Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-08-25
CHAPTER I.

Captain Turner had been up since first
call FOR reveille, had spent shivering
hour at his troop stables had tramped
through the snow from the creek valley
up past the long line of ramshackle
sheds that defaced the east front of the
original Fort Russell, had declined the
Invitation of some of the old stagers and
young plungers of his regiment to
come IN and have something &C the
traders store by the gate, had plodded
thoughtfully on to his own quarters
some distance up the row, had had his
bath and changed his stable garb for the
best undress uniform he owned and was
now waiting somewhat impatiently for
breakfast. The Cheyenne Leader had
little in the way of Geographic 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 he 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 cottonwoods,
quivering in the rising breeze, the I'M
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
mile beyond, defaced with the same
broad gray patches and streaked with
jagged lines Of feeoy 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 repellent and frowning
now that his face was hid behind
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 captain 8 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 the 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
be took out his watch, glanced at it and
turned impatiently Even as he left the
window trumpeter, muffled 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.
Nora, he said, "be so kind as to
run up and tell Mrs. Turner not to hur-
ry if she's tired, but that I'm on 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 on
her mission. She was back in mo-
ment. "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 uncontined. A dozen
pleasant people had driven out frou
Cheyenne. The music was capital Half
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 -th cavalry were
charming society" women, many We're
pretty and attractive, several We're
wealthy and able to display stunning
toilets, and nearly all were graceful and
accomplished dancers. AS consequence
anywhere from 80 to 40 couples We're to
be seen on the polished floor of the hop
room, and visiting officers from other
regiments promptly owned that when it
came to hopping" the --th could put
up the prettiest dance in the army
And hops were things Mrs Turner
dearly ]5ved. Ten years the junior of
her solemn looking spouse, she had mar
ried when only IS, had never borne him
son or daughter, had been with the regi,
ment 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
years exile, in Kansas on their return
and was now facjpo with tho SiStar