The Owosso times., 1910-10-28
[coNTINuEp.l
CHAPTER III.

well groomed soldier, forid
faced, muscular, yet burly in
build, stepped briskly in and
stood attention" His right eye and
cheek were still heavily bruised and
discolored. His nose was somewhat
swollen.
How did you happen to be in town.
sergeant?" was the abrupt demand.
Fitzroy colored to the brows. but the
answer was prompt:
II understood the colonel to say find
him. referring to Trooper Rawdon.
Friday night. and went in Saturday
morning thinking to help. Then We
couldn't get back. SIR"
my order was to the sergeant Of
the guard. not to you." interposed But
ton curtly.
Sergeant Stowell was looking for a
man in uniform. sir. and had never
seen Rawdon except in trooper dress
and would never perhaps have known
him.
"Then how should you?" was the
sharp query.
Fitzroy started. 'I-had known him
Z. Longer, sir, and much better. I-had
occasion to reprimand him once or
twice and knew him and his-pals. If
the colonel will pardon meas none Of
the others knew him. There was that
young civilian Lowndes that went
along with us and got into trouble,
and-there were others. In fact, II
the colonel will pardon me again. sir,
] do not hold a high opinion of Troop
er Rawdon, and
mo more of that, SIR" broke in the
colonel angrily. unless you are ready
to prove your words"
"Give me two days and half a
chance, Colonel Button" was the con-
fdent answer, land I'll show he had
something to do with the paymaster's
accident or-whatever 1t was!''
As Captain Sumter said, the ladies
had gone no farther than the surgeons
quarters that memorable Saturday, and
with Sumter's full consent they had
not gone even that far. Friday after
noon he had wired his protest to the
father of Miriam Arnold, and with
startling emphasis the reply had come
early Saturday morning, II repeat that
desire my daughter to return at
once" The tone was abrupt If tele-
grams can be said to have either tone
or manner. but that wire settled the
matter Miriam said she must obey.
and nothing short Of DR.. Larrabee,
senior surgeon of the post, had pre-
vailed against her decision. He him.
9elf had met the covered vehicle at his
gate and had insisted on their alight-
ing. "Your train is half a day late
said he. you'll be wiser waiting here
than at the frowsy station. Besides,
wish to see this young woman again"
So saying he fairly lifted Miss Arnold
from the fur robed depths Of the dark
interior and deposited her on the wind
swept path. run in" said he, then
similarly aided Mrs. and Miss Sumter.
Less than half an hour the trio spent
under the doctors hospitable roof. Be-
fore o'clock the wind had increased
to a gale The snow was driving swift
and hard. 'T checked you just in
time," said he. "There'n be no train
either way this night" And so by
o'clock and just as the paymaster was
driving away down the front Of off,
GERS row Mrs. and Miss Sumter, with
Miss Arnold, escorted by the two med
ical officers. were struggling across the
open space between the surgeons
houses and the rear fence of the long
line and presently entering the back
gate at Sumter's.
It was an odd arrangement. some
what peculiar to frontier stations of
the day. The inclosure Of Fort Cush
ing was diamond shaped. The entrance
gate was at the eastern apex. The hos
pital and surgeons quarters stood on
line with this gate, their front perpen
dicular to the long axis Of the diamond.
Their rear elevations, therefore. were
not far from officers row. From the
front of Sumter's house, around by
way of the main gate to the doctors
door-the first to the left (north) of the
post trader's-was quite walk. From
back door to back door, however. II
was less than 200 PAGES. 1--WE are near
neighbors," DR.. Larrabee had been say
ing, though my wife thinks 1t long
walk on a windy day. could reach
you day or night almost in "a minute"
'Is Mr.. Lanier sitting up?" Mrs. Sum-
roy inquired. IL thought DR.. Schu-
chardt was trying to keep him in bed"
"He won't stay" was the answer.
= "Dr. Larrabee." finally said Mrs |
Sumter, miriam says she believes
II was all a mere delusion-a dream.
She blames herself bitterly and-begs
MS to think no more Of ito forgive
her, but
"But why should / attempt to con-
ceal It? You know, and we have rea-
SON to know, she did see some one
there In her. room who went out like