Arizona republican., 1898-03-04
(Oontinued From Yesterday.)


 Meantime the culprit officer himself had been carefully lifted into the doc tors buggy, and with that excellent practitioner was enjoying drive. The one thing Wells could not understand was that. t.while his patient rapidly gained in health, flesh and appetite, he seemed so to droop in spirits. Not one word had he been told of Merriam's broken en- gagement, beyond what Mrs. Tremaine had imparted. and she could give but scanty information. Merriam was grateful for all the care and attention lavished upon him, grateful for return ing strength, for sunshine, fresh air, and the brisk drive along the shores of the winding Catamount, but Merriam was silent, smiled but seldom, and laughed not at all. Merriam was plain 1y troubled, and that night, when Mrs. Tremaine asked her friend, the doctor, how his patient enjoyed the drive, that gentleman replied that if it did him good he gave no sign. q believe" said he, that Merriam's in love, and that's why I cannot understand his eager ness to get back to his troop" And the mother leaped with hope. She, too. had had other plans for Florence than that she should marry a subaltern officer; but if by chance F9oy had chosen for herself and fallen in love with one, it cotld not have been without some per suasion, some pleading on his part. It must be that he was the first to love and to plainly show it.
 That night Florence was very quiet. She read aloud to her father, as was her custom, and chung to him as he kissed her goodnight. Merriam had gone early to his room, as though fatigued by the drive or rendered drowsy by the unaccustomed motion in the air. Some where about three in the morning there was an unusual sound of voices in eX- cited talk near the guardhouse, and -Tremaine awoke and was dressing hur- riedly, when rapid steps came up the walk, and the sergeant of the guard, with a dust-covered courier, stood at his door: They bore note from Whit taker. A serious row had occurred be- tween some of the troop and party of miners and prospectors who had been camping near them for three days. Pistols were drawn, with the result that one miner was killed, two troop CTS and one prospector were seriously, perhaps p-ortaIy, wounded, and sev- eral others were injured. Could Dr. Wells come out to them at once for a few hours, at least, and was Merriam able to ride? The young prospector who was so seriously wounded had begged to see him, as he had important Information for him. and bade them tell MT. Merriam that his name was McLane, son of the man who was about to marry Miss Hayward. A pen clled note in a closed envelope accom- panied the verbal messag ge for Merriam.
 Florence, listening at her half-open door as the captain read Whittaker's dispatch aloud to her mother. shrank back to her bedside, covered her face with her hands and sank to her knees. 1t was thus she was found few mo- ments later. Merriam, aroused by the unaccustosned sounds, had lighted his candle and, partially dressed, came forth into the broad hallway of the Soiii AAAdiiulliS OHlCeI $ QudrlorS, dnG Tremaine met and gave him the mes sage and the note, which latter Randy tore open and read with staring eyes. For a moment he stood confcunded then turned sharply to Tremairie: Now, sir, I've got to go. and go at once when Wells does,'' then turned and hurried to his room.
 The captain himself aroused his post surgeon, told him the news, and bade him see and quiet Merriam as soon as possible. The dawn was breaking. and -tstre rosy light was in the eastern sky when the doctor reached his patient. finding him fully dressed and rapidly slowing in his saddle-bags the simple articles of a soldiers toilet
 ''This won't do, Randy. You're not fit to stir," said he. But his determina- ton oozed when Merriam, with white face, turned and said:
 More than my life's at stake here, doctor-it's a woman's honor, and I'm going, live or die'