The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1900-03-20

safely to bed and discovered tho loss OF
tho ring. 1t is ono to which no attaches
peculiar value, and its loss has proved
upon him. Whilo know very well you
could not have tho ring, l was asked to
ascertain if you remembered seeing it,
and so establish the truth of Mr.. Matt
lands belief that it was on his finger
when he went to that room"
at WAS; but do not rccollcct its be-
ing on his hand after he was carried to
the sofa. 1t would surely have attracted
my attention while chatting it,"
"Thc parlor, hall and piazza have been
swept and searched, am told by this
notc," and the doctor indicated Il little
miSsive he held in his hand, whcrcat
P"rrys face did not brighten, "and with
no success. | was asked TO inquire of
you, and if IL has annoyed you, as 1 in
fer by your manner, pray let that be
my apology. Then am to say you saw
it when Mr.. Maitland entered the room,
but not again:'
"PrcCiScly; unless you choose to add
to your correspondent that the next
time ann associated with missing prop
crty at Dunravrn l would prefer to bo
third party"
\ quiet smile slonc for an instant on
the DOCTORS grave face:
81 fear that have not accomplished
my mission very automatically, NJ.
Perry, and am sorry to havc vnxcd YOU.
The colonel tells me, by the way, that |
ought to say to you that tho reason
was so long in reaching Your party last
night WAS that | was detained attending
to another casc-onc of our own men.
Good evening, sir" And, raising his
forage cap, the doctor walked slowly
and with dignity away, leaving Perry
too surprised TO speak.
"'rhc colonel told him to tell mcw was
pcrry's wondering soliloquy ut last.
"Thcn ! suppose he must have told tho
chief some story to account for his being
away" 1t was pretty evident from the
young fellows mann r rs he entered the
house that tho story was not ono which
struck him as being entitled to conf
lcncc or consideration.
On the tablo in his little sitting room
lay a dainty note. 1t was not the first
he had received under that supcrscrip-
ton, and he had not been slow to opcn
and read them. If anything, the cloud
upon his forehead seemed to deepen at
sight Of it. lie picked it up, looked I'M
patiently at tho address, hcsitatrd a mo-
mcnt, tossed it back on his desk and went
into the inner room. He would not read
it now; it was almost parade time; he
had TO batho and change his dress, for
after parade he was to dino at the quarters
of an infantry friend, and Capt. and
Mrs. Lawrence were to be of the party.
Already it was ted that when any OF the
few infantry people Mt tho post gavo n
little tea or dinner at which only eight
or ten were gathered together, the Bel
knaps were not invited on the same even.
ing with Mr.. Perry, and vice versa. When
Parkc came in, whiStling and singing
and banging doors and making all man
ncr of unconth noiso in the cXubcrance
of his spirits, he boltcd into Perry's do
main, as was his wont, and begin n rat
Ting comment on the events of the day.
"By the way" ho broke in, suddenly,
Eve cant both 20 tomorrow; and sup
pose you want to-"
"Go whcrc!"
"Why, out with the hounds: to-mor-
rows the day, you know"
Perry gave n whistle of pcrplexity.
The colonel had promised the ladies that
there should De a run this very week.
All tho flee hounds of the cavalry bat
TALON were to be out, and all the officers
who could be spared from the days du-
ties; detachment was to 90 over into
tho valley of 4 stream some ten miles
mitch in, la, h,. 1, ,,l ~,
set luncheon for the entire party; horses
were to be provided for u the ladies
who cared to go mounted, DuEgics and
"buckboards' were to convey the others,
and 1t was TO he q gala occasion. Ante
lopc, coyote or jack rabbt-any four
footed game the prairie Afforded to
be "coursed" in due state and ceremony;
the ladies ''in ut the death" were to be
crowned and subsequently presented
with trophies Of the chase more slightly
than the mask or brush au naturcl. The
ALTAR had bccn gayly talked over that
very evening of the coloncl's dinner, but
the events Of tho previous day and the
pcrplcNitics of the ono Just closing had
completely driven it all out of his head.
And yet he was engaged to ride with
Mrs. Belknap, the amazon Of Fort Rossi
teri And for the first time in lis life
Ned Perry would have been glad Of. an
excuse to get away from gallop with
an accomplished cqucstricnne.
"Iou don't mean to say you had for
gotten itT' asked Parkc, in amaze.
"Dont blow Oh me, there's q good
fellow; but, after all my breaks of yes
tcrday-gctting an absent from drill
and into row at tho ranch--I declare
it had slipped my memory. No, you 70,
Parkc; don't deserve to be let off any
thing, after yesterday. You've been
sticking to duty like u brick over since
yon joined, and Stryker ought to givo
you tho preference"
"But you're engaged to rido with Mrs.
Belinap," said Parkc.
"Who told you sop
II heard her say SO. Dana asked IL
hc nirht hnyn tbp ,,lrnc,,r, ;,.4 :,