The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-02-05

HA R~E lDlNG eastward Just
fNSYpe3Ms before noon. somewhat
ItktV comforted in con-
4fRMEE IN science because of his
g6TlHe4 self denial of the morn
ing, Ned Perry scanned the distant prairie
In search Of the hunt. 1t was nearly lun-
cheon time. and he expected to find the
party making its way to the little stream
whittier the baskets, boxes and hampers
had been dispatched by wagon some
hours before; but when he sighted the
quartermaster driving homeward in his
buggy he learned from that bulky vet
eran that rabbit after rabbit had been
run, and THAT the whole party had finally
decided to give dogs and horses cool
drink down in the Monee valley before
starting northward across the prairie.
"They must be getting down into the
valley two or three miles east of the
ranch just about now. and will go due
north from there, unless they stir up
more game along the Monee. If were
you," said the quartern,aster, I'D ride
over to the lunch stand You won't get
there much before the crowd"
Perry thanked him for the information,
but, so far from accepting his advice,
the young officer turned his horses head
in the direction Of Dunraven, and was
speedily riding thither with an alacrity
that he himself could hardly explain.
In his brief talk with the colonel after
parade on the previous evening Perry
had told him what he could of the char
acteristics of Messrs. Maitland and Even.
The odd letter which had been sent by
them had given the commanding officer
cause for much thought, and he was de-
sirous, evidently, of gathering from
Perry's observations as complete an idea
as was possible of their life and surround
ings. And still Perry had found it inn
possible to volunteer any description of
Miss Maitland: he could not bear to speak
of her until-until he knew more of the
doctors purpose in his visits to the ranch.
He had been detained by his commander
Just long enough to make it necessary
for him to go direct to the Spragues'
without leaving his helmet and saber at
home. They were waiting dinner for
him as it was, but Mrs. Belkuap took no
note Of that circumstance; what she saw
was that he had avoided even passing
within hail of her piazza both before and
after parade.
Now, though conscious of no intention
Of avoidance, Perry rode forth to the
meeting of this day with some little mis-
giving. In the first place, he knew that
he must strive to make his peace with
this slighted lady; and yet, In view OF
all he had seen and heard in the past
forty-eight hours, how utterly dwarfej
bad that affair-his laughing Irritation
with Mrs. Belknap--become! Had any
one told him his attentions to her and
her marked preference for his society
were matters that people were beginning
to talk of-some with sly enjoyment,
others with genuine regret-he would
havebeen grateful for the information,
instead of resentful, as, with most men,
would be the case ninety-nine times out
Of a hundred. But he knew nothing OF
this, and had too little experience to sus.
pect the comments in circulation. She
was most interesting-up to the day be.
fore yesterday; he loved to ride or dance
with her; he enjoyed chat with he,
more than he could tell. A most sym.
pathetic and attentive listener was Mrs
Belknap. and her voice was low and
sweet and full of subtly caressing tones
She had made him talk to her by the
hour Of his home, his hopes and ambi
tions, his profession and his prospects
and had held him in a silken bondage
that he had no desire to escape.
And yet, as he rode out on the breezy
plain this brilliant day, he found al
thought of her distasteful, and his eyes
far from searching for the fiutter of he,
trim habit in the distant riding party
would go a-roaming over the intervening
shades and shadows down in the Monee
| valley and seek the bare, brown walls OF
Dunraven far across the stream. It was
odd indeed that he should have sought
this, the longest way round, on his ride
| in quest Of his companions from the
fort.
Once again he looked at the isolated
clump of buildings from his post of OBJ
servation on the bluff; once again hs
saw across the stream and through the
trees the bsrbed barrier that had caused
both him and his men such laceration OF
flesh and temper; once again he saw the
| shallow valley winding away to the
southeast, decked with its scrubby
fringe work of cottonwood and willow
but this time, three miles away, its &C
customed solitude was broken by group.
Of riders and darting black specks ol
dogs, all moving northward once more
and already breasting the slopes. Il,
should have turned away eastward and
ridden across country to join them, but
down here In the valley, only short
distance away, absorbed in watching
the hunting party, sat Mr.. Even on g
paving and excited bay. Whateve,
coolness his rider might feel at this dis
covery. it was not shared by Nolan; he
pricked up his ears and hailed his fel
low quadruped with cordial and unaf
fected pleasure, a neigh that the English
bred horse was so utterly uninsular as to
! whid about and answer with CORE
spending warmth. Even caught at his
heavy Derby and jerked it of his bullet
bead with an air Of mingle,' en-. .asrass.
ment and civility, repl:.. ii. ..h
similarly spasmodic haste j.
but with q certain sasv ga