The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-31

CHAPTER XIV.
Bat Grastoa had g-zysx woFk ahss1s =.
Il ~ns cs,se 4. had Puncr;oszs ssaoser
that 80 was he xoaid leave 20 iscraafs
fog me psssEsze criticism cs sure142x-
Hu-r4edsy wrztsnx few Ines 10 Col cex-
taa notifying hsm tass TIA rason oz.a -
Merriam was ncw ciose 70 sss gzFTfseas
and tA1S. as arranged between ten. &c
wsaid NEE. II AZ the gate. b. sesst the BOTS
hy kis servant ard FASTENED up t5s TOW %
sAe angse scrEsd BY THE south ana <set
sronss. where 81 opening had hesn ssss n
the fence for the coaysn.ence * rscins
parties an4 I. was through this Zap shAt
poor Randy zss presently t-unciss aaa
thea 6own along the tine 10 his cvr toos-
way. BY this time the pain IN his strained
and stiE<ned leg was intense. while fns
arm. hurrsessx hus sk.ifaliy dressed when
far afstd vas troubling hin Oct ettie- Hs
one shonghs an the way had beea for Flor
eaee. He had insssted On serschssng her
little rate before trey reached the santa
Clara. just 70 tell her he was all right: that
there was nothing TO VERY about. ard al
ne nesfse1, vas few aays Of her nursing.
The doctor gave u TO ere Of the men and
grayeiy ssde ssr ride ahead and giye II 70
Mrs. Merriam. ana the trooper had duly
handed L n at the door. where Hgp L~zz
resolved IL with his customary grin. ana
slowed II away On the nantei In the rew
deserted parsar where notes and cards had
generally b@ea displayed for the eyes OF
the ycuns mistress.
And now as they neared the familiar spot
pcer Randy would sit up. II would newer
DO 70 come before her eyes Frustrated a.
though sore1y hurt Anything TO spare her
needless shock or worry. He even essayed
q sems-iocuisr How are ron. cid manv' as
he caught sight of Grsfson, and tried .
smile and wave Of his hand to the ladies'
who appeared on the soufhernmoss porch
or the infantry lsneA
why. you look as though you'd had .
worse tgssfs than I. captain" he laughed
painfully. as he held out his hand Flow
IL Fiorencsf II hasn't frightened her
much, has IL? hope Mrs. Haynes beea
with her."
She's been q good deal frosshsed, Of
course" answered Grafton. gras<iy. but
but Mrs. Hayne fs--brfng.nz her round
al right. think How are you. old man.
You did have rider
But now Randy vas peering out along
the row-ihsir own row. Women were TO
he seen here and there along the verantas.
gazing syEapashetieelsy toward the slowly
moving party. but no feminine form Was
visible on the piazza OF his little home.
Better lie back. Mr.. Merriam" urged
the doctor. Try 10 make him do So"
he murmured to Grafton We've got TO
get him quiet In hts room before We let
him know anything" Already the anx-
fons young physician had been told that
AIRS. Merriam vas prohAiy fifty miles
away. and his soul was xrung at the
thought or what that would mean to his
patient .
Yes. lie down, Randy. TIL we get you
indoors" urged Grafton. We've had TO
Put up game on Mrs. Raady--tGod for
give me the lie." he prayed. knowing
how anxious you were ard We were lest
she should DO shocked. we-kept her away
Mrs. Hayne and Or. Gould ara locking cut
for her She's not to be allowed to come
near you TIL We get you safe ana sound
ana bathed and all fixed up In bed OF
course We know now, Rsndy-we didn't
before. but Mrs. Hayne had to tell my
wife how careful we have TO b OF her
now. and really. old boy. she oush;n't 10
see you TIL you're washed and dressed.
You look. tough. Randy"
And though the face he longed 10 see as
they bore him Up the steps was Males and
miles away. Merriam stsfied his own dis
appointment and hravsiy thanked them
God bless you and Mrs. Graftooi That
was indeed thoughtful OF you. old boy he
gasped. for pain was wrenchtrg him. and
he gave long. long sigh OF rslieS when
at last he vas lifted fron the stretchsr
20 . bed in the spare room.
But that sigh was a faint whisper as
Grafton drew. e. he sat him down In the
adjoining room and naopped his streaming
forehead
Col Buxton and othsrs-aH the officers,
ahnoss-talt bound TO eons to the house
between stables and retreat, Just to see l
how Randy was getting on. but the an
swer was the tame TO one and all. No one
was 70 be admitted. for the doctor was
trying TO get him to sleep"
And surely enough. tathed, refreshed,
his arm set and dressed, Randy soon found
himself slowed away IN a soft white bed,
but oh. 80 weak and drowsy after all the
labor OF the chase and the long, long day
Of raeking pain. They were to bring
florence 10 him now. his wife, bis darling
impateutly waiting for the summons. a.
hs thought her, a. Mrs Haynes. aud he
was stretching out his arms to her his
one available arm. rather, and fondiy mur-
msring her name. when the weary eyeiids
closed ard. numb and impote1t. be drsfsed
away into deep. deep sitimber.
There" said the doctor, at last, he'll
Go rowl''
Aye" mu-mnrea Grafton. 'but what
VIII the waking Be Il there Is no Florence
here tomorrow"
That was an anxious night at Sedgwick.
Merriam, xiep. Ike the dead. and twice the
young doctor feared II might be necessary
90 rouse him. thinking that perhaps he had
4
syringe with too heavy q charge. But SO
long as Randy WIS ignorant oc his wfee's
mad escs.aGe he would have slept through
sheer exhaustion ano WEAKNESS and his
physician need not have troubled himself
Twice Grafton tiptoed IN. and the hosrifaI
attendant arose at his coming and reported
that the patisn. had rot stirred.
Over az Graften's quarters. however, they
had 70 deal with less traetahle creature.
Fanny Mcrace had reused from her ssscan |
ard WAS nsrvousiy- excitaalr. frrstabiy
wide awake, Demanding actually 20 be al |
lowed % see Mr.. Merriam. Even Annette
was sent on. of the roam ana Mrs Grafton
tears ar! sruyers, her rerroaches and In
preoatons fell On hardened ears. Mrs.
Grafton was a3sna.t.
1T IL mad folly to talk Of srcn a thing.
Fanny" she replied 70 every assault, s'Mr
Merriam Is far toe severely injured to see
anybody, much less yoG. whs would i'm
perfume htrn for your cvn selfish PURPOSES.
Capfsia Grafton says TIE 6octor has sorbi5-
den hin 70 everybody. anS Re knows In
tire morning Captain Grafton viii see him
fo- voa. - the doc,o- WITH re--nit."
wherca; the ws1aw o-fv sse-r,eS the
rrare sas declared, WITH hySersn tears chs.
they were k-e7ing her away frcz, Randy
Merriam cut 90 sp!;e s-f hatred trst at the
rost critical time. '.He'u die. hen afs'
she cried. and carry mr. ons safeguard
with him TO the grave"
Scrsiy pusrief Mrs Grsfsar hss 70 fssve
her ores n while fer q few minutes A. a
tine {, consult her husband. who coaae fire.
c1sstfy b heard moving about the parIor
o. going quickly n arc out o. the hnssze
II was plain that Grafton was troubled
shcz. something besides Randy. and AZ III
O'clock the explanation came
Up 20 SHUTDOWN F8orenee-Nrx Merriam
hal rot eeea seen or heard OF at Jose's