The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1894-10-27


department. knew the generals right
hand adviser. Randi, and twice essayed
to open talk on the subject Of the rob-
berry. Rand listened with every mani
festation Of polite interest, but vouch-
safed not word Of his own. Sudden
ly pushing back his chair and tossing
his napkin thereon as he rose, he said:
"Now excuse me, major; finish your
breakfast. and I'll write letter or two.
Join me in the Office as soon as you're
ready
Of course Graves was ready in three
minutes, and the sheriff also Rand
looked up, nodded cheerily, and went
on with his letters. These he presently
read over, folded, addressed, and
stamped, with easy deliberation, and
by this time the correspondents re-
joined the major. Rand glanced at his
watch, picked up his letters and took
them to the desk. Graves and party
followed. Then out came Rand's big
cigar case.
Smoker" he said, rendering the
bunch to the sheriff, who pulled one
forth in his pudgy fingers while Graves
was presenting Messrs. So-and-So, of
such and such papers,>to both of whom
Rand extended cordial greeting and
his cigar case, then took Graves by the
arm, nodded cheerily a. good-day to the
party, ana popped the paymaster
through side door: For an instant,
oaly, they were too surprised to act
Then, with a well, I'll he, DIP the
sheriff jumped to the door There at
the side entrance stood Fannings best
bay team and open buggy, Graves just
being hoisted in. Rand sprang lightly
after him. and, without vestige Of
triumph on his face. blithely waved
his Land to the party at the door, and
away went the bays and the buggy.
WELL" said the sheriff, IF he isn't
cool one may -be-double damned!"
Not until afternoons. Gould he, or any
one else, for that matter. get at either
Rand or Graves. A1aking:sa long cir
cult, and keeping him in constant chat,
the colonel drove the unhappy pay
master out over the hard prairie roads,
and towards noon refined up at the fort,
where the team was turned over to an
orderly, and the two staff officers were
welcomed by Morgan and RECALLED with
lunch. Rand swore the canned lobster
and commissary crackers and cheese,
washed down with Budweiser, the
most delicious things he ever tasted,
and was full of sympathy with Morgan
in his anxiety about Connie.
'Here's what you've got to do, ol,aas
fellow said he. ''You must let that
brave little woman come and pay us a
visit. Send Lot and Billy, too. I've
got a great big house, and my wife
will be only too glad to hear child
voices in it again. I like Connie
She's brick. I'll send passes for the
whole party, and the change will do
her good. Now, speaking about
Schramm; had he ever told her about
his antecedents?"
No, Morgan knew he hadn't. So later
Rand went down to see Mrs. Hinkel,
and thus it happened that he was still
at the fort when along about three p.
NJ. the wires began to warm up with
other and graver matter. Rand was
wanted at the instrument if by chance
nhe was still at the fort, for it was nee
essay that he should be placed in inn
smediate. communication with the gen.
seral, via was at department head
quarters, ana presently the soldier OPP
orators cheek began to pale, as he
checked off and jotted down. name
after name, the list Of the killed and
wounded i11.t. Tintop's daring fight
against the cond 5ined war parties of
the reservations. Ihe gallant old dra-
coon himself was safe,i hut Morgan's
captaincy had come. The flag Went
down to half-staH unrebukeh by the
lonely officer in command, for crave
Manning, his longtime troop-leaaer
and friend, had fallen fighting hard
The list of the dead, though large, was
exceeded by that of the wounded, and
supplemented by that Of party OF
whose fate no man could hazard more
than mere conjecture. In addition to
the names of Schultz and Schramm
were those of ten other troopers re-
ported among the missing. 1t was the
roster of little detachment sent out
on the trail of alleged road agents or
robbers. They had started only few
uOuIS Uc4OIO OAV A5AV, sSAASA WIZ sAe>~~~
the leadership of Lieut.. Thornton.
CHAPTER TX.
A special engine and car took Rand,
the doctor, and certain hospital at
tendants eastward to Pawnee that
evening, but meantime, on his return
to town, the colonel had gracefully
surrendered to the press. he had SO
much to tell about the action of Win
throp's command that it left little
room for his views or theories as to the
robbery. He won the hearts of cor
respondents by offering to take them
along with him and tell them all he
could on the way, and thus get time to
look into certain other matters with
which he was charged. He asked the
sheriff for q description Of the bills
found in Schramm's box, and the sheriff
allowed him to see the packet and make
memoranda for himself. He. asked to
see Mr.. Lacy. In fact, he asked twice
to see Mr.. Lacy; but, though that gem
tleman had returned to the hotel at
noon, he could not be found. He had
gone out again after hearing that the.