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Dunraven Ranch.
A Story of American9 Frontier Life.
By CAPT. CHARLES KING, U. S. A.,
Atrreo&eF t oeuofmvs'VAVtaenaL,' "pmeit th kanxs,"
"THJJ DESERTTOt," WTO.
Copyrighted, 1888, by J. B. Lieeiacett
Special Arrangement through
CHAPTER
T WAS nearly midnight, and
ttill the gay party lingered en
the veranda. There had been
a fortnight of "getting Bet tied" at the
new pest, preceded by a month of march
ing that had brought the battalion from
distant er vice te this strange Texan sta
tion. The new comers had been hospita
bly welcomed by the officers of the little
garrison of Infantry, and new, in recog
nition of their many courtesies, the. field
officer commanding the arriving troops
bad been entertaining the resident efll-.
ccrs and ladies at dintn.r. The colonel
was a host in himself, but preferred net
te draw tee heavily en his reserves of
anecdote, and small talk, se he had called
in two of his subalterns te assist in the
pleasant duty of 'being attentive te the
infantry ladies, and just new, at 11:45 p
m., he was wondering if Lieut. Perry
had net tee literally construed his in
structions, for that young gentleman
was devoting himself te Mrs. Belknap in
n manner se marked as te make the cap
tain, her lawful lord and master, mani
festly uneasy.
Mrs. Belknap, however, seemed te en
joy the situation immensely. She, was
a pretty woman at most times, as even
her rivals admitted.. She was a beauti
ful woman at all times, was the verdict
of the officers of the regiment when they
happened te speak of the matter among
themselves. She was dark, with lus
trous eyes and sweeping lashes, with
coral lips and much luxuriance of tress,
and a way of glancing sideways from
under her heavily fringed eyelids that
the younger and tnore impressionable
men found quite irresistible when ac
corded the rare luxury of a tcte-a-tete.
Belknap was a big and boisterous man;
Mrs. Belknap was small in stature, and
soft very soft of voice. Belknap was
either brusquely repellent or oppressively
cordial in manner; Mrs. Belknap was
either gently and cxaspcrntingly indif
fereut te these- whom alie did net care te
attract, or caressingly sweet te these
whose attentions she deblred.
In their own regiment tlie young offi
cers seen found that unless they wished
te be involved in en unpleasantness with
Belknap it was best te be only very mod
erately devoted te his pretty wife, and
these te whom an unpleasantness with
the big captain might have had no ter
rors of consequeuce were deterred by
the fact that Mrs. Belknap's devetee
among the "youngsters" had invariably
become an object of coldness and aver
sion te the ether dames and damsels of
the garrison. Very short lived, there
fore, had been the little flirtations that
sprang up from time te time in these
frontier pests wherein Capt. and Mrs.
Belknap wcre among the chief orna
ments of society; but new matters
eeemeil te be taking ether shape. Frem
the very day that handsome Ned Perry
dismounted in front of Belknap's quar
ters and v itli his soldiery salute reported
te the then commanding officer that Cel.
Brainard nud his battalion of cavalry
would arrive in the course of two or
three hours, Mrs. Belknap had evinced a
centeutment in his society and assumed
an air of quasi-proprietersliipthat served
te uuney her garrison sisters mere than
a little. Fer the time being all the cav cav
alryuicmwere bachelors,, either by ac
tual rank or "by brevet," as nene of the
ladies of the th nccempanlcd the bat
talion en its march, and iuhie were ex
pected until the stations of the regiment
in its new department had been definite
ly v settled. The pest surgeon, tee, was
living a life of bingle blessedness as the
early bpring wero en, for his geed wife
had betaken herself, with the children,
te the distant east as seen as the disap
pearance of the winter's 6news rendered
staging ever the hard pralrie reads a
matter of no great danger or disevnifert.
It was the doctor himself who, seated
in an easy chair at the end of the ve
randa, first called the colonel's attention
te Perry's devotional attitude at Mrs.
Belknap's bide. She was reclining in a
hammock, ene little, slippered feet ecca
sienally touching the fleer and impait
ing a gentle, swinging motion te the
affair, and making n soethiug swish
swish of Bkiits along tlie matting under
neath. Her jeweled hands looked very
slender and fragile and white as they
gleamed in the soft light that shone
from the open windows of the. parlor.
They were busied in straightening out
the kinks in the geld cord of his ferage
cap and in icarranging a little silken
braid and tassel that was fastened in a
clumsy, man like fashion te one of the
buttons at the bide; he, heated in a camp
chair, was bending forward be that his
handsome, shapely head was only a
trifle higher than hers, and the two
hers be dark and rich in coloring, his
se fair and massive and strong came
rather tee clese together for the equa
nimity of Capt. Belknap, who had es
sayed te take a hand at whist in the par
lor. One or two of the ladies, also, were
silent obf.crvers of the scene silent as te
the scene because, being in conversation
at the time with brother officers of Lieut.
Perry, they were uncertain as yet hew
-sjeaiments en his growing flirtation might
be received. That their eyes should oc
casionally wander towards the hammock
and then glance with sympathetic sig
nificance at theso of come fair nlly and
intimatewas natural enough. But when
it became presently apparent that Mrs.
Belknap was actually unfastening the
little silken braid that had hung en Ned
Perry's cap ever since the day of his ar
rivalall the whlle, tee, looking slyly
up in his eyes as her fingers worked;
when it was Been that she presently de
tached it from the button and then, half
hesitatingly, but evidently in compliance
with luVwlshes, handed it te him; when
he was seen 15 toss It carelessly even
contemptuously away and then bend
down lower, as though gazing into her
sliaded eyes, Mrs. Lawrence could staud
it no longer.
"Mr. Graham," said 6he, "isn't your
friend, Mr. Perry, something of a flirt'"
"Wip?-Ned?" tusked Mr. Ornlia.ni, in
L
10
" THE LAyOASCTR DAILY INTlCLLIGByCERv SATtTBDAT, OCTOBBB 19,
Company, PWUpslphia, as Published by
the American Prets Association.
well reigned amate and with midden
glance towards the object of his Inquiry.
"Hew en earth should I knew anything
bout It? Of course you de net seek ex
pert testimony in asking me. He tries, I
suppose, te adapt himself te circum
stance. But why de you askr
"Because I see that he has been induc
ing Mrs. Belknap te take off that little
tassel en the button of his cap. -He has
worn it when off duty ever since he
came; and we supposed it was something
he cherished; I knew she did."
Graham broke forth in a peal of merry
laughter, but gave no further reply, for
just then the colonel and the doctor left
their chairs, and, sauntering ever te the
hammock, brought mighty relief te Bel
knap at the whist table and vexation of
spirit te his pretty wife. The flirtation
was broken at a most interesting point,
and Perry, rising suddenly, came ever
and joined Mrs. Lawrence.
If she expected te see him piqued or
annoyed at the interruption and some
what perturbed in manner, she was
greatly mistaken. Nothing could have
been mere sunshiny and jovial than the
greeting he gave her. A laughing apol
ogy te Graham for spoiling his tetc-a-tcte
was accomplished In a moment, and
then down by her Bide he sat and plunged
Inte a merry description of his experi
ences at dinner, where he had been
placed next te the chaplain's wife en the
one hand, and she had been properly ag
grieved at his attentions te Mrs. Belknap
en the ether.
"Yeu must remember that Mrs. Wells
Is a very strict Presbyterian, Mr. Perry;
and, for tbat matter, none of us have
seen a dinner such as the colonel gave us
this evening for ever and ever se long.
We are quite unused te the ways of
civilization; whereas you have just come
from the east and long leave. Perhaps
It is the fashion te be all devotion te
one's next deer neighbor at dinner."
"Net if she be as repellent and vener
able ns Mrs. Wells, I assure you. Why,
I thought bIie would have been glad te
leave the table when, after having re
fused sherry and Pontet-Canet for up
wards of an hour, her glass was filled
with chumpagne when ehe happened te
be looking the ether way."
"It is the first dinner of the kind ehe
has ever seen here, Mr. Perry, and I
don't suppose cither Mr. or Mrs. Wells
has been up be late befere in years. He
would have enjoyed staying and watch
ing whist, but she carried him off almost
us seen as we left the table. Our society
has been very dull, you knew only our
selves at the pest all this last year, and
nobody outside of it."
"One would suppo3e that with all this
magnificent cattle range, there would be
bome cengenI.il people ranching near
you. Are there nene at all?"
"Absolutely none! There are seme
ranches down in the Washita country,
but only ene fine ene near ua; and that
might as well be en the ether Eide of the
Atlantic. Ne ene fjprn there ever
comes here; and Dr. Quin is the only
living soul in the garrison who ever get
within the walls of that ranch. What
he saw there he positively refuses te tell,
dcsplte all our entreaty."
"Yeu don't tell me there's a ranch
with a mystery here near Kessiterl" ex
claimed Mr. Perry, with sudden interest.
"Why, I de, indeed! Is it pessible
you have been here two whele weeks
and haven't heard of Dunraven Ranch?"
"I've heard there was such a thing; I
saw it from a distance when out hunting
thu ether day. But what a the mystery?
what's the matter with it?"
"That's what we all -want te knew
and cannot find out. New, there is en
exploit worthy your energy nnd best
efforts, Mr. Perry. There is a big,
wealthy, well stocked ranch, the finest
homestead buildings, we are told, in all
thin part of Texas. They say it is beau
tifully furnished that it has a fine
library, n grand piano, all manner of
things indicative of culture and refine
ment among its occupants but the own
er only comes aieund ence or twice n
year, and is an iceberg of an English
man. All the peeple about the ranch
are English, tee, nnd the most repellent,
boorish, discourteous let of men you ever
caw. When the Eleventh were here
they did everything they could te be
civil te them, but net an invitation
would they accept, net ene would they
extend; and be from that day te this
nene of the officers have had any inter
course with the peeple at the ranch, and
the soldiers knew very little mere. Once
or twice a year seme ery ordinary look
ing men arrive who are Baid te be very
distinguished people in England; but
they remain only a little whlle, and go
away aa suddenly as they came."
"And you have never seen any of
them?"
"Never, except at a distance. Ner
has any ene of the officers, except Dr.
Quiu."
"And you have never heard anything
about the inmates and why they keep
up this policy of exclusivencss?"
"We have heard all manner of things
Beme of them wildly romantic, some
mysteriously tragic, and all of them,
probably, absurd. At all events, Capt.
Laurence, has told me he did net wish
me te repeat what I had heard, or te be
concerned in any way with the stories
afloat; be you must ask somebody else.
Try the doctor. Te change the subject,
Mr. Perry, I 6ee you have lest that mys
terious little silken braid nnd tassel you
were en your cap button. I fancied
there was seme romance attached te it,
and new it is gene."
Perry laughed, his blue eyes twinkling
with fun: "If I will tell you hew and
where I get that tassel, will yerf tell me
what you liave heard about Dunraven
Ranchc"
"I cannot, unless Capt. Lawrence
withdraws his prohibition. Perhaps he
will, though, for 1 think it was only be
cause he was tired of hearing all our
conjectures and theories."
"Well, will you tell me if I can induce
the captain te Bay he has no objection?"
lersistcd Perry.
"I will te-morrow if ou will tell me
about the tassel te-night."
"Is it n positive premise? Yeu will tell
me te-morrow all you have heard about
Dunraven Itanch if I will tell you to te
iiight all I knew about the tassel?"
"Yes a premise."
"Very well, then. Yeu are a witness
te the compact, Graham. New for my
confession. I have worn that tassel ever
since our parting ball at Fert Hlley.
That is te say, it has been fastened te
that button ever bince the ball until to
night; but I've been mighty careful net
te wear that cap en any kind of duty."
"And yet you let Mrs. Belknap take it
off te-night?''
"Why shouldn't I? Then was no
VTTSTWWU!
ittA (- "r - ai
i yv -i"
whatever attacked te it. I
haven't the faintest ideawbeae It was,
and only tied it there for the fun of the
thing and te make Graham, here, ask
questions."
"Mr. PerryP gasped Mr. Lawrence,
"And de you mean that Mrs. Belknap
knows that you told her what you hare
just told me?"
"Well, no," laughed Perry. "I fancy
Mrs. Belknap thinks as you thought
thstltwasagaged'ameur. Halle! leek
at that light away out there across the
prairie. What can that be?"
Mrs. Lawrence roee suddeuly te her
feet and gazed southeastward in thi di
rection in which the young officer point
ed. It was n lovely, starlit night. A
soft wind was blowing gently from the
south and bearing with it the f ragrance
of spring blossoms and far away flower
ets. Others, tee, had arisen, attracted
by Perry's sudden exclamation. Mrs.
Belknap turned languidly In her ham
mock and glanced ever her pretty white
shoulder. The colonel followed her eyes
with his and gave a start of surprise.
The doctor turned slowly and composed
ly and looked silently towards the glis
tening object, and then upon the officers
of the cavalry there fell sudden astonish
ment. "What en earth could that have been?"
asked the colonel. "It gleamed like the
head light of a locomotive, away down
there in the valley of the Monce, then
suddenly went out."
"Be silent a moment nnd watch,"
whispered Mrs. Lawrence te Perry.
"Yeu will see It again; and watch the
doctor."
Surely enough, even as they were nil
looking about and commenting en the
strange apparition, it suddenly glared
forth a second time, shining full and lus
trous as an unclouded planet, yet miles
away beyond and above the fringe of
cottonweeds that wound southeastward
with the little stream. Full half a mln-
ute it shene, and then, abruptly as be
fore, was hidden from eight.
Perry was about starting forward te
join the colonel when u little hand was
laid upon his arm.
"Wait; once mere you'll bce it," she
whispered. "Then take me in te Capt.
Lawrence. De you see that the doctor
is leaving?"
Without saying a word te any one, the
poet surgeon had very quietly withdrawn
from the group en the veranda. He
could net well leave by the front gate
without attracting attention; but he
strolled leisurely into the hall, took up
a book that lay en the table, and passed
through the group of officers seated
smoking and chatting there, entered the
sitting room en the south side of the
hall the side opposite the parlor where
the whist game was in progress and
there he was lest te sight.
A third time the bright light burst
upon the low of the gazers. A third
time, sharply and suddenly, it disap
iearcd. Then for a moment nil was
sllence and watchfu'nesa; but it ennie no
mere.
Perry looked qucntienlngly in his com
panion's face. She had turned n little
white, and he felt sure that she was
shivering.
"Are you cold?" he usked her, gently.
"Ne net that; but I hate myeterles,
after what I've heard, and we haven't
seen that light in ever se long. Come
here te the corner ene moment." And
she led him around te the ether flank of
the big wooden, barrack like rcsidence of
the commanding officer.
"Loek up there," she said, pointing te
a dark window under the peaked dormer
reef of the large cottage te the south.
"That is the doctor's heuse."
In a few seconds a faint gleam seemed
te creep through the slats. Then the
slats themselves wcre thrown wide open,
a white shade was lowered, and, with
the rays behind it growing brighter ev
ery instant, a bread white light shene
forth ever the reef of the veranda. An An
other moment and footsteps were heard
along the doctor's peich, footsteps that
presently approached them along the
gross.
"Come," she Bald, plucking at his
sleeve, "ceme away; it is the doctor."
"Fer what reason?" he answered.
"That would Bcetn like hiding. Ne, Mrs.
Lawrence, let us stay until he comes."
But the doctor passed them with brief
and courteous salutation; spoke of the
beauty of the night and the balm of the
summery air, and went in again by the
main deer te the colonel's quarters.
Then Perry turned te his paitner:
"Well, Mrs. Lawrence, what docs it all
mean? Is this part of what you had te
tell me?"
"Don't ask me new. I I did net want
te see what we have seen, but I had
heard queer bterles and could net beliove
them. Take me in te Capt. Lawrence,
please. And, Mr. Perry, you won't speak
of this te any ene, will you? Indeed, if I
had known, I would net have come out
here for the world; but I didn't beliove
it, even when alie went away and took
the children."
"Who went away?"
"Mrs. Quin the doctor's wife. And
she was such a sweet woman, and se de
voted te him."
"Well, pardon me, Mrs. Lawrence, I
don't see through this thing at all De
you mean that the doctor has anything
te de with the mystery?"
She bowed her head as they turned
back te the heuse: "I must net tell you
any mere te-night. Yeu will be euro te
hear something of It all, here. Every
body en the piazza saw the lights, and
nil who t cre here befere you came knew
what they meant."
"What were tlmy?"
"Signals, of bene kind, from Dunraveii
Panch."
ED PERRY hated re-
veille and morning
stables about as ve
hemently ns was pes pes
Fible te a young fel
low who was in ether
respects thoroughly in leve with his pro
fession. A fairer type of the American
cavalry officer, when ence he get hi &ad &ad
dle and settled down te business, one
would hardly ask te find. Tall, athletic,
slender of build, with frank, laughing
blue eye3, curly, clese cropped, light
brown hair, and a twirling mustache
tliat was a source of inexpressible delight
te its owner and of seme envy te his
brother subalterns, Mr. Perry was prob
ably tbe best looking of the young offi
cers who inarched with the battalion te
this for away station en the borders of
the Llano Estacado. He had been ten
years in service, counting the four he
spent as a cadet, had just wen his silver
bar as the junior first lieutenant of the
regiment, was full te the brim of health,
energy, animal spirits and f uu, and, bir
ring u few duns and debts in his earlier
experiences, had never known a heavier
cats in the world than the transient
r- Tara im. r?TJ
CHAPTER II.
jmm.mr.
- 'Ji..'!' Jl
... 'J 'c
j-',- y
ana etenemeral anxiety as te whether he
wAtslfl Ki (-altjwl tin far nmltAllnn nn
subject he had het te much as looked at, '
or "hired" absent from a roll call he had
lazily slept through.
Any ether wan, his comrades said,
would have been spoiled a dozen times
ever by the, petting 'he had received from
both men and women) but there was
something essentially sweet and genial
about his naturth-eemethtng "tacking in
guile about his perceptions," said a cyni
cal old captain of the regiment and a
jovial, sunshiny way of looking upon the
world as an Eden, all men and all women
as friends, and the army as the profes
sion above all ethers, and these various
attributes combined te make him popular
with his kind and unusually attractive
te the opposite sex. As a cadet he had
been perpetually en the verge of dismis
sal because of the appalling array of de
merits he could roll up against his name,
and yet the very officers who jetted down
the memoranda of his sins emission
and commission against the regulations
were men who openly said he "had the
making of one of the finest soldiers In
the class." As junior second lieutenant
"plebe" of the regiment, he had been
welcomed by every man frogs the colonel
down, and it was considered particularly
rough that he should have te go te such
a company as Capt. Canker's, because
Canker Was a man who never get along
with any of his juniors; but there was
something se irrcpreieibly frank and
contrite in Perry's boyish face when he
would appear at bis captain's deer
in the early morning and hurst out
with: "By Jove, captain I I slept
through reveille again this morning,
aad never get down till stables
wcre nearly ever," that even that cress
grained but honest troop commander
was disarmed, and, though -he threat
ened and reprimanded, he would never
punish would nevcr deny his subaltern
the faintest privilege; and when promo
tion took the captain te another regi
ment he bade geed-by te Perry with eyes
that were suspiciously wet. "Why,
blew it all, what de you fellows hate
Canker se for?" the youngster often
said. "He ought te put me in arrest
time and again, but he won't. Blamed
if I don't put myself in arrest, or confine
myself te the limits of the pest, and de
something, te cut all this going te town
and hops and such things. Then I can
stick te the troop like wax and get up nt
reveille; but if I'm out dancing till 2 or
0 in the morning it's nouee, I tell you; I
just can't wake up."
It was always predicted of Ned Perry
that he would be "married and done
for" within a year of his graduation.
Every new face in the flve years that
followed revived the garrison proph
ecy, "New he's gene, sure!" but, how
ever dovetcd he might seem te the damsel
in question, however restless and impa
tient he might be when compelled by his
duties te absent himself from her Bide,
hewever premising te casual observers
porchance ie the damsel hersclf might
be all the Btirfare indications, the abso abse abso
lute frankness with which he proclaimed
his admiration te every listener, and the
fact that he "had been just se with half
n dozen ether girls," enabled the cooler
heads of the regiment te decide that the
time had net yet come or at least the
woman.
"I de wish," said Mrs. Turner, "that
Mr. Perry would settle en somebody, be
cause just se long as he doesn't, it is
rather hard te tell who he belongs te."
And, as Mrs. Turner had long been a
reigning belle among the married women
of the th, and ene te whom the young
officers were always expected te show
much attention, her whimsical way of
describing the situation was readily un
derstood. But here nt the .)ew station at far
away Rossiter matters wcre taking en
a new leek. Te begin with, the wives
of the officers of the cavalry battalion
had net joined, nene of the ladies of the
th wcre here, and nene would be
apt te ceme until the summer's r.cout r.ceut
lng work was ever nnd dene with. The
ladies of the little battalion of infantry
were here, and, though there were no
maiden sisters or cousins et at the pest
(rest ussured that mero than ene was al
ready summoned), they were sufficient
in number te enliven the monotony of
garrison life and sufficiently attractive
te warrant all the attention they cared
te receive It was beginning te be gar
rison chat that if Ned Perry liad net
"settled en somebody" as the ultimate
object of his en tire davotien, somebody
had settled en him, and tliat was pretty
Mrs. Belknap.
And though Ned Perry hated reveille
and morning 6tablea, as has been said,
nnd could rarely "take his week" with
out making one or mero lapses, here he
was this beautiful May morning out at
daybreak when it was his junior's tour
of duty, and wending his way with that
youngster out te the line of cavalry sta
bles, booted and spurred and equipped
for a ride.
The colonel had listened with seme
surprise te his request, proffered just as
the party was breaking up the night be
fore, te be absent from garrison a few
hours the following morning.
"But we have battalion drill at 9
o'clock, Mr. Perry, and I need you there,"
he said.
"Oh, I'll be back in time for that, Bir.
I wanted te be off three hours or se be
fore breakfast."
The colonel could net help laughing.
"Of courbe you can go go where vcr you
like nt tho3e hours, when you are net en
guard; but I never imagined you would
wnnt te get up se early."
"Neither I would, colonel, but I'e
been interested in something I heard
about this ranch down the Monce, and
thought I'd like te ride down and leek
at it."
"Ge ahead, by all means, and Bee
whether theso lights came from there.
It inade mu think of a play I ence saw
the 'Colleen Bawn' where a fellow's
sweetheart signaled ucress the lake by
tmewing a light in her cettage window
just that way three times, and he an
swered by turning out the lights in his
room. Of course the diatance wasn't
anything like this; and there was no ene
here te turn down any light Eh! what
did you bay?"
"I beg pardon, colonel. I didn't mean
te interrupt," put in a gentle voiee at his
elbow, while n little hand en Perry's urm
gave it a sudden and vigorous squeeze,
"but Capt. lawrence ban called me twice
he will net re-cnter after lighting his
cigar and I must say geed night."
"Oh, geed night, Mrs, Lawrence. I'm
berry you go se early. We are going te
reform you all in that respect as seen as
we gtt farly settled, nere's Perry, new,
would sit up and play whist with me an
hour yet."
"Net this night, colonel. He has prom prem
ised te walk home with us" (another
squeeze), "und go he must, or be a faith
Jess escort. Geed night. We'vu had
such a lovely, lovely time."
And Ned Perry, dazed, went with her
te the gate, where Capt. Lawrence was
awaiting them. She had barely time te
murmur:
"Yeu ueru jmt en the point of telling
him about the doctor's lights. I cannot
forgive niybelf for being the means of
seeing it; but keep my confidence, and
keep this until everybeJy is talking
about it; it will com? 600n - '-"
Naturally, Mr. Perry v .it i -Mcne-what
perturbed In sn'iU c 1 nlive
1'. i ...S jr.Iln,'. r-li vr iT -i.. 1
with conjecture as te what these things
could mean. The first notes of "assem
bly of the trumpeters" generally known
aa "first call" reused him from his sleep,
and by the time the men marched out te
the stables he had had his plunge bath, a
vigorous rub and a chance te think ever
his plans befere following In their tracks,
dressed for his ride. The astonishment
of Lieut Parke, the junior of the troop,
was something almost tee deep for words
when Perry came bounding te his side.
"What en earth brings you out, Ned?"
was his only effort
"Going for a gallop down the Menee;
that's all. I haven't had a freshener for
a week."
"Gadl we get exercise enough at
morning drill, ene would think, and our
horses tee. Oh!" And Mr. Parke
stepped suddenly. It flashed across him
that perhaps Perry was going riding
with a lady friend and the hour was her
selection. If ee, 'twas no business of
his, and remsrks were uncalled for.
When he mounted and rode away from
the stable Mr. Parke was outside at the
picket rope, and busily occupied in his
duties, supervising the fastening of the
fresh, spirited horses at the line, for the
troop commander was a man Intolerant
of disorder of any kind, and nothing
mero offended hlseye than the sight of
two or three of his charges loeso and
plunging and kicking up and down the
stable yard. On the ether hand, there
was no ene exploit that seemed te glve
the younger animals keener delight
nothing that mede the perpetrator a big
ger here in his own eyes or the object of
greater envy among his fellows and as
a consequence every dovlce of which
.cqulne ingenuity was master was called
into play, regularly as the mernlug came
around, te break loose cither from the
controlling hand of the trooper or from
the taut and straining picket rope. The
first care of the officer in charge of the
troop sergeants was, therefore, te see
that all thojierses were securely lashed
and knotted. Net until he had examined
every "halter shank" was Mr. Parke at
leisure te leek around, but when he did
his comrade had disappeared from view.
And ever this bread level, horizon
bounded, net a moving object could be
seen. Far away, In little groups of three
or four, black dots of grazing cattle
marked the plain, and ever In the
"breaks" of the Mone, just beyond the
fringing cottonweeds, two or three
herds of Indian ponies wcre sleepily
cropping their morning meal, watched
by the little black Imp of a boy whose
dirty rodblanket made the only patch of
color against the southern landscape.
Later In the day, when the sun mounted
high In the heavens and the brisk west
erly winds sent the clouds sailing swift
across the skies, all the bread prairie
socmed in motion, for then huge shad
ows swept Its face with measured speed,
and distant cattle and neighboring pony
herd appeared as though calmly and
contentedly riding en a bread platform,
Nature's own "observation car." taking
a leisurely journey toward! the fur away
Pacific.
But the sun was only just up as Mr.
Parke came back from his inspection of
the halter fastenings and paused te leek
across the low valley. Far down te the
southeast the rays seemed glinting en
seme bright objects clustered together
within short range of the shadowy
fringe, and the lieutenant shaded his
eyes with his gauntlet and loekod fixed
ly thitherward as he steed at the stable
deer.
"Some new tinning down at that Eng
lish ranch they talk of, I Buppose," was
his explanation of the phenomenon, and
then "wonder why Perry hasn't ridden
te cultivate the acquaintance of theso
peeple befere this, no was always the
first man in the th te find out who our
neighbors were."
Pondering ever this question, it oo eo oe
cuncU te Mr. Parke that Perry had said
he was going down the Menee that morn
ing; but newhere was there a speck in
sight that looked like loping horseman.
Te be sure, the trail bere clese te the low
bluffs that bounded the valley en the
north by the time ene had ridden a inile
or be out from the pest. He was prob
ably hidden by this shoulder of the prai
rie, and would continue te be until he
reached the bend, flve miles below. Ne
use watching for him then. Besides, he
might net yet have started. Mr. Parke
recalled the fact tbat he half suspected
a whlle age that Ned was going te ride ride
en early ante-breakfust ride with a
lady friend. Mrs. Bclknnp had her own
horse, and was an accomplished eques
trienne; Mrs. Lawrence rode fairly well,
and was always glad te go, when some
body could glve her a saddle and a rell rell
able mount. There were ethers, tee,
among the ladies of the infantry garrison
who were no novices a cheval. Mr.
Parke had no intention whatever of pry
ing into the matter. It was simply as
something the officer in charge of stable
duty was entitled te knew that he turned
suddenly and called:
"Sergt. Gwynnel"
nc heard the name passed down the
dark Interior of the stable by ithe men
sweeping out the stalls, and the prompt
nnd cheery reply. The next Instant a
tall young trooper stepped forth into the
blaze of early sunlight, his right hand
raised in balute, and btoed erect and mo
tionless by the lieutenant's side.
"Did Mr. Perry take an extra horse,
sergeant?"
"Ne, sir."
"I thought possibly he meant te tuke
Reland. He's the best lady's herse in the
troop, is he net?"
"Yes, sir; but Reland is at the line
new,"
"Very well, then. That's all. I pro pre
sumo he has just ridden down te Dun
raven." And Mr. Parke turned te leek
ence mere at the glinting objects down
the distant valley. It was a moment or
two before he was aware of the fact that
the sergeant still steed thcic, instead of
returning te his duties.
"I said that was all, sergeant; you can
go back te your feeding." And then
Mr. Parke turned in soma surprise, for
Sergt. G wynne, by long odds the "smart
est" and most soldierly of the non-commissioned
officers of the cavalry battal battal
lien, for the first time in his history
seemed te have forgettcu himself.
Though his attitude had net changed,
his face had, and a Btrange leek was In
his bright blue eyes a leek of Incro Incre
dulity and wonderment and trouble all
combined. The lieutenant was fairly
startled when, as though gathering him
self together, the bergennt falteringly
usked:
"I beg pardon, sir he hail ridden
where?"
"Down te the Ranch, sergeant that
one you can jutt see, away down the
l alley."
"I kuew, bir; but the nameV
"Dunraven Ranch."
Fer an instant the eergcaut steed as
though dazed, then, with Midden effort,
saluted, faced about, nnd plunged into
the durk recesses of the stable.
CHAPTER III.
"TTKANTIMK Lieut. Perrvwas riding
blithely down the winding trail, totally
unconscious that his movements vtere
el tlie faintest eeiiMxiuince te anybody
but himself, and equally heedless of their
being n sourceef sjiecufatlen, HUlierse
was one he rejoiced In, full of
spirit and spring nud Intelligence ;
. " i ."fiw v niii T i'vi""' Willi.
ir.jxtr,,
J. ! J I J.
1889.
KM morning was beautiful, just cool
enough te be exhilarating; his favorite
hound, Brace, went bounding ever ths
tarf under the slopes, or ranging off
through the cottonweeds along th
stream, or the shallow, sandy arroyos,
where the grass and weeds grew rank
and luxuriant Every new and then
with sudden rush and whir a dreve of
prairie chickens would leap from their
covert and. after vigorous flapping of
wings for a few reds, would go skim
ming restfully In long easy curve, and
settla te earth again a hundred yards
away, as though suddenly reminded of
the fact that this was mating time and
no gentleman would be mean enough ie
sheet nt such a season.
Every little while, tee, with prodigious
kicking of dust and show of heels, with
eyes fairly bulging out of his feather
brained head, and tall lop cars laid flat
en his book, a big jack rabbit would
bound off into space, and go tearing
across the prairie in mad race for his
threatened life, putting a mllj between
him and the Meuee befere he began te
realize that the two quadrupeds ambling
along tbe distant trail were obedient te
the will of that single rider, who had no
thought te spere for game se small.
Bome Indian ponies, grazing Ncress his
pathway, set back their stunted ears,
and, cow like, refused te budge at sight
and hearing of the big American horse;
whereat n little vagabond of a Cheyenne,
net ten years old nor four feet high, set
up a shrill chatter and screech and let
drive a few well directed clods of turf,
and then showed his white teeth in n
grin as Perry sung out a cheery "Hewl
sonny," and spurred 'en through the
opening thoroughfare, heedless of spite
ful pony leeks or threatening heels.
Perry's spirits rese with every red.
Youth, health, contentment, all were
bis, and his heart was warm towards his
fellow men. Te the best of his reckon
ing, he had net mi enemy or detractor in
the world. He was all gladness of na
ture, all friendliness, frankness and cor
diality, The toughest cowboy whom
they met en the long march down, the
most crabbed of the frontiersmen they
had ever onceuntcrod, was nevcr proof
against such sunshine as seemed te Ir Ir Ir
rodiatehls face. He would go out of
his way at any time te meet and hall a
fellow man upon the prairies, nnd rarely
came back without knowing alt about
him where he was from, where he was
bound and what wcre his hopes ami
prospects. And as for himself, no man
was readier te answer questions or te
meet In friendliest nnd most jovial spirit
the rough but well meant greetings of
"the plaint."
Being i'i this frame of mind te an ex
tent even greater than his normal went,
Mx. Perry's eyes glistened, and he struck
spur te hasten Nelan's stride, when, far
ahead, and coming towards him en the
trail, he saw a horseman like himself.
Being in this mood of sociability, he was
something mero than surprised te see
that all of n sudden that horseman had
reined in a mere black dot a intle away
and was presumably examining him as
he advanced. Hostile Indians there had
been nene for many a long month, "read
agents" would have starved in a region
where there practically were no reads,
cowboys might, and did, get en frolics
and have wild "tears" at times, but who
ever heard of their being hestile, man te
man? Yet Perry was plainsman enough
te tell, even at tbe inlle of distance, that
the stranger hnd halted solely te scruti
nize him, and, next, te his vast astonish
ment, that something in his appcarance
had proved cither alarming or suspicious,
for Uie horseman had turned abruptly,
plunged through the limber and across
the stream, and in another moment,
veering that way himself te see, Perry
marked him fairly racing into the mouth
of a shallow ravine, or "break," tliat en
tered the valley from the south, and
there he was lest te sight
"What nil 111 mannered galoot!" was
his muttered comment as he gave Nelan
brief chance te crop the juicy grass,
while his perturbed rider sat gazing
acresa the stream in the direction taken
by the shy horseman. "I've half n mind
te drop the ranch and put out ufter that
fellow. That ravlne can't go in se very
far but what he must seen show up en
the level prairie; and I'll bet Nelan could
run him down," After a moment's re
flection, however, Mr. Perry concluded
that as he had ceme be far and wai new
nearly within rille shot of the mysterious
goal of his morning ride, he might us
well let the stranger go, and pushed
ahead himself for Dunraven,
The Btream bent southward just at the
point where he had first caught Bight of
the horseman, nnd around that point he
knew the ranch te be. Very probably
that was ene of the ranchmen of whom
Mrs, Lawrence had spoken churlish fel
lows, with a civil word for nobody, grim
and ropellont. Why, certainly. That
accounted for his evident desire te avoid
the cavalryman; but he need net have
been in such desperate haste need net
have kept at such unapproachable
bounds, as though he shunned even being
seeu. Tliat was the quoer thing, thought
Perry. He acted just as though he did
net want te be rccegnizcS. Perhaps he'd
been up te seme devilment at the ranch.
This thought gave epur te his speed,
and Nelan, rcsponstve te his master's
mood, leaped forward along the wiuding
trail ence mero, The point was seen
reached and turned, nnd the first object
that caught Perry's oye was a long row
of stakes stretching from the cotton cotton
eeods straight te the south up the gen
tle blope te the prairie, and indicating be
yond all question the presence there of a
stout nnd high and impassable wire fence,
There ure few things the cavalryman
holds in meaner estimate.
"That marks the western limit,"
thought Perry te himself, "and doubt
lens "reaches miles away te the couth,
from what I hear. New, where docs ene
enter?"
A little farther en he came upon u
trail leading from the low bluffs te his
left hand. It crossed the winding bridla
path en which he rode, though Heme of
the hoof tracks beeined te join, and wheel
trucks tee. He had marked that between
the fort und the clnt no sign of wheel
apjK'ared; it was u hoof trail and noth
ing mere. New a light and little trav
eled wagon truck came in from the north,
and hile one branch seemed te cress the
Meuee and te ascend the opposite slopes
clese along the wire fence, the ether
joined him and went en down the btream.
This he decided te fellow.
A ride of a few hundred yards brought
him te a point where a shoulder of bluff
twisted the trail well in towards the
stream, nnd he, thinking te cress and ro re ro
ceunoiter en the ether shcre, turned No Ne
Jan In that way, and was suddenly
brought up standing by the heaviest and
most forbidding wire fence he had ever
seen. Yes, there it stretched awny
through the cottonweeds, straight as a
die, back te the angle whence started
the southward ceurse he first had noted,
and, looking down stream, far as the oye
could reach, he marked it.
"Well," thought Perry, "l've often
heard an Englishman's heuse was his
castle, but who would have thought of
staking and wiring in half a county
half a Texas county in this hoggish
way? Hew far down Uthe entrance,
anvhew?"
Oencludtil next Saturday.
HujibcniDE for the Iptelmekncku,
the news.
All
,y.
Hi
A SENSIBLE FARM H0U9C
si
Original flam and Dncrlptten by .
tect L. H. OIImoe.
In making a plan for a fsrm dwellteg H Is
la the minds of many that It sheald bs die
tlnct In tema respects from s town or tabor
ban dwelling. The principal difference, hew
ever, is largely In the matter of cenveeieaee.
In tbe plan which Is here submitted tfcer
Is a front vestibule, In which ta be placed
wrspt, etc., before going InWFths sltUag
room. There Is a rear veetlbuls from wasaea
one may pan from the kitchen, dlslag room
or rear perch te the tecend fleer, la this
vestibule ( a low closet and a space for a has
KLXVATIOK.
rack. In front there is a parler,wlth a grate
In It, tbe snioke from which enters the same
stack but net the same flue as tbe one in the
sitting room. There is a bedroom which may
le approached cither from the sitting room
or parlor. The Utter deer is net neeeswy.
and could be emitted aad a front hotter bed
space for that room. It Is te be noticed tbat
there is a closet in connection with thli cham
t9St ySSf 9mfFB Kl
ber. The stairway te the second deer gees, Jtjg
te ine tilling room, iiib apprescn ie
NUiare landing and from thence te ths second
fleer. Frem tbe kitchen one pewes te the
cellar under the front utalrway. The ureal
kitchen convenience, which hare been com
mon te tbe plans furnished by the writer, are
herein Included. The rear perch could be to te
closed with lattlce work te en advantage.
On tba second fleer are four bedroom,
alcove, a bathroom and a large number of
amnie cletcts. In ene instance this house was
butit with (tiding doers between the two stde
chambers, ns Indicated by this plan. Attea-
&
3S,!
rtnsT STORY. v
Itnn U paIIivI tn thn lured iters closet
te Ms
FtpnqiLl
Tib 'B,i
g -m - I &
iui iir I 1 1 m
u.ia 1 iliil m ,4?
I I w
1 BIHMBM .
I n
1 ' A
rearbalL There Is an attie stairway te tk"J J
second fleer In the ration indicated lasseeM .
fleer plan. 43$
This heuse was built in frame at A cost in
dicated by ths schedule which is given. M
nuinin Bxaruuic r uviurauw KbiuwiMftivfc i
well aitanted te a country beuse. ' 1 .4;
In painting, It li suggested that the Brs
lighter, mere yellow color, the body of thesf;;
gaMrtsa light osange line iua inrauun.!
and shutters, te unite this centbiaetiat&-
should be a dark ollve green. The under swe
of tbe perch ceiling sneuiu no uie urns uau
.1... H.t.U Tt.. .a.lt.,,iln,M l MMnt 4llil Mlyl
mtumeiuiv, kj . ,,u,u. ., .-. - J
tcrler wiuuewann emer cjuiogiiae pore
columns, balusters and rail and gutters .A
meMlug. The under side of the cornice ," ,"
tilieuld be painted same color as socendstoryS
Ledv. This, with the dark color te tbe gwf ".
ter moldings, gives the cornice the anpar4!i
once of added projection, rl
mmm
hecend sTemr.
i m ! sets) r
? 4 EE R1
C I '. ''Mi
sJ , 5
4 "J
sssHsssBBasssspsssssLssBisMSSsl MJ.
riS
m-T. iTi -v..
This heuse was built In Indiana as per ft VsS
lowing prices: jfJ
BCnXDULE e cost, v
Bulldlnr. first fleer flnUh ealf. second fleer, . ykl
fiubU iilie , sMi
PrlTjr vaults
CUUrns and connections, DO barrcU, ........
Well, connections and pump
Walks of brlclc t
Fences, tight beard 200, picket 100
llurablng, cellar slelr, kitchen sink, lth
tub, n tier closet, wash stand, street wash
er, cistern water
Four manteli and grates, average cost, .
Furnace
m
rw
itt
Total.
,.,,., fs.ua
Letus IL Grsseir.
The Terente Wheel Tournament.
A tournament will be held in Terente en
Oct. 2t te SO, at which 11,300 will begtTeai
in prizes. A proft-sUenal soveuty-twe hour $9,
.... .!lf n.... In nrl.fM. fW) Will luiffltfaa J! Vlfi
IUUU Will IA.IUI, ,Mv. v.v ...m wwB..a 'jH
$M)0 te the first, 1300 te the second, and $1W ?
te the third. The entrance fee will be ML &&
and ene-half must nctenipany the entry aad i
i,nllir Imlf te benald bufera th start '
The race will be started en the first day. aVJW
nlll continue up te 10 o'clock each day. If Sw
I tin nvnrri is broken, tlie entrimce tea will bst -kS.:
returned te ths winner, but It will be neces- SM
sary te ride ever COO miles te obtain any of J
the money. There will aUe be u two, three,
five and teu mlle amateur race cucb day.
There will be several ladies' races and a few
children's ruccs. The entrance fce for these
will be 1, and should be sent te V. Y. Cuid
sln, pobtefllco box 203, Terente, Canada, be
fore or en Oct. 4.
.'....n.t.m 11-
show reports "HI thew tbst Canada is, wsU,G
able te held ft geed show Irrespective el wc ,
may be sent from ever the bonier, as most of, .y
the entries nt both shows were local e freMc'S1
nelehberlnc cities. The breeding of iltes bi'-jvzZ
Canada lias made rapid strides during tk&gf-i
last few years, betters, sjanIels,BedlhiteB -jE
and black anitau terriers seem tenasWf-y
strongest penus, onneugn many goeu warie
of dllremit breeas nave ceme uewn te ou vc
VantM thaws and taken awav the mener. It ."-
is surprising that mastiffs aud fit. nerearda'-jS- i
de net enter mere into popular laver man is s-.-the
case There U evidently en eiu field for V
soma of the typical stock from the test kswrfr
neU In tbe UulteJ States, ana ins aettpsss
knwn i.b. Wmmini, L-ennelj at Terente mar A
t nrndilrtlve of seme COOd, ).'
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