The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-03-07
CHAPTER l.

CHAPTER I.
Captain Turner had been up since frs
call for reveille, had spent shiveriDt
hour at his troop stables, had trampet
through the snow from the creek valley
up past the long line Of ramshacklt
sheds that defaced the east front of thu
original Fort Russell. had declined thu
invitation of some of the old stagers ant
young plungers Of his regiment tt
"come in and have something" at thu
traders store by the gate, had plodded
thoughtfully on to his own quarters
some distance up the row, mad had hi
bath and changed his stable garb for thu
best undress uniform he owned and wal
now waiting somewhat impatiently fol
breakfast. The Cheyenne Leader had
little in tho way Of telegraphio news,
and its local gossip failed to interest
him. He tossed it aside and after look
into the little dining room, where the
breakfast table was set for two, began
pacing slowly up and down the tiny
parlor five PAGES one way and five back.
Occasionally be would cast glance up
ward and listen for sounds of movement
aloft. but none rewarded his attention.
Presently he went to the window and.
throwing aside the curtains, gazed
gloomily out upon the snow covered
parade. Over across the barren, wind
swept level, bordered by its row Of leaf
less, desolate, STRIPPING oottonwoods,
quivering in the rising breeze, the un-
slightly brown barracks were echeloned,
their gable ends to the north and south,
with the wooden tower, the official
home Of the officer of the guard, and be-
hind it the dun colored walls Of the
guardhouse, filling the gap at the oppo-
site angle of the diamond shaped quad
rilateral.
Here and there along the parade lay
bare, unsightly patches Of dead gray
buffalo grass, where the wintry gales
had swept away the falling snow, only
to whirl it into deep drifts about the
barracks. Beyond the rough wooden one
story buildings that framed the road
way bounding the parade the snowy
slopes dipped out Of sight into the val
ley Of the Grow, only to reappear half
a mile beyond, defaced with the same
broad gray patches and streaked with
jagged lines Of fleecy white where the
snow lay fathoms deep in the ravines
and coulees. Beyond them all, 100 miles
to the south, cold. remote and majestic,
lowered the peaks and domes Of the
Rockies, dazzling when the morning
sun shone, but ropellent and frowning
now that his face was hid behind o
dense veil Of cloud that was drawn
athwart the heavens. The scene was
dreary in the last degree Only about
the guardhouse was there sign Of life
and action, for in the intense cold the
troopers Rugged the comfort Of their
barracks and huddled about the redhot
stoves. The captains face. somber and
melancholy, yet a refined, clear cut
handsome face withal, seemed to take
on an additional shade of gloom as he
stood there, lonely and silent, drum
ming on tho window panes with his
finger tips. Through the thin partition
in the party wall Of wood that separat.
cd his soldier home from that Of Captain
Wayne next door came the sound Of
CHEEKY voices, Of joyous laughter and
childish glee. Turner sighed heavily as
he took out his watch, glanced at it and
turned impatiently. Even as he left the
window trumpeter, muff1ed In heavy
overcoat, came briskly out from the ad-
jutant's office and sounded first call for
guard mounting, whereat the captain
strobe through the dining room and
poked his head into the kitchen beyond.
MORA" he said, "be 80 kind as to
run up and tell Mrs. Turner not to hur-
ry If she's tired, but that I'm on n gar
rison court this morning and must have
my breakfast at once"
Wiping her hands on her apron, the
Irish maid of all work proceeded Oh
her mission. She was back in mo-
ment. 1.-THE missus says not to wait.
She'll be down directly" was her re-
port.
Every we'll. Bring me whatever is
ready" said Turner briefly and sat him
down at the table.
There had been lively hop the night
before, and joy was unconfned. A dozen
pleasant people had driven out from
Cheyenne The music was capital. Hall
q dozen young officers from other posts
were visiting at Russell. Half dozen
young ladies from the distant east were
visiting relatives and friends among the
officers families in the garrison. Many
Of the ladies of the til cavalry were
charming "sooiety" women, many were
pretty and attractive, several were
and able to display stunning
toilets, and nearly all were graceful and
accomplished dancers. AS a consequence
anywhere from 80 to 40 couples were to
be seen on the polished floor Of the hop.
room, and visiting officers from other
regiments promptly owned that when it
Dame to "hopping" the -th could put
up the prettisst dance in the army.
And hops were things Mrs. Turner
dearly loved. Ten years the junior Of
1er solemn looking spouse, she had mar
red when only 10, had never borne him
'on or daughter, had been with the regi-
nent in the south just after the great
war, in Nebraska when they were
guarding the track layers Of the Union
Pacific, in Arizona during that four
7ears exile, in Kansas on their return
md was now facing, with the sister.
food, the skin searching Wyoming
,lizzards, and bemoaning when alone
With her lord the horrid effect of the
lazzling suns and blasting gales upon
Ter once peachlike complexion. Among
her garrison and Cheyenne intimates
md acquaintance however, Fanny
Turner had no such admission to make.
She could not help seeing, she said, the
havoc played with the cuticle of the
,ther ladies. Even their bride, the love-
y blond, Mrs. Billy Ray, had COM
,letely lost, said Mrs Turner, the deli
ate bloom and softness Of her fair
white skin. but as for me-" she con-
inued, II declare it seems to make no
Inference whatever.
Certainly, under the light of the
amps and candles Of the hoproom, her
seemed as peachy as on her