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

lgan pacing his Office with impatient
stride. A clerk glanced quickly up
from his desk, watched him one. mo-
ment with attentive eye, and looked
significantly at his neighbor. "Old
mans getting worse ratified every
| day" was the comment, as the crash
of wheels through loose gravel an
| nounced the coming of the buggy,
and Burleigh fastened out, labored
into his seat, and took the whip and
reins. The blooded mare in the
shafts darted forward at the in
slant, but he gathered and drew her
in. the nervous creature almost set
Ting on her launches.
Say to Capt Newhall when he gets
back-that I'll see him this evening"
called Burleigh over his shoulder.
"Now, damn you, go-if you want
tot" and the lash fell on the glisten-
ing. quivering flank, and with her
head pointed for the hard, open prai-
RE, the pretty creature sped like mad
over the smooth roadway and whirled
the light buggy out past the scattered
wooden tenements of the exterior
| limits of the frontier town-the tall
white staff, tipped by its patch of
color Tapping in the mountain breeze,
and the dingy wooden buildings on
the distant bluff whirling into view
as he spun around the corner where
the village lost itself in the prairie;
and there, long reaches ahead of him,
just winding up the ascent to the
post was a stylish team and trap.
John Folsom and the girls had taken
an early start and got ahead of him.
Old Stevens was up and about as
Folsom's carriage drove swiftly
through the garrison and passed
straight out by the northeast gate.
"Pll be back to see you in moment"
shouted the old driver smilelessly, as
he shot by the lonely colonel, going,
pepers in hand, to his Office, and Stew
ems we'll knew he was in for trouble.
Already the story was blazing about
the post that nothing but the timely
arrival of Dean and his men had
saved Folsom's ranch, and Folsom's
people. Already the men, wondering
and indignant at their young leaders
arrest, were shouting over the suffers
bar their peans in his praise, and their
denunciation of his treatment. Over
the meeting of sister and brother at
the latter's little tent let us draw a
veil. He stepped forth in moment
and babe his other visitors welcome,
shook hands eagerly with LOOMS and
urged their coming in, but he never
passed from under Sthe awning or
"fy," and Folsom well knew the
reason.
Jump out, daughter" he said to
Pappoose, and Loomis assisted her
to alight and led her straight up to
Dean, and for the first time in those
two years the eX-cadet captain and
the whilom little schoolgirl with the
heavy braids of hair looked into each
others eyes, and in Deans there was
amaze, and at least momentary de-
light. He still wore his field rig, and
the rent in the dark-blue flannel shirt
was still apparent. He was clasping
Miss Folsom's hand and looking
straight into the big dark eyes that
were SO unusually soft and humid.
when Jessie's voice was heard as she
came springing forth from the tent:
Look, Nell, look! Your pictured"
she cried, as with the bullet-marked
carte de visite in her hand she fitted
straight to her friend
"Why, where did this come from ?"
asked Miss Folsom in surprise, "and
what's happened to it?-all creased
and black there!" Then both the girls
and LOOMS looked to him for explana-
ton, while Folsom drove away, and
even through the bronze and tan the
boy was blushing.
''I-borrowed it for a minute-at
the ranch just as Jake came in wound
ed, and there was no time to return
it, you know. We had to gallop right
out"
"Than-you had it with you in the
Indian fight?" cried Jess, in thrilling
excitement. REALLY? Oh, Nell! How
wish it We're mine. But how'd it
get so blackened there-and crushed ?
You haven't told u.s."
| "Tell you some other time, Jess.
Don't crowd a fellow he laughed.
But when his eyes stole their one
quick glance at Elinor, standing there
in silence, he saw the color creeping
up like sunset glow all over her beau
tiful face as she turned quickly away.
Lannion had told them of the close
shave the lieutenant had had and the
havoc played by that bullet in the
breast pocket of his hunting shirt.
(To be Continued)
Too Easy.