News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1893-08-17

working way through the hostiles.
That fellow, l think, is going to make a
name for himself in this campaign. He
is always ready for anything that turns
up.
81 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, l shall
address my next care of Hon. Warren l..
Guthrie, St. Louis"
Then Kenyon got letter. He was
now commanding officer of the post, and
was unremitting in his thoughtfulnesa
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 | 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 lie had lock LvA dC the post
office in town, number twenty-three,
md letters have been forwarded W him
here by the postmaster, awo of which
were 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 were his. He turned red,
then pale, but said yes. Both these were
from Louisville, us | 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 Il screw loose in his record.
Brewster knows something of his past,
but refuses to tell. 1t is of vital impor-
tance 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 a detective
from Chicago. He has certain inquiries
to make at the post and in town before
going to Louisville, and it should not be
known that he is a detective 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 garSis.sa
He wiily-=@-xs-- aes ~ fss~ z
apparatus and all about HoIdGEH79S -
ters. Kathleen is there in 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 Lanes
squadron over toward theWallpa Shicha.
He asked after you and sent cordial re-
CARDS. There are two other fellows here
who were on their honeymoon tour when
their regiments were 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 a 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 wife. He is too much ac-
custOmed to having his own way. I'll
be hanged if III do any detective work
for him OF 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 Bcrrien TO the train, and as it
steamed away eastward u 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 will 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 up in the post stage.
That evening he wrote short letter
to Rolfe, and the gentleman from Chi
cago indited Il 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 cantonment
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 letter from Louisville. Could Major
Kenyon procure for him anyhow, any
where, a 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
| bCOulluS III IlLl IL tL LOullNl llG ItSGIN dIlOu.
and more and more the young warriors
dribbled away from the agencies and
were next heard of welcomed with ac-
carnations by the savage hosts in the
Businesses of the Bad Lands, and every
hour increased the prospect of sharp
| fighting in the near future. But all the
letters to the anxious hearts at home
were full of hope and cheer, full of
prophecy that everything would soon be
settled. The renegade bands were all
located" and being slowly hemmed i'll.
| The Twelfth. would eat it's Christmas
dinner at Pawnee after all, they hoped.
| And in st. Louis Miss Guthrie was ex-
erting herself to see that her charming
| guests were having the loveliest kind of
| q time. Dinners, luncheons, cards, thea
ters and dancing parties followed in
quick succession. The new gowns were
! being made as fast as famous modistes
could evolve and construct them, and
| Winifred was rushed from one scene of
gayety to another.
''Nothing could have been more charm
ing than our welcome" wrote Mrs. Ber-