The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-01-01


sergeant of his troop and two private
soldiers were his escort at the moment; a
third man, by direction of Col. Brainard,
had been sent at the gallop in pursuit of
the distant speck which the orderly had
pronounced to be DR.. Quin, and the in
structions which this messenger bore
were to the effect that the post surgeon
should ride by the most direct route and
join Lieut.. Perry at the north gate of the
ranch.
In the few minutes which elapsed be-
tween the announcement of the doctors
departure on his solitary and unexpected
ride and the arrival Of the little mounted
escort, Perry had time to tell the colonel
something of the situation down the
Monee and to make rough sketch of
the inclosure and the distant buildings.
The direction taken by the doctor, up to
the moment when the black speck dis
appeared from view in the waning light,
would be very apt to lsad him, if he rode
far enough, to some point on the wire
fence which spanned the western limit
of Dunraven; but that point would be at
least five or six miles south of the valley.
Possibly there was 10 gateway north of
that -~.~----.--i<- A:1
the prairie: but the more Mr.. Perry
thought of the matter as he rode away
the more was he satisfied that some
where far down that western line there
was an entrance where DR.. Quin, at
least. had the "open sesame"
Perry's orders were, in case nothing
was seen or heard Of Sergt. Gwynne
while Oh the way thither, to enter the in
| closure and make inquiries at the ranch
itself. Meantime, the Cheyenne scouts
| had been hastily summoned from their
| lodges along the Monee Just above the
post and sent scurrying forth upon the
prairie to trai! the horses foot prints and
so work back as far as possible before
darkness interpOsed. Capt. Stryk ker, too,
and dozen of his best men, had mount
ed and ridden forth in long, scattered
line across the eastern plain; and these
parties were all five miles out from the
post before nightfall fairly hid them from
| view.
One thing the sergeant had to tell Mr..
Perry which confirmed him in the belief
that the sooner they got to Dunraven the
quicker they would be at the scene oi
their comrades misbap, whatever that
might prove to be. He had had no time
himself to visit the stables and examin,
the wounds ON the horses flank, but a
they rode away from Rossiter he turnet
in the saddle and called the non-commis
stoned officer to his side.
"What sort of wound is it, sergeant
that made the horse bleed so-bullet O
knife?'
at doesn't look like either, sir. Their
are several of them, jagged scratches il
the shoulder and along the flank, ik
thorns or nails
Cor barbed wire?" suggested the lieu
tenant suddenly.
"Yes, sir, like as not; though we hadn'
thought Of that, not knowing of an
fences hereabouts."
"Youll see fence enough presently
That's where We'll find Sergt. Gwynne
too. Let your horses out a little.
want to get there before dark, if poss
ble"
1t was dark in the timber, however, q
they rode through and reined up at th
, gateway. 1t would be half an hour &
the very least, thought Perry, before th
doctor could join them, if he came at al
1t was by no means certain that the me-
senger had overtaken him, and, even
he had, was it probable that the docte
would be in great haste to come? II
mysterious movements of the mornin:
/ his undoubted connection with the nigl
, signals from the ranch, the fact that l
, had given his commanding officer 4
, inkling whatever of these outside inte
ests of his, all tended to make Perry di
} trustful of their post surgeon. Hewoul
, not speak of it to a soul. or hint at Il
| possibility OF such thing, until he ha
: evidence that was indisputable, but tt
D young officer was sorely perplexed |
, these indications of some secret and u
t lawful enterprise On the part of the
f new comrade, and he doubted his syn
0 pathy in the mission on which they hs
{ been hurried forth.
Dismounting to examine the gate whi
still pondering this matter over in b
mind, Perry found it locked as secure
u as he had left it in the morning. II
:, sergeant and his men dismounted, to
Y at a low spoken word from their Office
= and stood at the heads of their pantil
r horses, looking in silent surprise at Il
d strong and impervious barrier tn
O. crossed their track.
IL "The gate is locked and the fence il
r passable, sergeant" said Mr.. PER-
+ 1--WE cannot get our horses through
e over unless we hack down post or tw
n You can't cut such wire as this with al
l. tool we've got. I'll leave Nolan he
h with you and go on to the ranch on fot
it lies about half mile to the south.
the doctor comes, he can follow me.
do not come or send back in half
J hour from this you three come after N
!, for I'll need you"
3 With that, slowly and carefully, al
not without q muttered malediction