Arizona republican., 1898-03-29
{Oontinued From Yesterday.)

''Why, you look as though you'd had a worse tussie than I, captain,'' he laughed painfully, as he held out his hand. How is Florence? It hasn't frightened her much, has it? I hope Mrs. Haynes been with her.'
 ''She's been a good deal troubled. of course" answered Grafton, gravely, "but-but Mrs. Hayne is-bringing her round all right, I think. How are you, old man? You did have a ridel''
 But now Randy was peering out along the row-their own TOW. Women were to be seen here and there along tie verandas, gazing sympathetically toward the slowly moving party, but no feminine form was visible on the piazza of his little home.
 Better lie back, Mir. Merriam" urged the doctor. 'Try to make Lim do so.', he murmured to Grafton. We've got to get him quiet in his room before we let him know anything" Already the anxious young physician had been told that Mrs. Merriam was probably 50 Dmiles away, and his soul was wrung at the thought of what that would mean to his patient.
 'Yes, lie down, Randy, till we get you indoors urged Grafton. "We've had to put up game on Mrs. Randy-(God forgive me the lie" he prayed). "Know- ing how anxious you were and we were lest she should be shocked, we-kept her away. Mrs. Hayne and Dr. Gould are looking out for her. She's not to be allowed to come near you till we get you safe and sound and bathed and all fixed up in bed. Of course we know now, Randy-we didn't before, but Mrs Hayne had to tell my wife how careful we have to be of her-now, and really. old boy, she oughtn't to see you till you're washed and dressed. You look tough, Randy"
 And though the face he longed to set as they bore him up the steps was miles and miles away. Merriam stified his owr disappointment and bravely thanked them. God bless you and Mrs. Graf ton! That was indeed thoughtful of you, old boy" he gasped. for pain was wrenching him, and he gave a long, long sigh of relief when at last he was lifted from the stretcher to a bed in the spare room.
 But that sigh was faint whisper az compared with the long, long breatE that Grafton drew, as he sat him dowr in the adjoining room and mopped his streaming forehead.
 Col. Buxton and others-all the off cers, almost-felt bound to come to the house between stables and retreat, jus. to see how Randy was getting on, bu, the answer was the same to one and all No one was to be admitted. for the doc tor was trying to get him to sleep"
 And surely enough, Eathed. re freshed. his arm set and dressed. Randy soc1 found himself slowed away in :: seIt, white bed, but oh. so weak ana drowsy after all the labor of the chast and the long, long day of racllirg pain They were to bring Florence to him now, his wife, his darling, i-lpatienti, waiting for the summons. as he thoughl her, at Mrs. Haynes, and he wa: stretching out his arms to her-his one available arm, rather. and fondly mur- muring her name, when the weary eye lids closed and, numb and impotent, he drifted away into deep, deep slumber.
 "There," said the doctor, at last, "hell do now.''
 "Aye," murmured Grafton, ''but what will the waking be if there's no Flor ence here tomorrow"
 That was an anxious night at Sedg- wick. Merriam slept like the dead, and twice the young doctor feared it miCll' be necessary to rouse him, thinking bot r1 hab boI of his hypodermic syringe with to heavy charge. But so long as Randl was ignorant of his wife's mad esca- pade he would have slept through shee. exhaustion and weariness, and his phy- sician need not have troubled himself Twice Grafton tiptoed in, and the hos pital attendant arose at his coming and reported that the patient had no1 stirred.
 Over at Grafton's quarters, however they had to deal with a less tractablc creature. Fanny McLane had reused from her swoon and was nervously, eX citably, irritably wide awake, de manding actually to be allowed to set Nr- Merriam. Even Annette was sen out Of the room and Mrs. Grafton hat her friend and guest to herself, and he tears and prayers, her reproaches and imprecations fell on hardened ears Mrs. Grafton was adamant.
 Tt is mad folly to talk of such thing, Fanny" she replied to every as sauIt. Mir Merriam is far too serious ly injured to see anybody, much less you, who would importune him for your own selfish purposes. Capt. Grafton says the doctor has forbidden him to everybody, and he knows. In the morn ing Capt. Grafton will see him for you, ii the doctor will permit
 Whereat the widow only stormed the more and declared, with hysteric tears, that they were keeping her away from Randy Merriam out of spite and hatred just at the most critical time. Hell Gie, he'll die," she cried, "and carry my one safeguard with him to the gravel
 SOreIy D1izz ed Mrs Grafton had to