The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-09-19
! anier of the Cavalry
GENERAL CHARLES
 KING,
Author of '.The Colonel's Daughter.
 ''Foes Tn Amb,Ish." Etc.

I chance. Colonel Button.'' was tie con.
 fdent answer, "ard I'll show he had something to do with the paymasters
 accident or-whatever it wasr' As Captain Sumter said, the ladies had gone no farther than the surgeons
 quarters that memorable Saturday. and
 with SuInteHs 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, 'I repeat that
 desire nay 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
 self 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 stAtfon. Besides, I
 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
 SHGplf RlAIA 1eOA Ills sc1AN AAC1 t.A1CAA similarly aided Mrs. and Miss Sumter
 Less than half an hour the trio spent
 under the doctors hospitab1e roof. Be- fore 2 o'clock the wind had increased to gale The snow was driving swift and hard II checked you just in time said he. ..ThereM be no train either way this night And so by 2 o'clock and just as the paymaster was driving away down the front of off, cers' row Mrs. and Miss Sumter, with Miss Arnold, escorted by the two med 1cal 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. pftal and surgeons quarters stood on q 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 (northI of the post trader's-was quite a walk. From back door to back door, however, it was less than 200 paces. ''We. are near Dr. Larrabee had been say ing, though my wife thinks it long walk on windy day. l could reach you day or night almost in minute.'
 .sIs Mir. L4anier sitting up?'' Mrs. Sum ter inquired. T thought pr. Schu- chardt was trying to keep him in bed. ''s Il
 He won't stay was the answer.
 ttDr. Larrabee.'' finally. said Mrs. Sumter, Miriam says she believes It was all mere delusion-a dream. She planes herself bitterly and-begs 1s to think no more of tito forgive her. butt
 'sBut why should I attempt to con- zeal it? You know. and we have req son to know.l she did see some one shere in her room who went out like | thief. through the window and away D spite of sentrieS. Captain Sumter lad the snow swept off before reyeille. What was the use of advertising it further? Mr Barker and Mir. Blake saw it, too. They hold it was some garrison sneak thief. looking for jew elry. Yet not so much as a ring. or a pin was touched-only her desk.''
 Did she tell of that?" ssNo; Kate was the first to see 1t. She flew upstairs when she heard the scream, found Miriam 9 senseIess heap ,n the floor. the desk open on the little able by the window. the contents scattered. the window up and some body bounding and slipping away in he moonlight Then she heard the challenge and scufIe outside and thought the guard had him and gave l ger whole attention to Miriam until l Mr. Barker shouted from the lower l laIl..
 stAnd nothing is missing?'
 sNothing. Bit Captain Sumter wish 1 d to have it aI:. kept quiet until he l .ould confer with the detectives in 1 own.''
 "A1iss Kate has a level head" pres .ntIy spoke Iarrabee. What does 1 ;he say?"
 Doctor. that is what troubles me. Kate won't say-anything. It's the | irst time she ever kept secret from ne.' And now tears of genuine dis | rcss were yelling in Mrs. Sumter's yes.
 It was half after ?. and the wind l vas shrieking through the open space pack of the line when Dr. Larrabee, tending almost double. managed to | fight his way homeward. Schuchardt. l of the adjoining set to his 1 'wn, had not yet returned At Sum er's gate the senior surgeon encoun- cred the corporal of the guard. nearly bind and well nigh exhausted. He vas- -searchinS for sentry No. 2.
 WN~