Daily camera., 1901-07-31

CHAPTER Ill.
Two days after the receipt of the an
nounccment Of Fanny Hayward's en-
gagement to Mr.. McLane and few
weeks before the marriage, Randolph
Merriam had left Fort Sedgwick in COM
mand of a detachment of cavalry es-
corting n government survey to the
Mcscalero range. 1t was not his tour.
The detail belonged to Harrison,
younger officer, who had been saving up
all winter for two-months' leave and
n chance to spend his savings at the
great exposition at Chicago. A relent-
less colonel would allow him no leave,
because it was his turn for field duty,
and because so many officers wished to
go to the fair that it was out OF the
question as to expect anyone to offer to
take the detail for him. The detach-
ment would be in the field at least three
months, possibly four. Harrison, con-
sequently, was the bluest man at Sedg-
wick, and said more hard things about
government surveys, and dmoreimproper
things, than could well be recorded here
Everybody had been congratulating
Merriam on the final receipt OF what the
lawyers didn't scoop" Of his little leg
acy, and for two weeks he had been as
happy as Harrison was miserable.
Then, to the utter amaze Of everybody,
just the day before it was time for the
command TO start it was announced
that Harrison's application for leave
had gone forward approved, and that
Merriam had asked for and been grant
ed the luxury Of threeor four months
jog through the toughest and most for
bidding OF mountain ranges. He had
even got the colonel's permission to go
ahead and wait for the detachment at
the old mission on the Santa Clara, and
had started late at night, accompanied
only by an orderly. People couldn't be-
lievet their ears, and the post commander
rejoiced in the possession Of secret
even his wife couldn't coax out OF him
the conscienceless, Grabbed old
crank! as one OF his garrison. not sub
ject to court-martial, described him.
The adjutant had to admit that Mer-
riam had been closeted with the K. o.
nearly half an hour. and had looked
black and blue both. but no blacker. no
bluer, when ne came out than when he
went in. No. he did not think that any
body else had complained OF Merriam's
owing him money. He did not think any
body had had n word TO say against him.
The old man had simply sent for the ad-
ju,ant right after the interview and re-
marked: "Mr. Blossom. you can tell
Mr.. Harrison he may submit that appli-
cation for leave and I'll forward il ap-
proved. Mr.. Merriam has my consent
to take that escort in his stead" But
hadn't he told anybody? Didn't any
body know? were the very natural ques-
,ions asked. No. Merriam's one inti-
mate and chum in his regiment was Bill
Whitaker. and Bill was away up at
Santa Fe al the time, a witness before
q general court-martial. Merriam was a
frequent visitor at the Haynes quar-
tiers, and everybody knew that In his
own regiment he had no warmer friends
than Capt. and Mrs. Lawrence Hayne,
of the Ritlers. and Merriam had had a
long talk with Hnyne before calling on
the colonel. But no one who knew
either Hayne or his charming wife ever
thought of trying 10 extract from them
information as 10 other peoples person
al affairs. Old Buxton. the dragoon-of-
the-old-army-sort OF q lieutenant colo
mel, did try to pump the captain,
but was most coolly and civilly snubbed
for his pains. Buxton was n man Hayne
never spoke TO except in the most
formal way. There had been some
trouble between them ever so long ago,
when Hayne was young second lieu
tenant and "BuN" the senior captain Of
the -th cavalry. The softening touch
of time had effaced much OF the bitter
ness OF that old, old story. Bayne had
twice been stationed at the same garri-
son with Buxton, and found it awkward
to preserve the rule Of nonintercourse
with q field officer who was frequently
in command. SO he spoke respectfully
and courieously to his senior whenever
they met, but the courtesy was as cold
and the meetings rs rare as he could
make them. Bux. however. bore no
malice" as he said. and was quite ready
to be magnanimous and forgive Hayne
for what had transpired in the past, but
then Buxton, not Hayne, had been the
offender. Indeed. Buxton was pachy-
derm ON whom snubs had little effect.
He believed Hayne knew why Merriam
had asked for his most undesirable de-
tail, and SO impor;uned him with eager
inquiry-all to no purpose. Harrison
blissfully wen, on TO Chicago and Mer-
riam out 10 the Mescalero. and was no
more heard Of or from for several weeks.
Then the news came that he was Sc
riously i'll with mountain fever at the
cantonment on Catamount creek, and
Bill Whitaker was hurried thither to
take over the command.
In n week there came a letter from
him to Capt. Hayne, and this was what
il said:
Il found the dear old boy conval-
escing but woefully limp and weak