The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-01-15
By Capt. CHARLES KING, U.GA,
Astaor of"Ths Coionsrs Daughter" "Erow
the Pdnks. !" "7ne Deserter,n Etc
Copyrighted 1858 by J. B. Lippincott Company.
Philadelphia, anu published by special arrange
ment through the American Press Association
CHAPTER VIII.

E&44 M lAAA
S:Ea 80
X ~
ss2t0 WAS very late that night
~ nearly midnight-when
$H the colonel, seated on his
H veranda and smoking d
g. cigar, caught sight OF a
s~avaIry sergeant nurrIedIy passing LA.
front gate. The main searching parties
| had long since come home, unsuccessful;
Lieut.. Perry had returned and made re-
port that the people at Dunraven denied
having seen or heard anything Of
Gwynne, that both proprietor and mana
ger had treated his visit as an affront,
and that he had had much difficulty In
gang of rough fellows employed at the
ranch, that Mr.. Maitland had fallen
back in swoon, and that he had left
him to the care of DR.. Quin, who ar
| rived soon after the occurrence.
The colonel had been greatly interested
| and somewhat excited over the details Of
Perry's adventure as that young gentle
man finally gave them, for at first he
was apparently averse to saying much
| about it. Little by little, however, all
his conversation with Maitland and Even
was drawn out, and the particulars Of
his hostile reception. The colonel agreed
with him that there was grave reason to
suspect some of the ranch people Of
knowing far more Of Sergt. Gwynne's
disappearance than they would tell; and
| finally, seeing Perry's indisposition to
talk further, and noting his preoccupa-
| ton and apparent depression Of spirits,
he concluded that between fatigue and
rasped nerves the young fellow would be
glad to go to bed, 80 he said, kindly:
"Well, won't keep you, Perry, you're
tired out. I'll sit up and see the doctor
when he gets back and have talk with
him, then decide what steps we will take
in the morning. I'll send a party down
the valley at daybreak, anyway. May
offer you some whisky or bottle of
beerT'
"Thank you, colonel, believe not to-
| night. A bath and nap will set me all
| right, and I'll be ready to start out first
thing in the morning. Good night, sir. +"
But Col. Brainard could not go to sleep.
The garrison had turned in," all except
the guard and Capt. Stryker. That officer
had returned an hour after dark, and,
getting fresh horse, had started out
again, going down the south side Of
the Monee to search the timber with
lanterns, the Cheyenne scouts having
reported that Gwynne's horse had come
up that way. He had been missed by
Mr.. Perry, who galloped up the trail to
catch the platoon before 1t reached the
fost. and the colonel, now that he had
heard the lieutenant's story, was impa-
tiently awaiting his return. Up to with
in few minutes of alidnight. however,
, neither Stryker nor the doctor had come;
dim lights were burning in both their
quarters and at the guard house. Every
where else the garrison seemed shrouded
in darkness. Catching sight of the yellow
chevrons as they fitted through the flood
OF light that poured from his open door.
way, the colonel instantly OWNED that
this must be sergeant of Stryker's troor
going in search of his captain. and
promptly hailed him:
''What is it, sergeant? Any news?"
eyes, SIR" answered the soldier, halt
ing short. "Sergt. Gwynne's come
back. was going to the captains te
report.
"How did he get back? Isn't he In
jured?''
"He says he's had fall, sir, and has
been badly shaken up, but he walked in.
why, that's singular! Did he see
none of the searching parties?-see none
of their lights?'
~ can't make out, sir. He's ittl.
queer-doesn't want to talk, sir. Ht
asked if his horse got in all right, anG
went and examined the scratches, ant
seemed troubled about them: but he
doesn't say anything
"Has he gone to the hospitalY
mo. sir; he'll sleep in his usual bunl
at the stables tonight He is only
bruised and sore, he says. His face i
cut and scratched and bound up In hi
handkerchief"
"Very well" said the colonel, after .
moments thought. "The captain viii
| AoOA A11o eiiS laattCA WHICH, Ac &SLS DS3Ch
You take your horse and ride down th,
south side of the valley and find tn,
! Cheyenne scouts Capt. Stryker is will
them. Tell him the sergeant is home
safe"
Every well, sir" And the troopel
saluted, faced about, and disappeared
in the darkness; while the colonel arose
and, putting thoughtfully at his cigar
began pacing slowly up and down tn,
piazza he wished Stryker were home
he wished Capt. Lawrence were office
Of the day, and, SO, liable to come on
OF his quarters again: he had heard jus
enough about that odd English ranch I.
make him feel disturbed and i'll at ease
There had evidently been hostility be
tween his predecessor and the proprie
tor OF Dunraven, and very probably
there had been bad blood between thu
men of the Eleventh cavalry and the em
ployes of the ranch: else why shoull
there have been so unproyoked an as
sault upon the lieutenant this night
Then there were other things that CAV,
him disquiet- Several officers had gath
cred upon the piazxa during the eariy
evening; they were mainly Of his owl
regiment, bat Capt Belknap and two O
the infantry subalterns were there; Law
renee did not COME OF course the tall
was about the incident Of the evening
and. later. the rumors about Dunraven