Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1910-10-20

said. "All gone: bIong Omaha" They
went to the three stables in town, and
,-.-----...
IL bad rigs" out Most Of them had
gone to dance at Arena. six miles
east What's all the row about any
how? demanded the night Waterman
Of one Of these establishments. There
was that cockney sergeant fellow here
along about midnight. asking ques-
tons and raising hades. The town mar
shall had rumpus with him and went
to bed mad" The half dozen hangers
on about the railway station and the
roisterers at the one open all night
saloon were growing inquisitive. if not
1mpudent. The station master had
gone home. but the lone operator, to
whom one after another, Field, En-
mis- and Mayhem, had appealed. de-
clared that no young lady had gone
on No. 6. for the reason that No.
hadn't gone and wouldn't go TIL along
toward daylight. She broke down
somewhere about o'clock at Medi-
cine Bow.
But Ennis and Mayhem came at
him a second time. with a second
question. Could he tell them anything
Of Mr.. and Mrs. Osborn, Osborn being
a conductor and Mrs. Osborn Dora's
friend, of whom previous mention is
made? Had they gone to Omaha? No,
for Mr.. Osborn was round here early
IN the evening and had to be here at
6 a. m. to meet and take No 5 over
the Mountain division. Then John
Chinaman had lied. said Mayhem,
ready to break down.
keep your heart. old man," said
Ennis. go to the hotel. lie down
and leave the rest to me-"
And still Jim Ennis felt by no means
confident he could be in time. He
knew the Mayhews only slightly. He
had never before been stationed at
regimental headquarters, had seen and
known Dora only since their coming to
Fort Gushing and therefore had not
learned to share Bob's honest admira-
ton for her. She might be all Bob
thought her, loving child and true
hearted girl in spite Of her infatuation
for this presentable young trooper
whose antecedents nobody knew.
With just two troopers at his back,
toward in the morning big Jim went
squirting on through the dim moon
light, town and station far behind, fol-
lowing a meandering sleigh and wagon
track across the wide, dreary upland,
riding. as a rule, parallel with the rail-
way, while such sleighs as tried the
journey had evidently been making
many detour. Three miles out two
rigs" were passed, westward bound,
filled with town folk who had been to
Arena for the dance. Had they seen
or heard aught of Mr.. and Mrs. Os-
born? he asked. No; they knew them
we'll by sight and would be sure to
note them had they come to the dance.
Five miles out stage was encounter
ed, loaded with exuberant jewellers
who had remained after the dance for
a spree and were now consumed with
wrath because certain officers of the
law-from their own town. too-had
hustled them out.
"a hull sleighful of 'em-three or
four anyhow-came over there with
that cockney sergeant you fellers keep
at the fort, lookin for deserters. You
after deserters? Well, here's-hic-
hopin' you don't get EN-"
It was all Jim Ennis wanted to know.
"Come on, men, he cried and spurred
ahead, his wondering troopers follow
ing.
"Now, what the mischief is that man
Fitzroy's game?" thought Ennis. He
reasoned it was after Dora that Fitzroy
had gone; that in his jealous misery he
had kept watch upon her, had followed
to town on hearing of her flight, had
followed farther, and this it was that
gave Ennis the hope that she was ac-
companied by such worthy people as
the Osborns. If that were so it could
mean but one thing. 1t was to join
Rawdon, perhaps to be joined to Raw
don. Osborn had sent two messages
by wire and had received two early in
the evening. Ennis had learned this
through the operator. though the con-
tents were withheld. Rawdon prob
ably dared not come to Gushing City.
There he might still be arrested on
sight. Yes, Ennis had it now. Dora
Mayhem had fed to Arena to meet and
marry George Rawdon. Fitzroy had
followed fast in hopes Of blocking it.
And just as the twinkling switch
lights of the little prairie station hove
in sight ahead there came sound that
startled him-the whistle Of railway
engine not a mile behind, No. 6 at last
and coming full tilt, the very train,
perhaps, that they, the young couple,
hoped and meant to take and might
have taken On their eastward way had
not Fitzroy, keen eyed, quick witted
and vengeful, been there in time to bar
the move
And then in the soldier soul Of big
Jim Ennis was born a strange, sudden
and somewhat unprofessional spirit of
opposition. Starting out in the hope Of
finding and restoring to her fathers
roof the sorroWing fugitive. Jim Ennis