Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-07-10
[Conitnucd rem Last Week.
RANCH
A Story of American Frontier
Life.
By Capt. CHARLES KING, US. A,
Author of"The CoIoners Daughter" "FrOn'
the Ranks, /" 1.-THE DeSertcr," Etc.

ranch, Grlggs, she SAID; and-Inere
no help for it-papa will have to be told
Let them send for me-"
pardon me, Miss Maitland" inter
rupted Col. Brainard. "You are almost
under the walls of Fort Rossiter, and
Dunraven is miles away. have sent a
swift horse for DR.. Quin and a spring
ambulance. We cannot let you go home,
now that you are so near us, until you
have had rest and proper care"
Indeed we cannot, Mics Maitland,
chimed in both ladies at breath. 'You
are to come right to my house until you
are fit to travel
I'm not very fit just now, certainly"
she answers, with faint smile; 'but l
can surely wait here until they send;
twill not be more than an hour at most. "
at will be two hours-perhaps three
Miss Maitland" pleaded Perry, bending
eagerly forward. "Do listen to our la
diesr'
And "our ladies" prevailed. While
Griggs went suffering off to Dunraven
with the sorrowful news, the strong
arms of Perry and Graham lifted and
bore their English captive to the shade
of a clump of cottonwoods. Mrs.
Sprague and Mrs. Lawrence managed
to make little couch for her as a tenn
porary resort. Mrs. Belknap rode up
and was formally introduced, then gal
loped away TO Rossiter to send blankets
Tor the picnic couch and see to the pill
- h h., nd
Perry remained with the ladies and en-
crossed their attention while Graham
went back and sent two pistol bullets
into the struggling hunters brain, still
ing his pain forever. Then came DR..
Quin galloping like the wind down the
familiar trail, Gliding "Gladys" as
though his right to do so were long
established thing, and thereby setting
Perry's teeth on edge, and, long before
the call for afternoon stables was sound
ing, the fair daughter of Dunraven
Ranch was housed within the walls of
Rossiter and the lice was broken !"
Perry had had the joy of helping carry
her into Mrs. Sprague's coolest and CO
ziest room. She had held forth her hand
such a long, white, beautiful hand
and let it rest in his while she said
"You know how impossible it is for me
to tell you how thank you, Mr.. Perry.
and he had simply bowed over it, long
ing to say what he thought. but power
less TO think of anything else; and then
he had gone to his own quarters and
shut himself in Mrs. Sprague-bless
her!-had invited him to call after re-
treat. and he had totally forgotten the
Lawrences' dinner when he said he
would be only too glad to come.
At the sounding of stable call his darky
servant banged at the door and reused
him from his reverie. He rose mechan-
ically and went out into the broad SUM-
shine, CHANGING first along the row to
see how things were looking at the
Spragucs' and wishing with all his heart
that they were somewhere within reach
of conservatory, that he might send a
heaping box of fresh and dewy roses to
that sacred room where she lay. How
many time, he thought, had he strolled
into some odorOus shop in the cities
where his ''leaves" were spent, and care
lesSly ordered cut flowers by the cubic
foot sent with his card to some one with
whom he had danced the german the
night before and never expected to see
againl What wouldn't he give now fol
Just few of those wasted, faded, for
gotten flowers! Stables that afternoon
proved a sore trial to him.
When at last the men went swinging
homeward in their white canvas frocks
and Perry could return to hisquarters to
dress for his eagerly anticipated call, the
first thing that met his eyes as he came
in sight of officers row was huge, bulky,
covered travelling carriage in front OF
SpragueS'. Two or three ladies were there
at the gate. Mr.. Even, the English man.
ager, was just mounting his horse; DR.,
Quin, too, was there and already in sad.
die; and before poor Perry could get hall
way across the parade, and just as the
trumpets were sounding mess call fol
supper, the bulky vehicle started; the
ladies waved their handkerchiefs and
kissed their hands, and, escorted by Even
and the doctor, saluted by Col Brainard
and the adjutant with raised forage caps
Gladys Maitland was driven slowly away
and Mrs. Belknap stood there in the little
group of ladies smiling sweetly upon him
as he FASTENED towards them. For many
long day afterwards mess call always
made him think of Mrs. Belknap's smile,
and Mrs. Belknap's smile of mess call
He shuddered at the sound of one or sight
Of the other.
1t was Mrs. Sprague who stepped for
ward to greet him, her womanly heart
filled with sympathy for the sentiment
she suspected She had to push by Mrs
Belknap to reach him; but, this time, nc
consideration of etiquette stood in the
way.
1T couldn't be helped" she said, in
low hurried tone, her kind eyes search
ing his, so clouded in the bitterness Of
his disappointment. at couldn't b
helped. The news of her accident-oI
something-brought on seizure of some
kind. Mr.. Maitland was taken very i'll
and they sent for her. The manager
came, and with him her old nurse, Mrs
Cowan, and DR.. Quin said she could bt
moved without trouble: so she had to go
hated to have her. too, for I've hardly
had word with her: Mrs. Belknap ha.
been there most of the afternoon, ever
when she had guest of her own JUS
arrived, too" And Mrs. Sprague could
not but show her vexation at this retro
spect
Perry stood in silence, looking yearn
ingly after the retreating vehicle. Il
would take him but a few minutes tx
hasten to stables and saddle Nolan; hi
could easily catch them before they hac
gone two miles; but there was parade