The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1902-10-04
Bv H. S. CANFIELD
CHAPTER VII.

fiery red, was rushing to its rest be-
hind the far Mexican mountains, the
watchers at the rancho, looking east
ward, saw suddenly outlined against
the sky a troop of horsemen withs a
solitary figure we'll to the front. They
were five miles away when they swept
over the brow of the hill, but in that
clear air it was plain to see that they
were riding two abreast at long
swinging trot. Even as they showed
they melted into the slope beneath
them and became indistinguishable.
Twenty minutes later they came once
more into view, their pace unchecked
and regularity unbroken. Five min
utes afterward the long roll of the
hoofs came to the ear and then showed
plainly beyond the arroyo, before they
plunged into it's ravine to the cool,
clear water beneath. AS they splashed
through, paused for their horses to
drink and then came up the incline,
Lois, peering through window saw
that the man in front was short and
heshy, with resolute yet merry face;
that the men behind him were tall and
powerful and swart of visage and that
all were clad in dusty blue. She did
not then, nor for some time after
ward, know the cause of the visit, but
sac recognized them as cavalry regu-
lars and her heart beast fast to see the
precision of their movements and their
stern, soldierly bearing. The troop,
twenty-five in all halted at thirty yards
distance and saluted. The men then
rested at ease in the saddle while Rob-
eFt Harding swung himself down and
came forward with a smile. He was
met halfway by Glynn, who shook his
hand heartily and said:
Prompt as ever, captain. It's a
Jewel you are"
OF brightest ray SERENE" Harding
answered, shaking hands vigorously
with the others, to all of whom he was
known. my men may have the old
quarters, presume"
of course" answered the host.
The house is ready for them and the
sergeant knows where it is. Order
them to break ranks when you please
Harding gave a brief command and
the men swung to the southwark,
where a ground of outbuildings>stood
Fifteen minutes later the horses had
been tethered and fed and the camp
fires were going. Harding, in his
worn uniform, looked dusty but bust
ness-like among the dress-coated men.
He did not think to apologize for his
costume. He knew the customs of
Balconies rancho we'll, but he was in
the field, not in barracks. He was
shown to a room by Glynn himself,
who treated him with the respect and
cordially due tried officer. There he
dashed some water on his face and
hands, ran a clothes brush over and
around his portly body and announced
himself fit and hungry. They repaired
TO the drawing room. Lois could not
have explained the thrill she felt when
ne was introduced, but it was due to
the fact that after weeks among men
OF another nation she was now in the
presence Of one who wore the uniform
or her own. She was glad to see that
IN ease OF manner and gentleness of
bearing ne was in no wise inferior to
those representatives of the best blood
OF the mother country. Harding was
1noeed, much of a. man of the world
Vnlle MS fifteen years of service chad
seen passed in the main on the from
tier, he knew Courts and camps and
cues, was as familiar with London
and the continent as the Establishment
themselves and had, besides, a wide
knowledge of his own land. hor five
years he had been in command Of =
company OF Seminole scouts at Fort
Clark, and from Ell Paso to Browns
vile was known of all and feared by
the evil doer. He was still unde,
forty and unmarried, with a gray. SOL
'd1erly temper, an apparent immunity
from fatigue and courage that occa-
slonally rose to a sublimity of reck.
lessness. He took her in to dinno,
and, hungry as he was, found litt1e
time to eat so constant was their talk
OF places in their own loved land ST
ardent their glorification of it, so in.
sfstent their belief thAt while ENGLAND
might be good America was far better
Allyn caught an linking of their talk
and announced with a laugh that il
were we'll for all Of them to- keen 81.
1ence while the Yankees had their in.
~nings.
ut won't last long, you know" hi
said but it'll be deadly while it does
When the party had reassembled in
the drawing room, Harding said tt
her: -. =
Would you like to see the Semin.
oles, Miss English? I think they are
we'll worth looking att 49,. +
She thanked him and the entire
party strolled to the camp Supper was
T" over and the soldiers were stretched
about In uneonsciously picturesque
attitudes. They rose to the salute al
', their officer appeared, then sank bach
- he said: "Lie down, boys, and take
III