The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-13

by the time they started on their return
he had probably concluded that Loring
really knew no more about him, and once
or twice when Blake and his love affairs
were mentioned Loring seemed unwill-
ing to hear. Stone pondered over II not
a little before they got TO Reno, on the
way back track. and there II was that
Burlcigh had demanded to be sent right
on to Frayne, despite fatigue, for some
thing had come to him In this mail that
filed him with dismay, as the major com
manding told them O dozen times over
Moreover Mr.. Omaha Stone became grad
ually convinced that Lorfng was In par
tial possession of the secret Of Burleigf's
stampede Unless Stone was utterly in
error Lorfng had seen somewhere before
the handwriting of the superscription OF
the envelope Burlelgh had dropped In his
nerveless collapse. But Stone might as
well have questioned the sphinx.
Loring would admit nothing.
Yet IL was of this very matter the en-
gineer was thinging one soft. still evening
soon after his return to department head
quarters. His boxes had just arrived.
He mad found a fairly comfortable room
away from the turbulent section of the
new and bustling town, and equally dis
tant from the domicile of Stone and his
particular set. Loring never gambled
and took little interest In cards. He
was ,stil taking his rations' at the
hotel. but much disliked II, and was Sc
riously thinking of seeking board In some
private family. The barracks were too
far out and the roads deep In mud. or ne
would have lived and messed out there
The few boarding houses were crowded.
and with an uncongcnial lot as a rule
Private families that took two or three
table boarders were very few, but some
one suggested his going to see the rector
OF The new parish. htmsefr a recent ar
rival.
The sun had gone down behind the high
bluns at the back Of the struggling from
tier town. The plank sidewalks were
thronged In the neighborhood Of the hotel
with picturesque loungers as the young
officer made his way westward and soon
reached the outlying. unpaved. deep
rutted cross streets. He readily found
the rector. a kindly, gentle hammered
widowerc whose sister had come 10 keep
house for him, and never before had
either OF them lived In a community so
utterly primitive. II not uncouth. II
WAS plain TO be seen that he was a
southerner. and In the Joy OF a few
minutes conversation with young
man. whose language and manners be-
spoke the gentleman, Mr.. Lambert
speedily made known to him that his
health had suffered In New Orleans and
change OF climate. and the great north
west was new, untrodden field for the
sons OF the cross. of his sect at least
lie had read with admiration OF the
missionary work accomplished among
the savage Indians by the church OF
Rome but there were heathen rather
more hntractable than they. said he. with
a sigh. MIR Loring was sympathetic. but
already informed on that point What
ne wished TO learn was-did the rector
know of any family among his parishioa-
ers at whose table he could find HIS daily
bread for reasonable oonsid srat tiOn I,
Ioring. as has been seen. was man 10
whom the converse of his se'iow ner
as found upon our frontier. was rcither
edifying nor improving. He pref erred
the society of his own thoughts. The rec
tor the general Colonel Newcome ~
VIII be remembered. always ACCORDED
the head of column 20 the churchl, the
sdju,ant general of the new i'partincn.
and one solitary suhaitern of raya'ry
were the only men ne had inct since rc-
porting at Omaha whom he founi rally
coneenial Put. then. n must be remem-
bered that II WAS the early summer and
tho troops were all aneld.
The rector brought the tips of his I'm
gers together and bowed his gray head
his chara cteristic attitude IN reflection
and rcpose. Yes. he knew ~ one wo-
man widowed but year ago. who was
striving % keep her home by taking
boarders and who perhaps could nnd
room for him NJ her table ALREADY she
had given shelter 10 n most estir,a HE
woman OF many sorrows whom ne had