Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1899-04-15
tsring arms at the old csntonment
now her only hope Of home.
CHAPTER KIN.


sNo word Of this TO anyone, Whit
taker," said Grafton, a. they turned
away. He was beginning to see through
Il all. He knew that two ladies Of the
garrison were calling at his quarters
Just at that luckless hour near retreat,
when, as he had urged, Merriam went
thither and asked for Mrs. McLane. He
knew that they had left and gone on up
the row while his wife was expostulat-
Ing with Fanny aloft and Randy was
waiting below. He knew that one ut
least Of their number would be sure to
tell what was occurring, not as q mat
ter of malice by any means, but simply
because she couldn't help telling any
thing and everything that she saw and
heard. He knew that sympathizing
women were dropping In every few
minutes to see "dear Florrie" herself,
II 4 possible thing, or to inquire how
she was, and he quickly conjectured
that one or more of these visitors had
let fall the fatal observation. What
Grafton did not know was that such
visitation had befallen after Florence
had virtually asked Randy to tell where
he had been, and after his hapless fail.
ure to explain Immediately the entire
circumstances. 1t reused the demon
of her passionate nature to be told the
truth by other lips than his. But this
In itself, reasoned Grafton, was not
enough to drive Florence into flight.
She must have watched for his later
coming, must have seen him go-oh,
fatal step! for which he, George Graf
ton, and no one else, was responsiblel
away from the path that led to his
wife and home, straight to that which
bore him to the side Of the woman he
had loved before ever he set eyes on
Floy Tremaine. And thither she, per-
chance, had followed; but there-what
had she seen?-what had she heard ?
There were aching hearts in many
households at Sedgwick that cloudless
morning. but the man who suffered
most was Grafton. The whole truth
flashed upon him as he followed the
prints of Mignon's nimble hoof. He
would have to tell his wife and Mrs.
Hayne, but no one else.
mo word Of this to anyone, Whit
taker," therefore he cautioned, with O
sigh.
swell, I'm not all asinine," was that
troubled subaltern's reply, though l
dare say you've thought me so of late"
God forbid that l should Judge any
man." thought Grafton to himself,
"after what I've done this past night"
Harriet Grafton was greatly shocked
when told her husbands fears, and did
not altogether meekly accept his eau
tion to keep the secret from Fanny,
who still slept the sleep Of the innocent
and virtuous and clear Of conscience.
Hop Ling had been told to 60 indoors,
put all the rooms to rights, have the
breakfast table set, and breakfast pre-
pared rs usual, and he wondered but
obeyed. Mrs. Hayne was speedily
aroused by the announcement that Mrs.
Grafton was below, and was well aware
that something extraordinary had &C.
CURED TO warrant Gull at SO early an
hour. Even the children. wearied after
last nights vigil. were still asleep. Dom
ming wrapper, she FASTENED out on the
landing and softly called over the bal
listers: 81 know you have news for me,
Mrs. Grafton, please come up"
And In the telling Of her tidings, was 1t
any wonder that the younger matron
burst into tears?
Eve must try to make II seem that
she has ridden off at dawn in hopes Of
meeting Randy on his return with the
prisoners" was Mrs. Haynes decision.
after she had recovered from the shock
and had heard the whole story; and
this commended itself to Grafton as
wise when his wife came back to him
and he had returned from the never-to-
be-neglected morning stables" And
this too was what they intended at first
to say to Merriam when he should come
In, rayenous for breakfast and aston
ished at not finding his wife. hut high
noon came and brought no Randy. In
the words OF the acting adjutant, high
noon brought only high jinks.
Crane, officer of the day, and q dozen
other officers had seen Hop Ling's
frantic charge across the parade ut
reveille, and numbers Of mon had heard
his announcement Of the general hegira
ut Merriam's. Before guard mounting
Il was known that Mignon's trail led
straight away to the upper fords Of the
Santa Clara-far from the direction In
which Randy had gone. Atten herds
man came in who said he "reckoned the
lady must have dropped this" He saw
her riding like the wind the short cut
for Jose's ranch on the old Navajo trail,
and he handed over poor Florrie's little
travelling bag, which she had evidently
strapped to her saddle, never calculate
ing-perhaps never caring-what the
strain might be, never missing II when
1t was gone. They sentit to Mrs. Hayne,
who could no longer keep up her brave
face but sobbed over II as would q moth
err over some priced relic Of lost and
beloved child.
Then Bux ordered out three Of his
swiftest trailers and riders andthe best
light wagon at the post. With the wag-
on went the post surgeon and Mrs.
Hayne, who left her brood to o neighbours
care. They took with them such drugs
and restoratives rs seemed necessary,
and at noon they were across the Santa
Clara on the road to the cantonment, ex-
pecting to reach Jose's by nightfall and
find their runaway darling there, ex-
hausted by her long hours In saddle and
compelled TO stay under that friendly
shelter, Us sometimes with her father
and twice ut least With Randy she had
stayed on her JOURNEYS to and fro.