The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-03-19

70 the scene Just In time to prevent q |
bloody and desperate fracas, for the few |
ranch people who appeared were still |
quivering with excitement and dread. |
Even was almost too much agitated to |
speak;
'Go 70 Mr.. Maitland as soon rs you
can, doctor; this has given him fearful |
shaking up. Mrs. Cowan il having q |
room made ready for Mr.. Perry. All!
here's young Cowan now. Readyr he
asked.
"All ready. Mother says carry the
gentleman right in She wants you to
come too," he added, in lower tone, to
Sergt. Gwynne. but the latter made no
reply.
And SO, borne in the arms OF several
of his men, Lieut.. Perry was carried
across the intervening space and into the
main building. When he recovered con-
scsousness, as the morning light came
through the eastern windows, he found
himself lying in white curtained bed In
strange room, with a strange yet kind
and motherly face bending over him.
and his captain smiling down into his
wondering eyes.
"You are coming round all right, old
fellow" he heard Stryker say. "I'n call
the doctor now, he wanted to see you as
soon as you walked"
And then Quin came In and said few
CHEEKY words, and bade him lie still and
worry about nothing. The row was over,
thanks to him, and he and poor Nolan
were the only victims; but it had been a
great shock to Mr.. Maitland and rem
| dered his condition critical
| Perry listened in silence, asking no
| questions. For the time being he could
think of nothing but Nolan's loss. It was
such a cruel fate to be killed by those he
came to save.
| All that day he lay there, doing and
thinking alternately. He wondered at
the tenderness and devotion with which
the kind old Englishwoman nursed him
and seemed to anticipate his every want.
Quin came in towards evening and
dressed his wound, which now began to
be feverish and painful. He heard his
colonel's voice in the hallway. too, and
heard him say to the doctor that some
body at Rossiter was eager to come down
and take care of him. "Boshw said the
blunt surgeon; "Ive far better nurse
here-and reserve to fall back upon
that will be worth a new life to him."
And, weak and feverish though he was,
Perry's heart thrilled within him; he
wondered if it could mean Gladys. Two
days more he lay there, the fever skill
fully controlled by the doctors ministra-
tions, and the pain of his wound sub
dued by Mrs. Cowan's cooling bandages
and applications. But there was burn
ing fever in his heart that utterly re-
fused to go down. He strained his ears
listening for the sound of her voice or
the pit-a-pat of her foot fall in the corri-
dor. At last he mustered courage and
asked for her, and Mrs. Cowan smiled:
Miss Maitland has been here three
times to inquire how you were; but it
was while you were sleeping, Mr.. Perry,
side. He is very i'll, and seems to be
growing weaker every day. I don't
know what we would have done If we
had not found DR.. Quin here; he has
pulled him through two or three bad
seizures during the past year"
"Where had you known the doctor be-
fore?" asked Perry. with an eager light
in his eyes.
Nowhere; but it was as though one
Of his own kith and kin had suddenly
made his appearance here to welcome
Mr.. Maitland. The doctor is first cousin
of Mrs. Maitland's; she was from Ire
land, and it was from her family that
the ranch was named. Lord Dunraven
is of the peerage of Ireland, you know,
added Mrs. Cowan, with the cheerful
confidence of the Englishwoman that
every person of any education or stand
ing must be familiar with the pages OF
Debrett.
"How should I know anything about
! it," laughed Perry. He felt in merry
, mood; another page in his volume of sus
, picion and dread was being torn away
, and Quin's relations with the household
were turning out to be such as made
him an object of lively interest, not O
jealous doubt.
, Then came the callers from the garri
. son. 1t seemed as though all Of sudder
, the blockade had been raised and that N
! people were so warmly welcomed a
Dunraven as the very ones who had beel
especially prescribed. Mr.. Maitland
, weak and i'll as he was, had asked to b.
allowed to see Col. Brainard on the occa
sion of that officers second visit; Stryker
, Dana, Graham and Parke had all beel
allowed to come up and see Perry a few
moments, but Mrs. Cowan was vigilan
and remorseless, would allow them onl
i brief interview, and, with smiling de
termination, checked her patient whel
. he attempted to talk. The third day Q
l his imprisonment DR.. Quin came scowl
ing in along in the afternoon, manifest
annoyed about something, and said fey
: words in a low tone to Mrs. Cowan, an
t that usually equable matron fiuttere
4 away down stairs in evident excitement
, Its Mrs. Belknap," explained th
i doctor, in answer to Perry's inquirin
e look. "She has ridden down here wit
$ Dana and sent her card up to Gladys
< who can't bear the sight of her; l don
: know why; intuition, suppose"
y Presently Mrs. Cowan reappearet
e Miss Gladys has asked to be excused, 8
$ she does not wish to leave Ter father q
!, this moment; and the lady would like I
u come up and see Mr. Perry"
e TELL her nor said Quin, savagely
: No-here: III go myself" And dow
e went the doughty medical officer, an
d straightway the rumbling tones of b
n harsh voice were heard below: the WORD
$ were indistinguishable but Mrs. Cowan
S face indicated that there was somethin
It in the sound that gave her comfort Sh
y stood at the window watching the pa
as they rode away.
:, Miss Gladys shuddered when she ha
IS to shake hands with her that day whe
we came away from Mrs. Sprague's, sal
5 she 81 hope that lady is not partic'
d lar friend of yours, Mr.. Perry?
:, I'VE have been very good friends il
:, deed" said he, Loyalty. ITO be sure,
II have hardly known Mrs. Belknap
d month, but both she and the captai