Warren sheaf., 1903-10-01

wise mother, too, as well as most
loving, but she could look with
neither kindness nor charity on Miss
Flower. She had held her peace; al
lowed no word of censure. or criti-
were discussing that young lady; but
all the more vehement was her dis
trust, because thus pent up and re
pressed. With the swiftness of femi-
nine thought, for no man had yet
suspected, she fathomed the secret
of the traders sudden going; and,
carried away by the. excitement of the
moment and the belief that none but
her husband could hear, she made
that startling announcement. And
her intuition was unerring. Nanette
Flower was indeed gone.
Yet for nearly an hour she stood
alone in her conviction. Her hus-
band quickly cautioned silence, and,
going forth, gave. instructions to the
couriers that sent them speeding for
the Rawlins road. But at seven
o'clock, Mrs. Hay herself appeared
and asked to see the general, who
was taking at the moment his ac-
customed bracer, tonic and stimulant
the only kind he was ever known to
use-a cold bath. So it was to Mrs.
Dade, in all apparent frankness and
sincerity, the traders wife began her
tale. Every one at Frayne well knew
that her anxiety as to the outcome
of the battle on the Elk had well-nigh
equaled that of the wives and sweet
hearts within the garrison. While her
niece, after the first days excite
ment, kept to her room, the aunt
went fitting from house to house,
full of sympathy and suggestion, but
obviously more deeply concerned than
they had ever seen her. Now, she
seemed worried beyond words at
thought of her husbands having to
go just at this time. It was mainly
on Nanette's account, she said. Only
last night, with the mail from Lara
mie, had come letter, posted in San
Francisco the week before, telling
Miss Flower that her dearest friend
and roommate for four years at
school, who had been on an extended
bridal tour, would pass through Raw
]ins, eastward bound, on Fridays
train, and begging Nanette to meet
her and go as far at least as Chey-
enne. Her husband, it seems, had
been hurriedly recalled to New York,
and there was no help for it, Nanette
had expected to join her, and go all
the way east in late October or early
November; had given her promise, in
fact, for she was vastly excited by
the news, and despite headache and
lassitude that had oppressed her for
two days past, she declared she must
go, and Uncle Will must take her.
So, with only a small trunk, hastily
packed, of her belongings, and an
iron-bound chest of the traders, the
two had started before dawn in Uncle
Bills stout blackboard, behind his
famous four-mule team, with Pete to
drive, and two sturdy ranchmen as
outriders, hoping to reach the Medi-
cine Bow by late afternoon, and rest
at Brenner's ranch. Confdentially,
Mrs. Hay told Mrs. Dade that her
husband was glad of the excuse to
take the route up the Platte instead
over the mountains to Rock creek,
for he had a large sum in currency
to- get to the bank, and there were
desperadoes along the mountain
route who well knew he would have
to send that money in, and were sure
ly on the lockout to waylay him-or
it. Ever since pay day two or three
oh o,fo ho1 h@-
| about the store, and Hay suspected
they. were watching his movements,
with the iatention Of getting word to
their comrades in crime the moment
| he started, and it was almost as much
to steal march on them as to oblige
Nanette, he SO willingly left before
it was light. The Rawlins road fol-
lowed the Platte valley all the way to
Brenner's, and, once there, he would
feel safe, whereas the Rock creek
trail wound through gulch, ravine and
forest most of the distance, affording
many a chance for ambuscade. OF
course, said Mrs. Hay, if her husband
had for moment supposed the gen
eral would wish to see him, he would
not have gone, adding, with just
| little touch of proper, warlike spirit
that on the generals previous visits
he had never seemed to care whether
he saw Mr.. Hay or not.
All this did Mrs. Dade accept with
| courteous, yet guarded interest.
They were seated in the little army
parlor, talking in low tone; for, with
unfailing tact, Mrs. Hay had asked
for Esther, and expressed her sym
pathy on hearing of her being un-
nerved by the excitement through
which they had passed. Well she
knew that Fields serious condition
had not a little TO do,w with poor Es-
theirs prostration, but that was
knowledge never to be limited at.
Dade himself she did not wish to meet
just now. He was too direct ques-
toner, and had said and looked things
about Nanette that made her dread
him. She knew that, however austere
and commanding he might be when
acting under his own convictions ha