The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1900-03-30

7ISSs5I lie hounds were out, and
~TSE3sN' all Fort RoSsitcr "socicty"
.HT A WAS with them. The day
NcMI was faultlcsS--ncithcr too
h re- warm nor too cloudy: a
brisk westerly breeze sent
tho cloud shadows sailing steadily across
the broad prairie sea and keeping the
wells and skirts of the Amazons Of the
party a-Huttcr Three there were OF
these, the rest OF the siNcrhool pre-
ferring to follow the hunt by buggy or
blackboard, though frankly expressing
their envy Of the fortunate riders.
Mounted on her own spirited littlc bay,
admirably fitted as to-habit, and sitting
sQuarcly and well, Mrs. Bcllziap would
have been the center Of observation of
all the cavalry officers oven had she not
been, rs she incontrStably was, the
beauty Of the garrison The colonel had
offered Mrs. Lawrence one Of his own
horses, and therefore was accorded the
right Of being her escort. Mrs. Spraguc
was similarly indebted for her "mount"
to Capt. Strykcr; and very bri@ht.nnd
beaming little body she was as she rode
over tho springy turf at the side Of The
dark haired troop leader.
"Hard lines on Perry, isn't it," said
Mr.. Graham, as he trotted up beside Mrs.
Belknap and took his place for the mo.
mcnt with her bovy of cavaliers First
timo ho ever missed hunt, reckon"
"Ho needn't have missed this one,"
said ParEo. at was my week, and
told him to SO: aud Capt Strykcr said 70,
too; butt
Here Mr.. Parkc broke off suddenly and
looked in mild wondcrmcnt in Dana's
face, for that young gentleman had man.
aged, unseen by Mrs Bclknap, to swing
FREQ his right foot and give the speakers
left vehement kick. Too late. however.
Mrs. Bell1nap had heard it.
"Arc you cavalrymcn all SO little to be
trustcd?" she asked, with brilliant smile
upon her flushing face. Exercise and
excitement had lent unusual sparkle to
her eyes and color to her chceks-"she is
positively beautiful today" as Mrs. Law.
" renee confessed to the colonel at tho mo.
ment.
81 had note from Mr.. Perry this
morning saying he was gricvously dis
appointed, but that somo troop duty had
been assigned to him which could not be
transferred and he must stay and finish
It,"
"What he said Is true, Mrs Eclknap,"
promptly asscvcrated Mr. Dana. "Tho
papers have all to be in readiness for
muster on Monday, and the saddle kits
put in shape for inspection"
"Only in Capt 'Strykcrs troop" softly
inquired the lady, with eyelids rising in.
crtdulously.
"No, Of course not. One officer is
back at the post from each troop. 1t
happened to fall on Perry in his"
81 fancy | should prefer serving In
some Older captains troop if | were Mr.
Perry. 1t seems that while your other
captains stay home and look after their
companies, Capt. Stryker has a sub
altcrn attend to his whilo he comes a.
hunting"
"On the other hand, We fellows havo
dozen things to do in our troops that
Capt. Stryker does himself in his. It's
n" broad rs it's long, Mrs. Belllnap," "said
Dana. He did not fancy her criticising
the methods of his cavalry associates.
and was possibly a little piqued at tho
decided annoyance she showed at Pcrrys
failure to attend. Meantime. Strykor,
all unconscious Of her censurc, was chat
ting laughing!y with Mrs Spragllc and
exchanging shots with the colonel and
Mrs Lawrence The four were getting
on admirably together, and sctnsrct too
much absorbed in their own fun to note
tho fact that Mrs. Bclknap and her knct
Of four or five satellites had been grad
TALLY cdging away toward the right, and
that the rest Of the hunt-was becoming
widely scattered.
ut is time we stirred up jack rabbit
at least" said the colonel. "Supposc we
veer over toward the northwest little
Whatever we do, we want no chase down
there toward Dunravcn; those wire fences
would spoil it ALL"
II wonder II those people never hunt"
said Mr.. Farnham, who had Joined the
quartet: hc always kept close to his
colonel, as befittcd an aspirant for the
adjntancy. "Englishmen are generally
game for oil sorts Of sport"
II can SEQ horsemen out tl,ere on, the
prairie to the east Of the ranch," said
Stryker, whose eyes were keen. "and
could have sworn moment ago thatl
saw horsowornan.' e.
Nonsense, Capt. Strykorl" exclaimed
Mrs. Lawrence, yet with a quicl, glance
at Mrs. Spraguc What could you
have taken for q lady on horseback
Do you suppose there could be ladies al
Dunrayen and We not know it?'