Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-05-16

ject Of interest in garrison society, even
If he had not won distinction as trainer
of Mrs. Rays beautiful mare, whose
delicate mouth and eastern schooling
made her somewhat too sensitive for Or
binary cavalry handling.
Ray, once the light rider Of the regi-
ment, could have coached her beautiful
ly, but Ray was growing bulky with
years, and an old bullet wound in the
thigh received during Sioux campaign
years before was troubling him as win
ter wore on. What no one understood
was how Ray came to select Hunter,
for Ray declared he had no previous
knowledge of him whatever. which was
true. Truscott, when appealed to for
his opinion, smiled gravely, as was his
wont, and said Ray had as unerring an
eye for horseman as he had for
horse. But it was in Sudstown, where
dwelt the wives and daughters of the
soldiery, that Trooper Hunters goings
and comings, doings and sayings. were
becoming matters of such absorbing in
terest. He was credited with being fabu-
lousy wealthy, among other things, for
he certainly had money at his COM
mand. He also had friends and ac-
quaintances-some said wife and
family, or at least ladylove-some-
| where in town, for he had twice asked
| for passes, and more than once was be-
lieved to have gone thither without
that formality. Mrs. Merriweather,
4 HrytN ho1 hor III hoy,
other women, was accused of setting
her cap for the stranger, and she laid
herself open to calumny By declaring to
one or two envious danes that Mr..
Hunter was frequent caller, only Dan
didn't like it and had warned him off.
Indeed, he got to coming too often for
his own good" said she, which meant
worlds of helpless regret on her part.
Men sought the confidence of the
new soldier, but gave it up in ignorance
as deep as that with which they came to
him. Some he laughed at, some he
snubbed. none he gratified. 1t was for
tunate he knew how to fight, for there
were evil spirits that would have mauled
him otherwise Oh general principles,
but Ray kept sharp lookout for his
protege He at least should have fair
play, despite the hints of the first SER
geant that Conway could tell something
about him, and had even asked him,
Sergeant Fellows, where he could find
Hunter the night he came out with
warrant and was knitted by Healy. Ray
rode to town and demanded Of Conway
what he knew or suspected, and Con-
way said, Nothing, at least nothing
that could prove,
4 Ray had flouted the idea of Hunters
being connected in any way with the
train robbers-indeed, it was doubtful
Iif the leaders would ever be caught
They were lost to all search, deep in
the hills, and their luckless accomplices
were still held awaiting the action Of
some federal official yet to arrive
'Stannard and Mainwaring had had al
most an open rupture all on account of
Hunter, who, daily exercising and train
ing Mrs. Rays pretty Stella, was, new
ertheless, performing all other duties
with his troop. Mainwaring, netting
how successful Hunter had been with
Stella, concluded that he should like to
have him try his hand on Velvet, Mrs.
Mainwaring's saddler, who had never
been known to jump, and was confound-
ed when the trooper most respectfully
but positively begged to be excused.
/ Anterior was away, summoned to meet
the department commander at Pawnee.
Stannard was in temporary command.
Mainwaring asked that the trooper
should be directed to perform duty for
him, for which he was perfectly willing
to pay, or else be ordered to cease doing
it for Ray. Stannard said no soldier
could be compelled to perform mental
service for any officer if he didn't wish
to, and if he did not wish to train Mrs.
Mainwaring horse he should not be
made to. Mainwaring declared training
horses could not be mental service in
the eyes of true cavalryman, and Stan
nard said that it was if a man thought
So Mainwaring got very wroth and
4 swore that between them, Stannard and
4 Blakeand Ray. they were bound to spoil
a man who gave promise of being good
soldier, despite his shadowy antecedents,
and again demanded that he be ordered
to cease handling Stella for Ray. Stan.
nard said be only did it for the love Of
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