The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1896-09-05

was short and fat, and both were IN
usul.ly impressed with Howland's stat
ure.
~E-e-eh.- commenced the command
ing officer. and dog-eared the legal-eap
document and Strengthened it out again.
I'm. Howland2r'
well, sir"
-Nhy-eh. I've got to ask yon q
denced unpleasant thing, Rowland
4 will try to answer it, major
Not a question. not question It's
something I've got to ask you 10 do.
and. b. Jovp. I'd rather Be shot
Anything can do for you shall be
mos; happy 10 do
See here. Everybody is sick or
away. and Tn so old and fat. and Briggs
5 Just cut Of q fever and hardly able
70 stand. you know, and some one has
got to 60 up TO the agency and quiet
fuss among thu bucks about the beef
issue Whoever goes has got to &c now
ard get there in a hurry. | suppose l
might attempt il, l suppose | might;
hut I'd make a mess Of the business !
cant manage those bucks. l lose nv
temper too fast and then Tn 50 fat"
said the major, sadly. Briggs insists
upon going. but you see he shouldn'ti
won'i low him to. Don't yOu see how
j Is? There's only you available
Certainly. sir"
I've got 70 ask you to do it TO pre-
vent a lot Of trouble. know you are
going 10 be married tomorrow. and it's
The nest disagreeable thing I ever had
10 do. to send you away to-day But
ron see how il is2- he reiterated.
of course. 1 see sir; and I'll go-7ot
exactly with pIeasure-but still. I'll 60.
] can get hack BY noon to-mOrrow-and
thst'll give me time 10 shave and dress"
Re added, with 4 grim smile.
They discussed the matter at some
length. and Rowland went to get on his
scouting clothes for the long. hot ride
through dust as drying and choking as
-four. ard TO say gOod-ly TO Capt Trow-
bridges youngest daughter.
Like the princess of fairy lore. she
vas as good as she was beautiful. and
had light hair and brown eyes. and
dimples. AMI elinging feminine ways.
Rowland was badly in love: had been
for several years. out many things had
happened to prevent his marriage. At
first he had had a mother and sister TO
support on a second lieutenant's pay:
then his sister had married and his
mother had died. so his fortune was all
his own; but at that time Doris Trow-
bridge vas engaged to marry another
man.
When she found that she cared more
for Rowland than for her fiance she
broke the engagement, and was meek.
and fearful. and ashamed of herself for
a month. until she and Rowland ar
ranged things satisfactorily between
them. They were to have been married
six months before, but Rowland was
ordered of on a scout; and three months
after that she had been at the point of
death; so now, though the season was
unpropitious. they had determined to
take time by the forelock, make the
most of the chance visit of clergyman
and be married in the middle of July.
At this juncture Rowland was being
sent away, and he grew desperate.
Nevertheless. he said good-by to lit
tie Miss Trowbridge with exemplary
calmness, and was more careful than
she not to show depreAsios.
You'll come back. surely,won't your"
she begged.
''Of course ] will. goosey. Don't l go
to the agency on an average of twice
month nearly all the time?"
Il know. But some way this seems
different"
Rowland agreed with her. but he
laughed at her for all that.
Its Ike the legend Of Sir Olof, isn't
it2 lie went away the night before he
was to be married, and an erl maiden
made him die"
There's nothing so fascinating as an
erl maiden at the agency, more's The
pity" hc told her.
Then he went and rode off under the
scorching sun in a cloud of dust. two
soldiers behind him and all we'll mount
ed
Tx EiIl " aAtutG hAlll 'itlAll she f'Oulu
see him no longer. and went back into
the tent to sit with a white face and
closed lips ard dry eyes. looking at the
sands of the parade-ground.
Rowland held long council with the
chiefs, and very nearly succeeded in
settling the difficulties before uig1tfalL
They talked, sitting under shelter Of
willow sticks and branches. There was
half-cured ox-hide on the ground
upon which they squatted.
Two Of the Indians played monte with
a pack of grotesque rawhide cards, and
one Whitfield a stick for an arrow shaft
7 hey liked Rowland, and they trusted
him. This was known, so missions of
the sort usually fell TO him. He talked
now and waxed very eloquent. nnd the
chiefs grunted as the interpreter trans
lated. They were almost won TO him,
4 but they postponed their decision until
they should have time to talk matters
yer, so they babe him return after
dark Rowland went away. after hay-
ing given the daughter of one of the
bucks bright handkerchief and having
said few words to her out of his scanty
: ocabulary. The girl looked at him in