Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-09-18


about-about Lieut.. Dean. and 1 know
Mr.. Loomis did not like it, and Jes-
sic and I can't believe it. Father,
where is he? Why doesn't he come?
Why do these-these people at the
fort hem and haw and hesitate when
they speak about him? Jessie is
getting so troubled"
I'm getting troubled, daughter"
answered Folsom, impulsively 81
never met ikelier young fellow or
one that promised to make better
officer He may be all right, too, only
1T isn't SO much what they do say as
what they don't say that troubles me.
Burleigh here and old Stevens out at
the fort and one or two others I've
asked about him. Burleigh says he
lost his nerve when they met Red
Clouds big band. A boy might be ex-
| cused for that so long as he didn't
misbehave. 1t was big responsibility
for young lieutenant. But these
people. as you speak of them out at
the fort, really know very little about
Dean. Burleigh says he's in position
ehop SiidblSo lilll W huOW SD
more about the character and habits
of the young officers"
Surely he can say nothing against
| Mr.. Dean!" exclaimed Pappoose.
looking up with quick indignation in
her brown eyes. mo one knows how
good and generous he has been to
Jessie and his mother"
They were standing at the moment
in the corner of the library farthest
from the doorway. The front win
dows opened to the north, giving a
fine view of the rolling hills rising
higher and higher and looking down
upon the grass-grown slopes spread
out at their feet. criss-crossed and
traversed by hard-beaten roads and
trails Immediately in front of the
house Folsom had seeded and watered
and coaXed into semblance of a lawn
the best turf to be had in that sec
ton of Wyoming, and inclosed it in
O splck and span white picket fence,
The main road between the fort and
the railway station passed diSectly in
front of his gate. The side window
VI GllC SoLy loolh lOOhtu OuU 10 UnC
west over the valley of a rushing
stream, once rich in trout. but now
much infested by the mules from Bur-
leigh's corral, which lay half mile
away to the southeast, out of sight
OF folsom's house except from the up
per windows. Eager to stock the IL
brary with standard works against
his daughters coming, the old trader
had consulted friend among the Off
GERS and had sent a lavish order to
house in Chicago. Books, therefore,
were there in plenty on the handsome
| shelves, and they were not ill-chosen
| either, but it was Mrs. Fletcher who
pointed out how stiff and angular
i everything looked, who introduced the
easy lounge, the soft rugs, the heavy
hanging portieres of costly Navajo
blankets. 1t was her deft touch that
draped the curtains at the windows
| and softened and beautitied the lines
the hand of man would have left
crude and repellent. And that Ii
brary had been her favorite haunt.
but since the coming of the girls Mrs.
ElSUCuCl lldu SSGlnSu 10 IellIe 10 IeT
own room aloft, and to spend no time
! below stairs that was not demanded
| by her household duties. Now as the
| father and daughter were talking
earnestly together, they heard Mrs.
| Fletcher moving about overhead as
| though looking over the work of the
| housemaid. Jessie had gone to her
| own room to write short letter to
her mother. Maj. Burleigh was to
come at 1890 to drive them out TO
Pinnacle Butte, sharp, rocky height
far across the valley, from the sum-
nit of which a wonderful view was
| to be obtained. 1t lacked but five
minutes of the time and suddenly
Mrs. Fletcher's voice was heard on the
floor above. 1t was a well-modulated
voice, gentle and controlled, with a
clear, vibrant ring in it that made the
words distinctly audible to the hear
ers below.
"The majors carriage is coming up
the street, Miss Dean. There are two
officers"
'Two!" exclaimed Jess, starting to
her feet, thinking only of her brother.
ooh! / wonder if" And then they
! heard her go pit-a-pat through the hall
to the front of the house, heard Mrs.
Fletcher more deliberately follow,
heard presently the beat of horses
hoofs on the hard roadway, and the
whir of coming wheels. "I'll go out to
meet them, Elinor-Pll-I'll talk to you
more about this some other time. You
don't care to go on this ride this morn
ming one bit, do you, dear?" he added,
uneasily.
No, father; frankly, don't-but he
has been polite to you and attentive
to us. There's no help for it,"
And SO Folsom went alone to the
door to meet his visitors on the porch
without, and did not hear did not see
Mrs. Fletcher, who came hastily down
the stairs, her face singularly pale, a
glitter of excitement in her eyes. On
tiptoe she fastened along the broad
hall, reaching the library door just as
Folsom stepped out on the porch. On
tiptoe she darted in, closed the door be-
hind her, almost rushed to the north