The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1895-03-13

propriety, had forbidden the contin-
uance of their friendship. The thought
troubled him greatly, and he grew mo-
rose and reserved in his intercourse
with his comrades. 1t was believed by
his associates that the sting of the dis
grace of a court-martial had left pain
full wound, and they did all they could
to show him that in their eyes his
honor was unsullied by the act of as
sault and its penalty.
1t is custom at military posts of the
west that after each days service on
guard duty the cavalry soldier, should
he so desire, is given "hunting pass"
and is permitted to take his horse and
go in quest of game. In his perturbed
state Of mind sketching had lost its in
terest to Brown, and after each guard
service he would secure official perrnis-
sion, mount his horse and speed away
toward the base of the Magdalena or
San Mateo mountains to hunt ante
lope.
One afternoon while returning from
hunt he rode slowly down draw or
depression in the plain, his thoughts
busy with Alice Sanford. 1t had be-
come quite apparent to him that her
failure to meet him as of old was of her
own connivance, else why, in such
lovely weather, had she discontinued
her daily gallops down the river? He
chided himself for ever having had the
assurance to think that he, private sol
dier, might aspire to the love of the
daughter of the commanding officer of
one of the most important military
posts in the west. He began to think
that it would have been better for his
peace of mind had he never met her.
Riding from the draw onto the level
OF the plain two moving objects caught
his eye mile distant, travelling in the
direction of the mountains. Hastily
taking his ficld-glass from q saddle
pocket he leveled it upon the objects,
and his heart seemed to grow cold and
a great lump came into his throat when
he saw Alice and Lieut.. Vandever
riding slowly along side by side, ap-
parently engaged in deep conversation.
Here, he thought, was an explanation
of why the girl had avoided him. She
had become on friendly terms with the
lieutenant. Of course he had painted
his assailant in the darkest colors and
Alice now looked upon her former sol
dier friend as one unworthy of her no.
tice. Perhaps she had even been led
to hate HIM. The thought was madden
ing, and his breast was rent with pain
full emotions at the reelection that
he might never again hear the loved
tones of her voice or gaaa into her soul
full eyes.
With sigh that seemed almost a
groan of agony he closed the glass and
returned it to its case, and was about
to spur his horse forward when on rails
ing his eyes he saw, but few rods dis
tant, Col. Sanford riding toward him.
Strengthening himself in the saddle he
awaited the officers approach, and as
he came up respectfully gave the mill
tary salute. The colonel returned the
salutation with official dignity and
said:
my man, ride and overtnke Lieut..
Vandever and Miss Sanford. Give
them my compliments and say to them
that | am out for ride, and if they de-
sire a good-loolSing old fellow for com
pany would be pleased to have them
wait for me. am too old to 20 thun-
dering after them as l would oLce have
loved to do. was great rider in my
day, but old age and rheumatism have
called halt on that sort of work.
What could he do but obey? With a
parting salute he turned his horses
head toward the young couple and
dashed away, confused at the en-
barassing task assigned him. Rather
would he have faced a thousand yell
ing savages who sought his life than
the gentle girl and her somewhat eff
Terminate escort, believing, as he did,
that through the officers representa-
tions she had come to hate him. AS
every leap Of his powerful horse
lessened the distance between himself
and the young people, his heart
throbbed faster and faster, and he
would have made any earthly sacrifice
to be relieved Of the duty upon which
he had been sent. lie at last deter
mined that he would ride up and de-
liver his message as though to perfect
strangers and hasten away again, and