Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-10-13

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There tp1s the print of cavalry boots.
studied it carefully-there was the
print of cavalry boots going in and
coming out again. Whoever was bis
predecessor, he had more curiosity than
the captain. Charlton had seen prairie
"dugout" forts before and did not care
to waste time now.
CHAPTER <
IN SUSPENSE
Returning to the open sunshine, he
made the circuit Of the house, and on
the north side stopped and studied with
an interest he had not felt before. A
stout post was still standing on that
side, and to the post cavalry horse
had been tethered within two days and
stood there long enough to paw and
trample the gravel all.around it Charl-
ton was oavalryman enough to read In
every sign that the steed had been most
unwillingly detained. In evident i'm
patience he had twisted twice and again
around that stubborn, bullet SCARED
stump, and the troop commander could
almost see him, paving vigorously.
Juggling at his "halter shank" and
plunging about his hated but relentless
jailer, and neighing loudly in hopes of
calling back his departing friends
Charlton felt sure that as the troop rode
away some one Of the men had remained
here some little time.
A hundred yards across the prairie
was the double file" trail Of the de-
taohment on its straight line for the
ridge, and here, only little distance
out, we're the hoof prints Of troop horse
both coming and going. Even more in
terested now, the captain went some
distance out across the prairie, and still
he found them. Leaving the hut and
following to overtake the troop, the
horse had instantly taken the gallop
The prints settled that But what struck
Captain Charlton as strange was that
the other tracks, those which were made
by the same horse in coming to the hut,
were still to be found far out toward
the northeast. 1t was evident, then,
that the rider had not turned back from
the command until 1t had marched
some distance from the Niobrara; that
be had not gone back to the bank where
they had been in camp, as would have
been the case had he lost or left some
thing behind. but had come here to this
abandoned hovel southeast Of the trail
Now, what did that meanf One other
thing the captain did not fail to note
that horse had cast shoe
Late as it was when he reached the
camp on White river that night-after
midnight, as it proved-Charlton found
his young lieutenant up and anxiously
awaiting him. When the horses had all
been cared for and the two officers were
alone near their tents, almost the first
question asked by the captain was:
did you give any man permission to
ride back after you left the Niobrara
Friday morning?"
"No, SIR" answered Blunt in some
surprise mo one asked, and every man
was in his place when we made our first
halt"
Immediately after reveille on Sunday
morning, good hour before the sun
was high enough to peep over the tall
white crags to the east Of the little
camp, the two officers were out at the
line, experimenting the grooming OF
the horses Fifty men were now present
for duty, and 30 active steeds were
tethered there at the picket rope, nip
ping at each others noses or nibbling at
the rope itself and pricking up their
ears as the captain stopped to pat or to
speak to one after another Of his pets
Always particularly careful of his
horses. Captain Charlton on this bright
sunshiny morning was noting especially
the condition of their feet Every one
of those 200 hoofs was keenly scruti-
nized as he passed along the line But
there was nothing unusual In this. He
never let a week 20 by without it.
"You seem to have had number
reshod within the last few hours, SER
geant," he said to Graham as he
stopped at the end Of the line.
"Yes, sir, looked them all over yes
terday morning. Every shoe is snug
and ready now in case we have to go
out. Seven horses were reshod yester-
day, and over 30 had the old shoes
tackled on. 3"
Grooming over, each trooper vaulted
on to the bare back of his horse and
rode In orderly column down to the
running stream, and still Charlton
stood there, silently watching his men
and noting the condition Of their steeds.
Blunt was bustling about his duties,
every now and then looking over at his
soldiery captain. Something told him
that the troop commander had made a
discovery or two that had set him to
thinking He was even more silent
than usual.
At 2 o'clock, after refreshing dip
In q pool under the willows close at
hand, the two officers were seated on
their camp stools and breakfasting at
the lid Of the mess chest. Over among
the brown buildings Of the post, half a
mile away, the bugles were sounding
mess call, and the infantry people were