll have
them sent back to Graham by easy
marches"
Late at night Lane reached the rail-
way, only to find his train five hours be-
hind. He telegraphed to Mabel that he
would come to her as fast as train could
bring him-that the sad news had only
just reached him. He strobe for hours
up and down the little platform under
the glittering stars, yearning to reach
her, to comfort and console her in this
bitter sorrow.
Time and again he turned over in
mind the few particulars which he had
obtained from the department COM
mander They were all too brief, but
pointed conclusively to one fact-that
Clark had been encouraged by the sue
cess of June to plunge still more deeply,
in the hope of retrieving the losses of the
past two years. Luckily for Vincent, he
had used his June winnings in lifting
the mortgage from his homestead and in
taking up any of his outstanding paper,
and so had little wherewith to supply his
confident partner: but Lane wondered if
the kindly old man had any idea that up
to the end of August, at least, Clark had
not sent to him, as directed, 1.-THE draft
for the entire amount" to which referred
the first letter Mr.. Vincent had ever
written to him.
It was day break when the train came.
It was noon when he sprang from the
-. "a I.