Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1903-07-23
CHAPTER VI.

Rays gallant half hundred, as has
been said, took the route for the
north at break of day. Before them
spread the open prairie, apparently
level and unbrollen for full five miles
to the front and either flank, the dis
tant slopes and ridges bounding the
level eXpanse growing more distinct
with every moment, and presently
lighting up in eXulting radiance in
response to the rosy bushes of the
eastward sky. Scorning the dusty
stage road, the troop commander
pointed to a distant height just visi-
ble against the northward horizon,
bade the leading guide march straight
on that; then gave the order, Right
by twos," that he might the more
readily note the gait and condition
of every horse and the bearing and
equipment of his rider. There was
still time to weed out the weakiings of
either class should any such there be-
Riding slowly along the left flank, one
after another, he carefully scanned
every man and mount in his little de-
tachmcnt, then, at quicker pace,
passed around to the eastward side
of the column, and as critically,
carefully studied them from that
point of view. \ light of quiet salts
faction shone in his fine, dark eyes.
as he finished, for, next to his wife
and children, that troop was Rays
supreme delight The preliminary
look-over by lantern light had been
all sufficient. This later inspection
on the move revealed not a steed
amiss, not an item of equipment
either misplaced or lacking.
As has been said, Rays senior
subaltern was on detached service.
His junior, Mr.. Clayton, had joined
but the year before, and this threw
Mr.. Field in conn and of the leading
platoon and to the side of the leading
guide. Now, as the senior officer
took the head of column and Mr..
Clayton fell back to the rear, the si-
lence Of the first mile of march was
broken and, though sitting erect in
saddle and forbidden to lounge or
'slouch," the troop began its morn
ing interchange of chaff and com
ment. Every mothers son of them
rcjoiced to be once more afeld with
a chance of stirring work ahead.
ITS time to throw out our adj
vance, Field" said Ray, in kindly, cor
dial tone, as he scanned the low Gi-
vide still some miles ahead and reined
in beside the stern-faced young sol
der. Send Sergeant Scott forward
with three men and the same number
on each tlank-corporals in charge"
He had more than liked Webb's
adiutant. lie had been his stanchest
friend and supporter among the
troop and company commanders,
and was eager to befriend him now.
lie had expressed no wish to have
him sent on the hurried move, but
well he knew the post commanders
reasons and approved his course.
Still, now that Field was being re-
moved for the time at least. from
the possibility of an entangling al
in every way in his power Ray meant
TO show the mortified, indeed sorely
angcred, officer that his personal re-
gard for him had suffered no change
whatever. If he could succeed in
winning Fields confidence il might
wei be that he could bring him to
see that there were good and sutl-
cicnt grounds for the post command
cr's action-that for Fields own
good, in fact, it was a most desirable
move. The soul of loyalty and
square dealing himself Ray had never
for a moment dreamed that anything
other than a foolish cscapade had
occurred-a ride by moonlight, per-
haps, demanded of her devotee by
thOughtless, thoroughbred coquette,
whose influence over the young fell
low was beginning to mar his use
fulncss, if not indeed his future pros
poets Just what to think of Ma
nctte Flower Ray really did not
know. Marion, his beloved better
half, was his unquestioned authority
in all such matters, and it was an
uncommon tenet of that young ma
tron never to condemn until she had
cause. Instinctively she shrank from
what she had seen of Miss Flower,
ioiced in the elegance of Miss Flow
cr's abundant toilets; and conscious
Of her intuitiyc aversion, she would
utter no word that might later prove
unjust. Oddly enough, that instinct
i've aversion was shared by her clos
est friend and neighbor, Mrs. Blake;
but, as yet, the extent of their CON
dcmnation had found vent only in
the half whimsical, half pctulant ex-
preston on part Of the younger lady
-Blnke's beautiful wife, 81 wish her
name wcrcn't-so near like mine"
for "Ngn' had been her pet name
almost from babyhood. Vaguely CON
sciou- were they both, these lords of
creation, Me- srs. Blake and Ray that
the ladies OF their love did not app
prove of Miss Flower but Ray had
ridden forth without ever asking or
knowing Whg, and $50, uulnuwiug,
.... F.r.........I a.. .FH.. 4t..f| 1.s