The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1900-02-02

| oaJ cu W tuko Il mana aC Whist III the par
| lor.
One or two of the ladies', also, were
| silent observers Of tho scene-silent as to
the scene because, being in conversation
Mt the time with brother officers Of Lieut..
Ferry. they were uncertain rs yet how
commrntson his growing Irritation might
DO received That their eyes should oc-
casionally wander towards tho hammock
| and then glance with sympathetic sig
nlficancc at those Of some fair ally and
intimate was natural enough But when
1t became presently apparent that Mrs
Belknap was actually unfastening tho
httlo sllken braid that had hung on Ned
Perry's cap ever since tho day of his ar
rlVal-all the whilo, too, looking shyly
up in his eyes as her fingers worked;
| when 1t was seen that she presently de-
tached it from tho button and then, half
hesltatlngly, but evidently in compliance
| with his wishes. handed it to him; when
he was seen to toss it carelessly--even
contemptuously-aw and then bend
down lower, rs though gazing into her
| shaded eyes. Mrs. Lawrence could stand
1t no longer.
"Mr. Graham" said she, isn't YOUR
! friend, Mr. Perry, something of flirt2"
"Whop-NcdT" asked Mr. Graham. in
well telgned amaze and with sudden
glance towards the object of his inquiry.
"How on earth should know anything
about it? or course you do not seek ex,
pert testimony in asking me-. He tries,
suppose, to adapt himself to circum-
stances. But why do you ask?"
"Bccause | see that he has been induc-
Ing Mrs. Belknap to take off that little
tassel on the button Of his cap He has
worn it when off duty ever SINCE he
came; and we supposed it was something
he cherished; know she did"
Graham broke forth in T al of merry
laughter, but gave no furt' y reply, for
just then the colonel and ..:e doctor left
their chairs, and, sauntcring over to the
hammock, brought mighty relief to Bel
KNAPP at tho whist table and vexation of
spirit to his pretty wife. Tho Irritation
was broken Mt most interesting point,
and Perry, rising suddenly, came over
and joined Mrs. Lawrence.
If she expected to see him piaued or
annoyed at tho interruption and some
what perturbcd in manner, she was
greatly mistaken. Nothing could have
been more sunshiny and jovial than tho
greeting he gave her. A laughing apol-
ogy to Graham for spelling his tetc-a-
tete was accomplished in a moment, and
then down by her side he sat and plunged
into merry description of his expert
ences Mt dinner, where he had been
placed next to tho chaplain's wife on the
one hand, and she had been properly ag-
grievcd at his attentions to Mrs. Bellznap
on the other.
You must remember that Mrs. Wells
Is very strict Presbyterian, Mr.. Perry;
ard, for that matter, none Of us have
seen dinner such as the colonel gave ia
this evening for ever and ever 80 long.
We are quite unused to the ways Of
civilization; whereas you have just come
from the cast-and long leave. Perhaps
it is the fashion to be oil devotion to
ones next door neighbor at dinner"
mot if she be as repellent and vener-
able as Mrs. Wells, assure you. Why,
thought she would have been glad to
leave the table when, after having re-
fused sherry and Pontet-C Canet for up.
wards OF an hour, her glass was filled
with champagne when she happened to
be looking the other way"
"lt is the first dinner Of tho kind she
has ever seen here, Mr.. Perry, and
don't suppose either Mr.. Or Mrs. Wells
has been up SO late before in years. He
would have enjoyed staying and watch
ing whist, but she carried him of almost
as soon as wo left the table. Our society
has been very dull, you know-only our
selves at the post all this last year, and
nobody outside of it."
zone would suppose that with all this
magnificent cattle range there would be
some congenial people ranching near
you. Are there mono at alp"
"Absolutely none! There are some
ranches down in the Washita country,
but only one fino ono near us; and that
might as well be on the other side Of the
Atlantic. No one from there ever
comes here; and Dr. Quin is the only
living soul in the garrison who ever got
within the walls Of that ranch. What
ne saw thero he positively refuses to tell,
despite all our entreaty."
You don't tell mo there's O ranch
with mystery here near Rossiterl" ex-
claimed MIR. Perry, with sudden interest.
"Why, do, indeedl Is it possible
you have been hero two whole weeks
and haven't heard OF Dunraven Ranch?"
"l've heard there was such thing: I
saw it from distance when out hunting
the other day. But what's the mystery?
WHAT'S t,'o matter with it?"
'Fhat's what wo all want to know
and cannot find out. Now, there is an
exploit worthy your, energy and best
efforts, Mr.. Perry. There is a big,
wealthy, well stocked ranch, tho finest
homestead buildings, we are told, in all
this part Of Texas. They say it is beau
tifully furnshcd-that It has fine
librar... grand piano, all manner of
things indicative of culture and refine.
ment among it's occupants-but the own
or only comes around once or twice q
year. and is an iceberg Of an English
man. All the people about the ranch
are English, too, nnd tho most rennllnnt