Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-08-03

Wnab tlaJ could nave ndu 10 10 with
her fright at Pawnee | cannot imagine.
Holden agrees with me, however. that
it would be a capital thing if You and
Winnie would pay her the visit she
urges; so again, say, go by all means.
by the way, / wish you would run
over and see Mrs. Thorpe as often as
you can. Her letters have a depressing
effect on the captain. he tells me the
only insurance he has in all the world is
in the Army mutual, but three thousand
dollars would hardly pay their debts
and take care of them for year if any
thing were to.happen to him. Don't be
alarmed by newspaper stories Of the
lighted skies and bowling ghost dancers.
Indians viii dance all night on any PROV
ocation, and our fires light the skies
quito rs much as theirs. Sergeant Ellis,
who volunteered to push through with
dispatches to Buffers command some
where on the other side of the Bad
Lands, got back all right this morning
and says he had hardly any difficulty in
working a way through the hostiles.
That fellow, think, is going to make a
name FOR himself in this campaign. He
is always ready for anything that turns
up.
i hear that Brewster and Ridgeway
have had a row and do not speak. Some
Of the boys know what it's all about, but
won't tell me Do you know? Now,
unless You wire TO the contrary, 1 shall
address my next care Of Hon. Warren L.
Guthrie, St. Louis"
Then Kenyon got a letter. He was
now commanding officer Of the post. and
was unremitting in his thoughtfulness
and attention to the households Of the
absent officers. 1t was Rolfe who wrote
TO him, and Kenyon was well nigh at
his wits end in the endeavor to conjec-
ture what it all meant.
"You remember my saying I could
find that stolen picture if l could but
have authority to search one room at the
post. 1t is my conviction still that the
man who goes by the name of Ellis was
the thief. He had a lock box at the post
Office in town, number twenty-thrce,
and letters have been forwarded to him
here by the postmaster, two Of which
were not addressed 10 Sergeant Ellis or
to G.. B. Ellis, Twelfth cavalry, but to
Ralph Enroll box twenty-three. When
he returned from detached service this
morning the sergeant major handed him
his mail and asked him if those addi-
tional letters were his. He turned red,
then pale, but said yes. Both these were
/ from Louisville, as | happen to know;
both were addressed in the same hand
% I
is no doubt in my mind that this Ellis or
/ Enroll has a screw loose in his record.
/ Brewster knows something of his past,
{ but refuses to tell. 1t is of vital impor-
lance TO me to find out who and what he
/ is, for believe him to have been guilty
Of a crime beside which the theft Of that
| picture is as nothing.
"Now, / want you to do something
for me. A man will call on you within
a few days, presenting a letter Of intro
duction from me. He is q detective
from Chicago. He has certain inquiries
to make at the post and in town before
I going to Louisville, and it should not be
known that he is a detective at all. Give
him every facility in your power. Intro
Z duce him to the postmaster as a friend
/ Of mine, II you prefer it, and let him oc-
cupy my quarters while at the garrison.
He Will want to see the firehOuse and
apparatus and all about Holden's quar-
ters. Kathleen is there in charge, and
Holden has no objection, though he
pooh poohs the efforts l am making to
get at the bottom of this strange bust
/ ness. / hone / am not asking too much
Of you.
Il saw Hearn last evening, Just in
from ten days scout with Lanes
squadron over toward theWalpa Shicha.
he asked after you and sent cordial re-
CARDS. There are two other fellows here
who wereon their honeymoon tour when
their regiments were ordered to the field.
IL reconciles one to being a bachelor
almost"
The major put the letter down and
pondered long, perplexed and annoyed,
lie had known Rolfe but a short time,
and had learned to know him mainly
through Holden He knew him to be
resolute, positive, even aggressive al
times. He admired his soldiorly quail
ties and respected his ability. But when
finally he rose from his desk after stow
ing that letter away old Kenyon Elk.
pressed himself about as follows: "Thai
fellow needs Il wife. He is too much ac
customed TO having his own way. III
be hanged if I'll do any detective work
for him or anybody else. If Holden
wants his house searched, Holden can
say So"
Two days later the major had the
mournful pleasure of escorting Mrs. and
Miss Berrien TO the train, and rs il
steamed away eastward a man who had
stepped from the day car as Kenyon
placed his fair charges ON the sleeper
came forward and handed him note
addressed in Rolfe's characteristic hand
81 know who You are, said Kenyon
you viii find me at my Office ia the
garrison when you get up there" And
stepping into the waiting wagon he badC
the driver 90 ahead, leaving the detect
i've to come mp in the post stage.
That evening he wrote a short letter
70 Rolfe, and the gentleman from Chi
cago indited a long one-both Of which
would have served to surprise thai
calmly superior soldier not a little haC