Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-10-20
CHAPTER VIII.

CHAPTER VIII.
The doctor came away from Ronald
Maynard's room that evening puzzled
man. He was not the most astute prac-
titioner in the service. Of the three
"medicos" employed at the post two
were in the field with the battalions Of
Barry and Stannard, and the third-we
need not give his name-remained to
look after the women and children, the
band and noncombatants and the in
fantry guard sent over from Steele.
He was a good, conscientious young
man. He had found the lieutenant SO
much improved two days before that he
advised his sitting out on the porch and
summing himself and was surprised at
the result of his experiment. Maynard
said the sight of the faraway snowcaps
of the peaks only made him mad with
eagerness to get into saddle and away
to join his friends in the field. So if
they couldn't let him go to the regi-
ment there was no use of his getting
worse by fretting out of doors.
Maynard was distinctly and agrees
sively i'll tempered in his remarks,
thought the doctor, and ought therefore
to be getting we'll, but he was not as
we'll by several degrees as he had been
three days before, and for the life of
him the doctor couldn't say what had
gone amiss until coming down into that
self same evening sunshine he found
Mrs. Turner and Miss Maynard with
their heads close together-so close that
they could only find time for very per-
functory greeting to Mrs. Raymond,
who had just gone by, but who sprang
up quickly enough at his appearance on
the piazza with Mrs Stannard by his
side, and as he looked at Fanny Turner S
now coquettishly smiling face the little
medico's eyes were suddenly enlighten-
ed. He was married man, it is per-
haps unnecessary to say, and therefore
had more comprehensive knowledge Of
the personal characteristics of the ladies
at the post than could ever have been
acquired as bachelor. He, in common
with every man and woman, had noted
the rapid growth of Ronald Maynard s
devotions to Miss Baird, their equally
sudden cessation, and he, too, had heard
and pished and pshawed and poohpooh-
ed the rapidly circulated stories about
her meetings with the mysterious man.
You might as we'll tell me that Mrs.
Barry was out flirting with stranger
now that the majors gone, said he to
his spouse in somewhat wrathful tone.
If ever girl was truth and purity
personifed. It's that Miss Baird" But
he, too, was nonplused and silenced
when the wife of his bosom declared ::
Well, I'm not telling you alone what
I've heard, but what I've seen. Our
spare room windows look out over the
prairie back of the hospital, and I've
seen her meet a man away out there. !"
The doctor was heard to express wish
that the spare room was in Halifax for
all the good it did them, but that didn t
help matters. 1t was something in the
faces of the two women-Miss Maynard
grave and anxious. Mrs. Turner coquet-
tishly smiling-that gave him a clew
to his patients feverish pulse and lack
luster eys. Mrs Turner, as has been
said, could rob woman of her reputa-
tion and receive her with open arms al
mOSG III Cu6 same instant.
Mrs. Stannard had been writing to
her major in quiet corner, while the
newly made intimates were busy out
side. She had intended waylaying the
doctor as he came down stairs, in order
that Stannard might have the latest
bulletin as to the patient, but so alb
sorbed. had she become in telling
Luce" the home news and so slowly
and quietly did he descend the stair
that she never heard him until the
opening of the outer door aroused her,
and she had just time to catch him on
the pouch.
The little man looked badgered as the
three surrounded him. Maynard ism t
as we'll as he ought to be-" was, how
ever, his downright reply. Ellis wound
is doing we'll, but he isn't. That's all
there is to be said about it, except
and here he looked intently first at the
sister, then at the sisters new found
friend" except that just now nothing
Of worrying or disturbing character
should be allowed to reach him. 1t is
bad enough that he should be fretting
SO to get to the regiment Oh, you'll all
have letters tomorrow, Mrs. Stannard,
he continued, 'tfor we heard that the
major crossed at North Platte today"
II was just writing to him, hoping
to intercept him there" she replied,
but couriers will undoubtedly be sent
after them, will they not? Have you
heard where Major Barry was likely to
strike the railway? The Indians must be
far ahead now.
$50 far that can see no chance of
our people coming up with them unless
they go to Sleep said the doctor
CHOW I've said nothing of their cross
ing to Maynard. I want him kept quiet
tonight if possible. I'll be back by and
by And with those parting injunc-
tions the doctor took his leave, and
Mrs. Stannard, after courteous word
or two with her guests, left them to-
gether and returned 70 her desk.
But up aloft in his oozy room Mr..
Maynard was not resting at all. Despite
his stout declaration that he did not be-
lieve and would not believe word said
at the expense of Nathalie Baird, deep