Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1901-04-19

there may be others we'd be glad to
have. Jessie's brother ought to be
here any hour
Eyes, said Folsom, obviously. eve
been thinking about him-Tve been
wishing"
But he hesitated and faltered and
could not meet the deep brown eyes,
SO full of searching inquiry and keen
intelligence.
you've been thinking-what, dad
dy?" she asked, and now her slender
hands were on his shoulders and she
was turning him so that she could
study his face. 'You have been hear
ing something you do not wish us
to know, daddy, dear. I heard Maj.
Burleigh say something to Mr.. Loomis
about-about Lieut.. Dean, and know
Mr.. Loomis did not like it, and Jes--
sic and I can't believe it. Father,
where is he? Why doesn't he come?
Why do these-these people at the
fort hem and haw and hesitate when
they speak about him? Jessie is
getting SO troubled"
I'm getting troubled, daughter"
answered Folsom. impulsively. 81
never met likelier young fellow or
officer. He may be all right. too, only
it isn't so much what they do say as
what they don't say that troubles me.
Burleigh here and old Stevens out at
the fort and one or two others I've
asked about him. Burleigh says he
lost his nerve when they met Red
Clouds big band. A boy might be ex-
cused for that so long as he didn't
misbehave. It was big responsibility
for a young lieutenant. But these
people, as you speak of them out at
the fort, really know very little about
Dean. Burleigh says he's in a position
that enables him to know so much
more about the character and habits
of the young officers"
Surely he can say nothing against
Mr.. Dean!" exclaimed Pappoose,
looking up with quick indignation in
her brown eyes. mo one knows how
good and generous he has been to
Jessie and his mother"
They were standing at the moment
in the corner of the library farthest
from the doorway. The front win
dows opened to the north, giving a
fine view of the rolling hills rising
higher and higher and looking down
upon the grass-grown slopes spread
out at their feet, criss-crossed and
traversed by hard-beaten roads and
trails. Immediately in front of the
house Folsom had seeded and watered
and coaxed into semblance of lawn
the best turf to be had in that Sec
ton of Wyoming, and inclosed it in
a spick and span white picket fence.
The main road between the fort and
the railway station passed directly in
front of his gate. The side window
of the coy room looked out to the
west over the valley of rushing
stream, once rich in trout. but now
much infested by the mules from Bur-
leigh's corral, which lay half mile
away to the southeast, out of sight
of Folsom's house except from the up
per windows. Eager to stock the Ii
brary with standard works against
his daughters coming, the old trader
had consulted friend among the Off
GERS and had sent lavish order to a
house in Chicago. Books, therefore,
were there in plenty on the handsome
shelves, and they were not ill-chosen
either, but it was Mrs. Fletcher who
pointed out how stiff and angular
everything looked, who introduced the
easy lounge, the soft rugs, the heavy
hanging portieres of costly Navajo
blankets. It was her deft touch that
draped the curtains at the windows
and softened and beautiied the lines
the hand of man would have left
crude and repellent. And that Ii
| brary had been her favorite haunt;
but since the coming of the girls Mrs.
Fletcher had seemed to retire to her
own room aloft, and to spend no time
| below stairs that was not demanded
by her household duties. Now as the
| father and daughter were talking
earnestly together, they heard Mrs.
| Fletcher moving about overhead as
| though looking over the work of the
| housemaid. Jessie had gone to her
own room to write a short letter to
her mother. Maj. Burleigh was to
| come at 1880 to drive them out to
Pinnacle Butte, sharp, rocky height
| far across the valley, from the sum-
| nit of which wonderful view was
| to be obtained. 1t lacked but five
| minutes of the time and suddenly
Mrs. Fletcher's voice was heard on the
| floor above. 1t was a well-modulated
voice, gentle and controlled, with a
clear, vibrant ring in it that made the
words distinctly audible to the hear
ers below.
1.-THE majors carriage is coming up
the street, Miss Dean. There are two
| officers"
"Two!" exclaimed jess, starting to
her feet, thinking only of her brother
"Oh! I wonder if" And then they
heard her go pit-a-pat through the hall
to the front of the house, heard Mrs
Fletcher more deliberately follow
heard presently the beat of horses
hoofs on the hard roadway, and the
whir of coming wheels. 'I'N go out TIC
| meet them Elinor-I,ll-I,ll talk to yor