The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1913-04-17
CHAPTER XVI.
The MEETING,

&An WYNN OO Il W
prevent any chance meeting, and be-
neving his stay at that garrison would
be only a brief one. Sheridan was evil
IDENTIFY preparing for an early offensive
campaign, and 1t was rumored on all
sides that the Seventh Cavalry had
been selected for active field service.
Indeed, the urgent orders for the con-
solidation Of the regiment from scat
tered posts must mean this. Any day
might bring orders, and he could
easily avoid this Mrs. Dupont until
then. Except for a faint curiosity, the
Sergeant felt no inclination to meet
the woman. Whatever influence she
might have once exercised over him
had been thoroughly overcome by
years and absence. Even the unex-
pected sight Of her again-seemingly
as beautiful as ever-had failed to
awaken the spell OF the past. 1t was
almost with a thrill Of delight that
Hamlin realized this-that he was in
truth utterly free of her influence.
There had been times when he had
anticipated such a possible meeting
with dread; when he had doubted his
own heart, the strength of his will tt
resist. But now he knew he stood abb
~solutely independent and could laugh
at her wiles. She who had once been
all-trusted, loved, worshipped with
all the mad tervor Of youth-had be-
come only a dead memory. Between
them stretched a chasm never to be
bridged.
What could the woman possibly
want Of him? To explain the past?
To justify herself? He knew enough
already, and desired to know no more.
Could she hope-natural c~oquette that
she was-to regain her hold upon
him? The man smiled grimly, conf
dent Of his own strength. Yet why
should she care for such a conquest,
the winning Of a common soldier?
There must be some better reason,
some more subtle purpose. Could it
be that she feared him, that she was
afraid that he might speak to her in.
jury? This was by far the most like
ly superstition. Molly McDonald-thei
woman was ware Of their acquaint-
ance, and was already alarmed at its
possible result.
Hamlin stood up resolved. He.
would meet the woman, not from any.
desire Of his own, but to learn her
purpose. and protect the girl. The
meeting could not injure him, not
even bring a swifter beating Of the
heart, but might give him opportunity
to serve the other. And lie Fevre-I
surely she could tell him something
Of LIE Fevre.
Leave was easily obtained, and the
Sergeant, rejoicing in a freshly issued
uniform, dressed with all the care pos
sible, his interest reviving at this new
point Of view. 1t was not far down
the bluff road to the squalid little vii
lage which had naturally developed in
close proximity to the fort-near
enough for protection, yet far
enough removed to be lawless-a
rough frontier outpost town, Of shacks
and tents, most Of these dispensing
vile liquors. Among these. more en-
%terprising spirits-hopeful Of future
development-had erected larger
buildings, usually barn-like, with false
fronts facing the single main street,
filled with miscellaneous stocks of
goods or used for purposes not so le-
Ultimate. One of these housed the
Poodle Dog" saloon, with gambling
rooms above, while a few doors below
was a great dance hall, easily convert
ed into a theater If occasion arose-a
grotesque, one-storied monstrosity. Be
low these was the stage Office, built
against the ~three-storied wooden ho-
tel, which boasted of a wide porch on
two sides, and was a picture of ugli-
ness.
BY daylight all was squalor and dirt,
dingy tents Tapping in the ceaseless
wind, Imprinted shacks, wooden
houses with boards warping under the
hot sun, the single street deep in yell
low dust, the surrounding prairie lit
tered with tin cans, and all manner Of
debris. But with the coming of night
much of this roughness departed. Sol
diers from the garrison on pass, idle
plainsmen, bullwhackers, adventures
of all kinds stranded here because of
Indian activity, stray cowboys from
the nearby valleys, thronged the nu-
merous dives, seeking excitement.
Women, gaudy of dress, shrill of voice,
fitted from door to door through the
jostling crowds. Lamps blazed i've
the motley assembly, loud-voiced bark
ers yelled, and a band added its dis
cords to the din. The Poodle Dog"
glared in light, resounded with noise;
lamps cleaned from the hotel win
dows, and the huge dance hall stood
wide open. Out from the shacks and
tents crept the days sleepers for a
night Of revelry; along the trails rode
others eager for excitement; it was
the harvest-time Of those birds of prey
In saloon and gambling hell.
Hamlin saw all this, but gave the
surroundings little thought. He was
Of the West, Of the frontier, and be-
held nothing unique In the scene.
Moreover, the purpose for which he
was there overshadowed all else, left
him Indifferent to the noise, the jost-