El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-10-26
CONTINUED from Yesterday

VI
GOOD Gcdr' said Stannard. Come
In And he led forthwith his aged and
trembling comrade within doors, seat
ed him by the still glowing stove in the
front room and struck a light In less
than minute Mrs. Stannard, too, had
Joined them. her kind blue eyes filed
with tender pity and sorrow. Poor
motherless Dora had no lack Of friend
" counsel and fond. womanly sympa-
thy when once she could be brought to
Law her burden there. And now, with
his gray hairs bowed in sorrow to the
dust, poor Mayhem had come to tell
his piteouS tale. Ever since young
Rawdon had gone with the paymaster
she had been fitful and nervous. Ever
since their coming to Gushing four
weeks agone she had been watching,
waiting, listening. often weeping, and
when letters came for her with the
Dostmark of Fetterman or Laramie.
Red Cloud or the cantonment in the
hills he could not but note her fever
ish eagerness and her instant escape to
her own room to read her treasure
alone Oh, yes; he knew they must be
from Rawdon. He had liked the lad.
knew there was coed stuff in him, and
he could not bear that fellow FitZroy.
who was a military loan shark, man
who fattened on the needs or weak
nesses of his comrades.
-ad
this. Oh. where had she gone? And
why? He had found her at home and
in tears after the fire. Then that aft
ernoon. some time. somehow. she gof
a message or a letter and then kissed
him and said she would be better ir
bed. At II o'clock old Chloe's sobbine
aroused him. Dora had disappeared.
They lost no time, those men Of tho
fed and the frontier. STANDARD was
dressed and out in twenty minutes.
Had she fed to join anybody? was
the question that racked so many a
heart, for, with the possible excep-
ton of gentle Mrs. Stannard, the girl
had made no confdant
1t was this. full fifteen minutes aft
er Lieutenant Field and two of his
men had trotted off to town, that
started old Stannard and big Jim En-
mis- down the valley from the veteri-
narian's. through "Sudstown," where
girls and women were budding and
whispering at the news. They came
to the long cavalry stables. standing
gable ends TO the north, like so many
companies in close column, and at the
sixth of these. fartheSt from the bluff
wherein stood the barracks and quar-
tiers. they stopped and banged at the
door. No answer. even when the SEN
try came to their aid and hammered
with the butt Of his carbine.
"Ill have him out" said the cor
poral of the guard and ran round to
the south end and presently came
back triumphant He had reused the
two orderlies- The burly major strobe
in, big Jim Ennis at his heels. The
sergeant's door flew open before them
The room was empty Fitzroy and
FitZroy's furs were gone. Nor was
that all. Two empty stalls stood close
at hand.
81 thought So" said he. then grabbed
the nearest orderly by the coat col
lar. who took Lieutenant Fosters
sleigh and team" demanded he. land
how long ago?'
Sergeant FitZroy. SIR" came the
answer, with a doleful whine, ''just
before the third relief at half past
H."
''No time to see the colonel now
said Ennis. Major Stannard. I've got
TO gallop into town. but a dozen men.
If need be. should trail that sleigh"
go it, boy" was the instant an
swer. land I'm behind you