Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1903-09-17


they were watching his movements,
with the intention 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 !
il 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, rarine and
forest most of the distance, affording |
many a chance for ambuscade. OF
course. said Mrs. Hay, if her husband
had for a 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
unfaiing 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 with poor Es-
Tiers prostration, but that was
knowledge never to be hinted at
Dade himself she did not wish to meet
lust now. He was too direct ques-
tioner. 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, he
was abnormally susceptible to uNorial
views, and the way to win the cap
tain's sympathies or avert his cen
sure, was to secure the kindly inter-
est of his wife. Mrs. Hay knew that
he had sent couricrs Oft by the Raw
Inns road-a significant thing in itself
and that couriers had come in from
the north with further news from
Webb. She knew he had gone to. the
Office, and would probably remain
there until summoned for breakfast,
and now was her time, for there was
something further to be spoken of,
and while gentle and civil, Mrs. Dadc
| had not been receptive. 1t was evi-
dent to the traders wife that her lord
and master had made a mistake in
| leaving when he did. He knew the
! general was on the way. He knew
| there was that money business to be
cleared up, yet she knew there were
reasons why she wanted him away
reasons hardest of all to plausibly
explain. There were reasons, indeed,
why she was glad Nanette was gone.
She was glad Nanette was gone,
| because Field, wounded and present,
would have advantages over possible
suitors absent on campaign-because
| all the women and Il few of the men
! were now against her, and because
from some vague, intangible symp-
toms, Mrs. Hay had satisfied herself
| that there was something in the
wind Nanette was hiding from-her
| benefactress, her best friend, and it
! seemed like cold-blooded treachery.
Hay had for two days been disturbed,
nervous and unhappy, yet would not
| tell her why. He had been cross-ques-
| ioning Pete. "Crapaud' and other en-
ployes, and searching about the
premises in a way that excited curl
osity and even resentment, for the
explanation he gave was utterly in
adequate. To satisfy her, if possible,
he had confided, as he said, the fact
that certain money for which Lieut..
Field was accountable, had been
stolen. The cash had been carefully
placed in his old-fashioned safe; the
missing money, therefore, had been
taken while still virtually in his
charge. They might even suspect
me-" he said, which she knew would
not be the case. "They forbade my
speaking of it to anybody, but | sim
ply had to tell you" She felt sure
there was something he was conceal
ing; something he would not tell her;
something concerning Nanette, there
fore, because she so loved Nanette he
shrank from revealing what might
wound her, indeed, it was best that
Nanette should go for the time, at
least, but Mrs. Hay little dreamed
that others would be saying-even
this kindly, gentle woman before her
that Nanette should have stayed
until certain strange things were
thoroughly and satisfactorily eX
planned.
But the moment she began, falter
ing not little, to speak of matters
at the post, as a means of leading
up to Nanette-matters concerning
Lieut.. Field and his financial affairs
to her surprise Mrs. Dade gently up
lifted her hand and voice. Il am go
ing to ask you not to tell me, Mrs
: Hay" she said. Captain Dade ha.
5 given me to understand there wa,
something to be investigated bu
preferred that | should not ask about
! it. Now, the general will be down il
, Is or 20 minutes. | suggest that we
? walk over to the hospital and see how
! Mr.. Field is getting on. We can talk
7 you know, as we go. Then you viii
4 breakfast with us. Indeed, may
| QiN