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rrr^fj OKS any ono on this porch owe Smfcxft? inc ?i quarter f said the "eulo Jat?wM ucl," doubtfully. u^St ?+JJ sin- uns comfortably stretch ed on the faded boards, and lind been busy for sonic tillie with ii blank-book and a pencil. "On the contrary, v<>u <>we me ten cents," her father gently reminded her. The "colonel,'' with ?i reproachful glance, indicated it with her pencil-top, lying apart from the others. "I know," she said, sturdily. "I'm e<nmting it out. That's what makes nie ?I little short on my Christmas presents." "liv George, I do owe you some money, Jerry/1 said her father's clerk suddenly, ?is on?' who remembers. Th? little girl smiled on him indul gently. "dim-you old liar!" she said affection ately, and returned to her calculations. These involved some hurd hre.it' lng and .>ome deep sighs. Otherwise tho group on the porch was an absolutely silent one. The rose vines threw dancing shadows in the chilly wind, leaves drifted to lind fro in the garden paths. The little "colonel" finished her Christmas list, yawned joy fully nnd rolled over like a sleepy kitten, with hm- face hidden in her arms. lier father, tho commandant, broke the silence sharply : "Don't go to sleep without something over you, 'colonel'!" he said. " No, sir ; I'm not," She got on her feet ?ind carno sleepily to the circle of her father's waiting arm. Tho others smiled at her without speaking. She rubbed her smooth little cheek against her father's. "What's the matter with us to-day?" said the "colonel." "We're all grumpy. Is it that somebody has got orders ? Nobody's talkin' at all." Thc doctor, moving his eves to her from the distant hills, laughed out suddenly. "There'll be talking enough before we gi t through, ?Terry. Don't worry about tliui." derry's father, still with absent eyes,) shook her about gently by ber thin little shoulders. "No, ma'am! \'o, ma'am! We don't like ll a little bit. (lo we ?" be _ 'illy assev erated. "Also, we know what we eau do," said the young clerk, from the steps, with a ra ther sorry grin. The fourth niau, nervous little Capt. Tewes, rapped bis pipe against one of thc pondi posts. Ile always did that when he was about to speak. "ll it would only occur to 'em, once in a while, to put some man in haek there, in the bureau, who knows a lilt! something about tho nature of the ground herc," he began, iii his fre? ful, high voice. "Or about human nature," the doctor continued, thoughtfully, looking far away. "Or about Indian naturi', which is a lit tle of both," derry's father added, with his big laugh. "Oh, yes. if they did, we wouldn't ever have these little exchanges of pleasantries." "What's happening to us ?" the "colonel" whispered in her father's ear. At seven, she knew belter than io intrude (j nest ions in moments of stress, like the present. They might merely not answer Int-, or i hoy might call her "'be hotel child" surely a hideously belittling term to apply to a person who was called "the ? done]," and who wore ibe insignia ?d' her rank on the sleeve of her little blouse- - who tried to be worthy of it. Rut the wel fare of the post meant much to ber she could not long remain silent, for she was not a .-?lent child. She fearfully whisper ed ber quos! ion. "It's this question of right of way again," her lather explained. "Your friends of the reservation are, so to speak, i.poll their graceful cars. Your father, who i- a weak-minded irishman, instead ot enforcing the first orders ho got concern ?Hg il, temporized Wtill Old ('barley Kish boy, back there on thc reservation, and told him he would write to headquarters and seo if there wasn't some mistake. The orig inal order was promptly repeated." fie looked gloomily across the sunless valley and at tho darkening sky. "Promptly re A CHRISTAL -F0R A GE Written by Kathleen N< pealed," lu: said again, with a doubtful shake of the hoad. "lu consequence of which,'' thc doctor submitted cheerfully, "we will spend Chris!mas in peace, plenty and pursuit ot' the red brother. Trouble a-comin', Fitz gerald ! Bettor send in for .some more men, eh ?" "Oh, n<?!'' protested thc "colonel," "let's not lia vc any more companies. We're full now, and it does make the parade look so shabby. Old Charley was just probably drunk, that's all. Some one bas got to go talk to him when he's not drunk." "He won't talk," Major Fitzgerald said to thc group at large. "Ho sits there with the voling braves ?md simply shakes his head to every proposition. What's the uso ot' explaining to the old fellow that we are about ?is helpless ns lie is t No, sir; he's looking for trouble, and it looks as it" he'd lind it. Those Germans who live out on the Towcrtown road thought something waa wrong; they'll come into the post nights. Sergeant Blum's wife knows them I don'I know- but what we ought to ?ive the other families a hint-just to lock up nights and keep a sharp watch." "Mis. Bevis will go to her mother," Dr. Bevis said quietly. "We had trouble where wc were before and her nerves-" "Good idea," the major said. "1 may have to ship one member of my own per sonal stair, too. I didn't like the look of Old Charley's message this morning. N<> mistake, we may have to shorten sail." "lint thal member will bc awfully good, an' no trouble at all. if you'll just let hei st ay !" begged derry promptly. They all laughed, which mace lier an gry, but there was no yielding in her fa ther's cvi-s. She was only too quick to see that. "You're too friendly with the whole crowd," he objected. "They'll steal you one of these days and bold you until we come le term.-! That would be a nice state of affairs, now. wouldn't it?" ".I'll never mention t<> ('barley that I know anything about it at all!" the "colo nel" promised readily. She alway- prom ised readily. Thc clerk whistled, ami lhere was a stunned pause before her father answered: "Von what! You're not to go over there again this week, my small friend ; understand that. Mention it, ind.1! D'ye think we're going to be on calling terms with them very long ?'' Deeply hurt, the little girl subsided. But she con tided to dim, when they pres ently had the porch to themselves, that she thought she was quite as safe over on the reservation as she was anywhere. They were all her good friends, and she, indeed, bad promised them at. least a do/en Christ ina- gifts, which must reach them, trouble or no trouble. And besides that, didn't she wear a little pistol, and wasn't her horse thc fastest on the post ? lint she muttered of Indians in her sleep that night, and ber father, stumbling to ber room through the chilly hall, decid ed thal she had had enough of the thought for a while. So ill the coining troublous days a great deal was kept from the "colo nel" that might have frightened her. There seemed tobe a conspiracy of silence to pro tect ber. She never rode off the post alone, which might have puzzled her if it had eve* oc curred to her to think of herself at all. derry was friendly with all the Indians and extremely fond of Old Charley. They had long talks together in the old brave's own tongue, which derry had learned from her first gentle. Indian nurse. .* * .:<. * .* * * .* A i.moi mi the topic was carefully avoided, derry knew that there was trouble in the air and worried a little about, her friends. Christmas was near, a time of infinite joy and peace, and poor Old Char ley would not hau much "fun." Resides, she had actually promised him a present mid his grandchildren candy. ... * "They'll think I'm a reg'lar quitter!" @ RESENT NTL _ , rrls for "The Designer." said thc "colonel." in disgust, to yoting I >i 11 Bevis, one wet afternoon. The children were currying the carriage horses, a delightful tusk, in the warm sta ble. "I'll be darned if 1 see why I can't semi Charley a present," went on the "colonel," with growing conviction. "1 know what he wants-he wants an umbrella." Hill grinned at the thought of Charley under it, but eyed bis companion uneasily none the loss. Hill had been told not to scare Jerry. ''Gee, your father'd kill you !" was Hill's spoken thought. "Why ?" said the "colonel," firing re sentfully tit bis air. "Ob, well, gee, von just ask him!" Bill answered evasively. Thc "colonel" found it bard to get bold of ber falber, to ask anything, in these busy, troubled days. Obi friends, thal is among the women anti children, were leav ing the post daily, new tuen were coining in ; all with an air of quiet and resolution too marked to escape oven an absorbed lit tle girl of seven. She was an observing child. Tbc "colonel" wondered in ber baffled heart. Hut she bought Charley Fishboy's umbrella, and bided her time for permis sion to deliver it. On Christmas Eve her father was not, to bc found. After a long bunt the "colonel" discovered bis clerk, worried and tired. Tbc clerk was also ber counsin, and not yet out of bis teens. TTc eyed ncr thought fully and frowned when she put thc ques tion to him. lie bad been instructed that the "colonel" was not to bc frightened. On the other band, she was such an officious little person that she wasn't to bc kept in formed, at any cost. Also she was to be packed quietly off the post, with or without ber consent, that very afternoon. Think ing all this, dim merely temporized. Ho said it was too cold for ber to ride al all. "Cold, your fool !" said the "colonel" el egantly. She was a little put mit. "Well, sec here," said .Jim, the weak, "you ride over t<? Archibald's, and if Capt. Archibald will let Davy ride with you, or if you can gol Bill Bevis, then come and talk it over again." TUB "colonel" leisurely wrapped her ('bristmas gifts and duly rode to the Ar chibald cottage. Bul both Bill and Davy were over at the barracks, Kop Lucy told ber; and the "colonel" bad orders from ber father not to go to thc barracks. So she perforce started alone for the res ervation, thc packages and the umbrella bulging under ber saddle-straps. Tins was at about noon, and the short winter day was darkening swiftly when Major Fitzgerald, with a little group of tired, cold men rode into thc post. Thc clerk met him. "All quiet herc, eh ?" said the major, who knew it. "All quiet," said the clerk, shaking a puzzled bead. "Hear anything?" "Not a thing. Don't understand it," Tbc major heaved an immense sigh. " 'Colonel' get off with Mrs. Hage ?" ho asked. "Capt. Page decided it was all right. Mrs. Page didn't go." Tbc ma jor wheeled sharply. "Where is she, then ?" "Why-" Ilia clerk turned bewilder edly. "I suppose-" "You suppose!" shouted thc major, af ter a pause. There was something terrible in bis voice. "Ob, Lord! we'll find ber-" said the doctor. T?nt bo was white. "Major-" said young Hill Bevis, com ing up the steps. "lidlo, Bill," be said, in great relief. "Where's tho 'colonel'?" Hill's unhappy face was a study. "Tf she ain't bore," said Bill, in a des perate rush, "she's still over to ibo reser vation!" Ile nvaded bis father's and ber father's eyes, bis voice rising to a level of . ? ? -i I dreary protost. "It ain't my fault. Slit only told mo yesterday that ?dio was a-go ing. She said it was a Christmas secret. She said 1 would be a hog if-she did sa; so, dad! And so 1 didn't tell. She wai afraid some one would toll Charley Fish hoy about his umbrella and spoil the sur pris,.! She-" His voice tailed before the horror in thc men's eyes. But the pause was briet. lt was broken by the "colonel's" own clear accents. "Wait til! 1 tell you my secrets again, Hill-you sneak!" said she coldly. They all whirled about to see her in thc library door-way. She looked at. the white faces with inno cent concern. She herself was exquisitely self-possessed and trim-a vision of crim son frock and smooth, dark hair and twink ling shoe-buckles. She kept her place in "Men of Tren" with a small finger. "Hello, dad," said the "colonel" affably. "Whendid you get in ?" "Geraldine," her father said slowly, "af ter all 1 have said you didn't go over to thc reservation to-day, did you?" Tin? "colonel" looked puzzled. "Why, yes, sir, 1 did. I took them their presents; you know, I had solemnly prom ised Charley, fr one thing. And it was fun!" Her father tried tc? look severe. "Didn't you know wt .vero having trou ble there, Geraldine?" There was a moment's-hut only a mo ment's-gracious consid?r?t ion. "No ono said so, dad. And I hated to think of poor Charley waiting and wait ing. And they were all nice. There are a lot of now braves there-did you know that?" "1-1 inferred as much," said her fa ther, as she paused. "Well, they are awfully nice," went on the "colonel," enthusiastically. "Only, they couldn't seem to understand, for a while, why I carno-and they scorned a little--puzzled, you know. And they talk ed and talked after that-while 1 played with Nellie's baby. And then Charley called me er and asked me a lot of things. He kept asking mc if you knew \ was cont ing, and T kept laughing, and shaking my head tit all of them, and saving, 'No-no no.' And thou ('harley made mo talk to thom all in their own way, you know-ho held me np on his horse. :md thev all sat around. And so T showed them the things. : nd the umbrella-they all passed it . around and opened it-and T sort of ex plained what Christmas is, you know." She laughed a little bashfully. "Oh, you-you explained, eh?" "Yes, "ir; a little. And oh, yes, T spoke of this road business, too." "My country ! What did you say about that ?" "J don't see why you all look so queer. 1 just said wc were all so sorry about it. And 1 said you wrote back twice, sind tba? you just walked up and down the floor two nights. And I said what Capt. Howes did, you know, about our not really having any more to do with it than ('harley him self. We're all really in thc same boat, I said. They were awfully interested, and they seemed to think you had sent me. Hut 1 said you hadn't, and ('harley said that I never told lies. And he told them that, he know me since 1 was a little bit of a baby, and Ella used to carry mc over there. Then they pow-wowed a wini? more, and then ('harley went into his lent, dad, and when he came ont he said bc had a present for you." The "colonel" produced a small article wrapped in a red handkerchief. "Now don't you laugh at it, dad, because poor Old Charley-he doesn't, know much about presents," she said apologetically. Her anxious eyes were fixed upon her father's face as he unrolled tho handker chief. In silence tho mon passed the little pipe from hand to hand. "You must pretend, when you see him, that you like it, dad!" tho "colonel" bog ged. Her father drew her to him, kissed tho cool little temple under the big brow. Ho cleared bis throat. "Tl's Ibo nicest Christmas present I ever had. "colonel,' " said ho.