The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-28

Together Dean and Fo.som rode back
to the ranch and another night was
spent there before the troop was SUI
ficiert4y rested to push on to Emory.
Remember this, lieutenant" said
Folsom again, as he pressed his hard
at parting, there's nothing too good
for you and &C. troop at my home.
If ever you need friend you'll find
one here"
And the time was coming when Mar
shall Dean would need all that he could
muster.
Two days later-still a march away
from Emory-a courier overlook him
with letter from his late post COM
mander: Your vigorous pursuit and
prompt, soldierly action have added to
the fine record already made and merit
hearty Communications" The cordial
words brought sunshine to his heart.
How proud Jess would be, and mother!
He had not had word from either for
over week. The latter, though Tar
from strong, was content at home in
the loving care of her sister, and in
the hope that he would soon obtain the
leave of absence so long anticipated,
and. after Jess brief visit to Pap
posses new home, would come to glad
den the eyes of kith and kin, but
mothers most of all, bringing Jess with
MIN. LllllG 1lODG VI ledNe VI opSCICC
was there now. and less was he the
man to ask it with such troubles loom
ing up all along the line of frontier
posts to the north. But at least there
would be the joy of seeing Jess in
few days and showing her his troop
her and Pappoose. How wonderfully
that little schoolgirl must have grown
and developed! How beautiful a girl
she must now be if that photograph
Hn++ nj DIV WI
was that photo? What had he done
with it? For the first time in four
days he remembered his picking it up
when Mrs. Hal Folsom collapsed at
sight of Jake's swooning. Down in the
depths of the side pocket of his heavy
blue flannel hunting shirt he found it,
crumpled bit. and all its lower left
hand corner bent and blackened and
crushed, Chaska's last shot that tore
it's way so close below the young SOL
dier's bounding heart, just nipping AMI
soaring the skin, had left it's worst
mark on that dainty carte de Visite.
In the same pocket. too, was another
packet-a letter which had been picked
up on the floor of the hut at Reno after
Burleigh left-one for which the major
had searched in vain. for it was under
meath lot of newspapers. "You take
that after him." said the cantonment
commander as Dean followed with the
troop next day, and little dreamed
what it contained.
That very day, in the heavy. old
fashioned sleeping cars of the Union
Pacific, two young girls were seated in
their section on the northward side.
One, a dark-eyed, radiant beauty.
gazed out over the desolate slopes and
far-reaching stretches of prairie and
distant lines of bald bluff. with delight
in her dancing eyes The other, a
winsome maid of nineteen, looked on
with mild wonderment, not unmiXed
with disappointment she would gladly
have hidden. To Elinor the scenes of
, her childhood were dear and welcome;
to Jessie there was too much that was
somber, too little that was inviting.
But presently, as the long train rolled
slowly to the platform of rude wood
en- station building, there came a sight
at which the eyes of both girls danced
in eager Interest," row of ga" tents
on the open prairie, a long line Of
horses tethered to the picket ropes,
groups of stalWart Sunburned men in
rough blue garb, a silken guidon flap
ping by the tents of the officers. It
was one. of half a dozen such camps
of detached troops they had been pass
ing ever since breakfast time-the
camps of isolated little commands
to Cheyenne. Papa. with one or two
old cronies, was playing told sledge"
in the smoking compartment. AT big
station a few miles back two men in
the uniform of officers boarded the car,
one of them burly, rotund, and sallow.
He was shown to the section just in
front of the girls. and at Pappoose he
stared-stared long and hard, so that
she hit her lin and turned nervr',slp