Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1899-04-15
CHAPTER XIf.-CoNTINUED.


cnce rushed through the dining-room
10 the dark kitchen beyond and raped
imperiously at door. FLOP Ling!"
she cried, "up, need YOU" No an
swer. "The BRUTE" she murmured to
herself, rs she threw herself heavily
upon the door, and 1t few open and
plunged her in. The Chinaman's little
sanctum was deserted. She kept no
maid. One schooled Chinaman easily
and efficiently did all the homework OF
lieutenant's humble quarters and was
generally employed in that capacity in
almost every garrison OF the fur west.
She flew to the rear door and locked
that, then up to the second story where
were the pretty guestrooms as well as
their own-bers and Rnndy's, with oil
their closets and hooks and corners.
She took one rapid survey through
them, and then one fierce, wild look ut
herself In the mirror OF her dainty
dressing table. Are you Floy IRE
maine? Are you the little girl who was
reared in the Riflcrs? Are you TO make
n lifelong fool for any man? And rs
she spoke she began TO open the dress
she had been wearing for Randy's ben
eft. The folds Of the stylish skirt, one
OF Mrs. Haynes planning when In Chi
cago, were tossed in reckless disorder
upon the snowy coverlet Of the bed, and
her precious locket-Randy's locket-
was as suddenly unclasped from the
round, white throat, and in the tumult
In her soul she heard no sound Of the
sudden stir and sortie Mt the guard
house. She never knew that there was
no sentry faithful to his watch along
the rear of officers row, to take up and
pass on the stirring, reassuring cry that
no army girl can hear without rejoicing
or miss without alarm-"Two o'clock
and all's WELL"
The dawn was Breaking over the far
Tornado and turning the distant Quad
aloupe into gold when the Riflers rolled
gway-ofiicers and men, BARRING the
band and company Ike Thy war de-
partment orders q few years ago COM
panies ~" and 'K" OF each regiment Of
infantry were "skeletonized" by trans
fer of their men to other companies,
leaving those two merely paper COM
mands. Just as go. Q" has been for
years the derisiye title Of the guard
house prisoners, so does "Co Ike" be-
gin to appear as n name for the be-
reaved and friendless commands re-
ferred tol at Sedgwick," as the cavalry
trumpeter remarked to the gunner
when they were going out to stir the
echoes with their reveille; only these at
Sedgwick, and one stalwart old captain
with his devoted half-hundred, IRE
maire, still doing duty at the canton
ment-fond, lonely old father, whose
heart was wrapped up in that one child,
yet could not deny her to the man she
loved so well. Sedgwick was Begin
ming TO yawn and stir. The night owls
in the canyons were hooting back to
their nests, dismayed By the howlings
Of the human night owls lacking home
to duty. already half regrctful OF the
whisky wasted, while before them was
that remorseless wrath to come. The
cooks were astir In the barracks, and
filmy smoke-yeils were sailing straight
aloft from the chimneys Of half dozen
company Kitchens. Already, too, the
household servants along the row Of
cavalry officers quarters. that which
backed to the south. were lighting their
little morning blazes, for Sedgwick lay
beyond range and anthracite. In the
good old days Of 20 years before, the
cocktail. not coffee, was the necessary
prelude to reveiile and morning stables.
Now, with the wisdom that comes long
after war, only case-hardened, handy
legged old dragons ever dreamed Of
drink at that hour Of leap from sleep
to life; the inner cavalryman cravesthe
Juice OF Mocha and mocks at rye. From
every "set" Of cavalry quarters then the
kitchen chimney sent aloft Its feathery
plume, with one exceptions sub
nItern's house well over toward the
western end Of the row; and toward
the gate thereof, edging away from the
ribald homeward-bouud Of the main
road and shutting stolidly across the
mesa. Hop Ling was making his rapid
way. Fan-tan had gone against him,
and but for his hands his pockets were
empty. Hop bore with him an air Of
depression, and was followed by faint
fragrance as ofmandfagura. His hleary
title eyes were searching furtlvsly
long that line Of fence and stables Tor