Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-08-25

was r,lremitrlng II his tnongnsruiness
and attention to tie households OF the
absent oil ers. L was Rolfe who wrote
to him. ana KENYON was well nigh at
his wits Z ii tie endeayor to conjec-
ture what il III meant.
You remember my saying | could
find that stolen picture If | 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-three,
and letters have been forwarded to him
here by the postmaster. two of which
We're not addressed to 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 We're 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
that Of an educated woman-and there
is no doubt in my mind that this Ellis or
Enroll has "A screw loose III 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 letter of intro
ductioa from me- He is a detective
from Chicago. He has certain inquiries
to make at the post and in town before
going to Louisville, and ii should not be
known that he isadetective at all Give
him every facility in your power. intro
duce him to the postmaster as a friend
Of mine, if 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 Holders quar-
tiers. Kathleen is there III charge, and
Holden has no objection, though he
pooh poohs the efforts am making to
get at the bottom Of this strange bust
ness. hope am not asking too much
of you.
81 saw Hearn last evening. Just in
from ten days scout with Lines
squadron over toward theWakpa Shicha.
He asked after you and sent cordial re-
CARDS, There are two other fellows here
who were on their honeymoon tourwhen
their regiments We're ordered to the field.
1t reconciles one to being bachelor
almost"
The major put the letter down and
pondered long, perplexed and annoyed.
He had known Rolfe but short time,
and had learned to know him mainly
through Holden. He knew him to be
resolute, positive, even aggressive at
times. He admired his soldierly quail
ties and respected his ability. But when
finally he rose from his desk after stow
ing that letter away old Kenyon ex-
pressed himself about as follows: THAT
fellow needs a wife. He is too much ac-
customed TO having his own way. I'll
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
monrnful pleasure of escorting Mrs. and
Miss Derrien to the train. and as it
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.
Il know who you are. said Kenyon.
You viii find me at my Office in the
garrison when you get up there" And
stepping into the waiting wagon he babe
the driver go ahead, leaving the detect
i've to come mp in the post stage.
That evening he wrote short letter
to Role, and the gentleman from Chi
cago indited long one-both of which
would have served to surprise that
calmly superior soldier not little had
they reached him in due course of mail.
which. however, they did not. 1t was
some time before he saw them at all, for
when they were unloaded from the
mailbags at the wintry cantonnent
Rolfe. with Berrien's battalion, was
miles away.
Getting no reply to his missives and
little encouragement at the post, the
strange civilian suddenly departed after
three days apparently aimless stay, and
the next heard of him was in the shape
of a letter from Louisville. Could Major
Kenyon procure for him anyhow, any
where, photograph of Sergeant Ellis?
No, Major Kenyon couldn't, and was
very short in saying so.
And now December was come, and
the air was crisp and keen in the valley
of the Pawnee, the sunshine radiant and
sparkling; but far to the north the win
try winds were bowling about the fiimsy
cantonment and whirling the snow
through every Granny and crack. and
the long nights on outpost and picket
were bitter cold. But through it all
the various battalions of horse were sent
scouting in turn around the reservation.
and more and more the young warriors
I f1r. az