Daily camera., 1901-08-09

| sagos for Mr.. Merriam, will you?" said
| he, "and captain, viii you please at
tend TO that while look to Randy's re-
lief? Thank God they didn't kill him,
he added as he went nosily out. "What
in heavens name did Buxton expect
him to do, anyhow"
"Have you a right to say what is
wanted of Mr. Merriam and whom these
are from?" asked Grafton Of the opera
tor.
II couldn't say word, sir, ord-
narily, but believe they'll never blame
me now. It's Mr.. Edward Parry and
he begs Mr.. Merriam, who can get
through, to come up beyond Cimarron
to him On important business-his
trains Llockadcd by strikers"
Give me blank" said Grafton,
quickly. II think l partially under
stand the case" and these were the
words that were wired at one o'clock to
the eager lawyer on the waiting train:
Merriam wounded In affair with ham
dts this morning-milos from pest Mrs.
NcLane Is still under my roof. Command
my services.
GEORGE GRAFTON. Captain"
Then Grafton followed the trail Of the
diutant-went straightwny to Buxton,
who was taking his MONDAY sicsta and
hated to be disturbed at such n time
and was crusty, rs could be expected,
when asked permission by Capt. Graf
ton to ride out and meet the wounded
officer. He flew into n tantrum.
"My God. sir! No, sir. Am TO seat
ter my medical staff to the four winds,
with Brady and Corcoran past praying
for here, and then have my troop lead
ers scattering too! The Lord only
knows what's going to happen before
we get through with this day, and now
Merriam's shot and otherwise injured,
and all on account of those beggarly
greasers. No, sir! Not another man
goes out till we've rounded up those al
ready afeld.'
Capt. Grafton turned without a word
of remonstrance, with his usual grave
salute. From there he went to see that
Merrinm's home was in readiness, and
then 10 his wife, who read tidings of
new disaster in his troubled eyes.
"Oh, George!" she cried "Will this
dreadful day never end? The servants
say Merriam's shot and mortaly
wounded, and that the Riiiers are
wrecked at Calamns Gorge"
Merriam is shot and not mortally
wounded, dear, and the Rifers refused
TO be wrecked nj Calamas Gorge. Where
is Mrs. McLane? Has she heard?"
Doing placidly in her room-too
much shaken to come downstairs to-
day. Had her coffee and her luncheon
in bed, and | gave Annette positive or
dcrs to let her know nothing about
Florence, and she hasn't. But present.
~, when she dresses for the afternoon
and comes down and hears about Ran
dy? What thcn?"
Still sleeping is she?" asked Graf
ton, ignoring for moment the qucs-
ton as to what might happen when
their guest awoke and heard the news.
yet | think you said she was greatly
excited after getting that second dis
patch, and had been dreadfulIy nerv-
GUS"
''She certainly was for some hours.
and you know she walked and tossed
last night after she came upstairs.
Then she seemed TO fall into a deep
sleep, and Annette said she could hard
ly arouse her for her coffee this morn.
ing"
Grafton tugged at his mustache and
hitYSalf 20
few minutes, Mrs. Grafton anxiously
watching his face.
Well said he. starting up, and, as
i; were, shaking himself together, "let
her have her sleep OUT. l fancy more
news is on the road; know her lawyer
is"
why! Mr.. Parry?-her brother-in-
law?"
''rhc very same, Harriet. and his
train is sidctrackcd by strikers miles
above Cimarron. There are three dis
patches from him for Randy now"
Mrs. Grafton was silen, moment, rs
she stood by his side looking up into his
thoughtful face, us though seeking
there the solution OF the questions that
puzzled her. Then, busting away with
her finger tips some flakes OF cigar
ashes that clung TO the brcas: of the
captains undress coat, she vcnturcd:
There are two things / can't under
stand. II he's her lawyer why he should
be wiring to Randy and not to her, and
why it is the strikers don't cut the
wires if they want to cut oil all busi-
ness" .=-.--
His broad. brown hand patted carcss-
ingly the taper, white fingers toying
about the little toggle of his watch
chain, rs he looked down into her anx-
ious. upturncd face.
His letters to Fan have been unan-
swered, and he probably expects her TO
pay as little attention to his dispatches
As for the wires, they are more neces-
sary to the strikers in their combinas
tions than TO anybody else, otherwise
they'd have cut them long ago-ah, here
comes our messenger now"
And sure enough the orderly trum-
peter came trotting up the steps, the
usual brown envelope in his hand,
Mrs. Grafton eagerly watched her
husband as he read. II thought so,"
said he, looking quietly up. Read
that" and handed her the dispatch.
ITO Capt. Grafton. Fort sedgwIck:
Thanks for your courtesy. Shocke to
hear OF Merram's mIshap. Mrs McLane
should have met me In Denver three days
ago. Must be ready moment road opens.
EDWARD PARRY.
Three hours later, just rs the ladies
and children began to appear In their
fresh afternoon toilets and their baby
and nurses were in force along
the gravel walk, and the band was as
for its daily concert on the
parade, vision of womanly loyeliness.
albeit garbed in sombar black, came
smilingly down the stairs at Grafton's
and rustling out to shower gracious
welcome on the little group of ladies
and officers on the front piazza. Some
Of the men were seated-Whittake ker and
Minturn notably being nearest the door
Others summing themselves out along
the fence, while the ladies' occupied
their camp-chairs or the steps as best