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■ ■ W^s V •♦*.•■. mm. =?>•: ' : ' i "*' ■ 3C F^ctvy. IN VAUd Hm raaUtaf cf tht« Ar* not grm low»wM> Nor UiM aod *lr tkai AuKht tint the tiagUi The stumor him who l M<vk •.' till their mm uttn i WHt I fear dkaire. l twain _ Huts Ii' > «'*t uhwlnre*e—ehreia. or Uy An^-hi i»ii iMna uadhridedlmr^iiflrhMrt •••*• ■ •rina, leettheatr ehoold maj -u .M,.| u-. I fuio warniac whhpanstart; » 11 U* moment's aps rasMBhaced frac* !• '• • •. tti of north ttpoa ita laoe 1 ^venlj fair thb i haven, wh i murmurinf of Cod lu every wave; ;itl In uieht Sfaadowa, aUB do may ■ - hi the ouufcirte of the day i Ully Haynaa In The Academy moot through the American CHAPTER XL 9i i m ▼ellle and Icon trite In wore man one was at- j reached the bend, five mites below No they wore sufficient nse watching for him then. Besides, ha in nomber to enliven tho monotony of might not yet have mtnrted. Mr. Parke garrison Ufa and sufficiently attractive | recalled the fact that lie half suspected to warrant all the attention they oared » while ago that Ned was going to ride— It was beginning to be _ rieon chat that if Ned Petty had not “settkd on acinebody” as tlie ultimate object of his entire devotion, somebody had settled cm him, and that was pretty Mm. Belknap. And though Ned Perry hated reveille and morning stables, as has been said, and could rarely “take Ids week” with out making one or more lapses, here he was this beautiful May morning out at daybreak when it was his junior’s tour of duty, and wending his way witk that youngster out to tho line of cavalry sta bles, booted and spurred and equipped for a ride. The colonel had listened with some an early ante-breakfast ride—with a 1 h<dy friend. Mrt. Belknap had her own wbrse, and was an accomplished eques trienne; Mrs. Lawrence rode fairly well, and was always glad to go, when some body could give iier u saddle and a reli able mount There were others, too, 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 at something the officer in charge of duty was entitled to know that he turned suddenly and called; “Sergt. Gwynne!" He heard the name {Missed down the dark interior of tho stable by the men i rUfm aomj to •cruu- nixe him. and, next, to his ment, that something in hi had proved either alarming or suspicious, for the horseman had turned abruptly, ;b the timber sod across d in another moment, veering that way himself to see, Perry marked him fairly racing into the mouth of a shallow ravine, or “break,” that en tered the valley from the there he was lost to sight. “What an ill mannered galoot!” was his muttered comment as he gave Nolan brief chance to crop the jufey grass. qunurupea who oouiu ten mm wnat manner of place this was. Meantime his rider was intentlymmug the heavy padlock that was secuBd on tho inner side of the gate. It was square in sliape, massive and bulky-^omething utterly unlike anything he had ever seen among the quartermaster’s stores, ing and holding Nolan well back _ | the aggressive fence with one hand, south, and- he gingerly passed the other through the ■pike fringed aperture and turned the padlock so as to get a better view. It was of English make, as he surmised, and of strength sufficient to resist any while Iiis perturbed rider sat gazing thin 8 ,hort oi » *np hammer. Evideot- A Story of American Frontier Life. By Oapt. OHABLES XING, U.B.A, Authorof"Th4CoUm*V$Daughter” “JVosv tAs Rank*," »Th* Deterter" Etc. 1888 by J. A Upptncott Company, tlphla, sad pubUsbad by special Arrange- Press Association. surprise to his request, proffered just os j sweeping out the stalls, and the prompt the party was breaking up the night be fore, to be absent from garrison a few hours tho following morning. “But we have battalion drill at # o’clock, Mr. Perry, and I need you there,” be said. “Oh, ril bo back in time for that, sir. I wanted to be off three hours or so be fore breakfast.” The colonel could not help laughing. “Of course you can go-go wherever you like at those hours, when you are not on guard; but I never imagined you would want to get up so early. ” “Neither I would, colonel, but I’ve been interested in something I heard about this ranch down the Monee, and thought I’d like to ride down and look ED PERRY hated re morning about as Te at K. “Go ahead, by all means, and see whether those lights came from there. It made me think of a play I once saw— the ‘Colleen Bawn’—where a fellow’s sweetheart signaled across the lake by showing a light in her cottage window just that way three times, and lie an swered by turning out the lights in his room. Of course the distance wasn’t anything like this; and there was no one here to turn down any light— Eli! what did you say?” “I beg pardon, colonel. I didn’t mean to interrupt,” put in a gentle voice at his elbow, while a little band on Perry’s arm it a sudden across the stream in the direction taken by the ahy horseman. “I’ve half a mind to drop the ranch and put out after that feiiow. That ravine can’t go in so very far but what he must soon show up on the level prairie; and I’ll bet Nolan could run him down.” After a moment's re flection, however, Mr. Perry concluded that as he had come so far and was now nearly within rifle shot of the mysterious goal of his morning ride, lie might as well let the stranger go, and pushed ahead himself for Dunraven. The stream bent southward just at the point where be had first caught sight of tho horseman, and around that point he knew the ranch to be. Very probably that was one of the ranchmen of whom line 1 Mrs. Lawrence had spoken—churlish fel lows, with a civil word for nobody, grim “Very well, then. That’s all I pre- and repellent Why, certainly. That sume he has just ridden down to Dun- accounted for his evident desire to avoid raven.” And Mr. Parke turned to look the cavalryman; but ho need not have once more at the glinting objects down been in such desperate baste—need not ant ' 8 ver b*l comment, the distant valley. It was a moment or ! have kept at such unapproachable J “' and cheery reply. The next instant a tall young trooper stepped forth into the blaze of early sunlight, his right hand raised in salute, and stood erect and mo tionless by the lieutenant’s side. “Did Mr. Perry take an extra horse, sergeant?" “No, sir." “I tho ght possibly he meant to take Roland. He’s the best lady’s horse in the troop, is he not?" “Yes, sir; but Roland is at the now." stables hemently as was pos sible to a young fel low who was In other respects thoroughly in love with his pro fession. A fairer type of the American cavalry officer, when once he got in sad dle and settled down to business, one would hardly ask to find. Tall, athletic, slender of build, with frank, laughing blue eyes, curly, close cropped, light brown hair, and a twirling mustache that was a source of inexpressible delight to its owner and of some envy to his brother subalterns, Mr. Perry was prob ably the best looking of the young offi cers who marched with the battalion to this far away station on the borders of the Llano Estacado. He had been ten years in service, counting the four he spent as a cadet, had just won his silver bar as the junior first lieutenant of the regiment, was full to the brim of health, energy, animal spirits and fun, and, bar ring a few duns and debts in his earlier experiences, had never known a heavier care in the world than the transient and ephemeral anxiety as to whether he would be called up for recitation on a subject he had not so much as looked at, or “hived” absent from a roll call he had lazily slept through. Any other man, his comrades said, would have been spalled a dozen over by the petting he had received from both men and women; but there was something essentially sweet and genial about his nature—something “lacking in guile about his perceptions,” said a epi 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 others, and these Various attributes combined to make him popular with his kind and unusually attractive to the opposite sex. As a cadet he had been perpetually on 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 jotted down the memoranda of his sins—omission 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 —“plebs”—of the regiment, he had been welcomed by every man from the colonel down, and it was considered particularly rough that he should have to go to such company as Capt Canker’s, because ' was a man who never got along [ any of his juniors; but there was so irrepressibly frank and Perry’s boyish face when he vould appear at his captain’s door n the early morning and burnt out irith: “By Jove, captain! I slept through reveille again this morning, md never got down till stables were nearly over,” that even that cross grained but honest troop commander was disarmed, and, though he threat ened and reprimanded, he would never mnish—would never deny his subaltern ;he faintest privilege; and when promo tion took the captain to another regi ment he bade good-by to Perry with eyes hat were suspiciously wet. “Why, >low it all, what do you fellows hate banker so forf the youngster often laid. “He ought to put me in arrest ime and again, but he won’t Blamed f I don’t put myself in arrest, or confine nyself to the limits of the post, and do omething, to cut all this going to town ind hops and such things. Then I can tick to the troop like wax and get up at cvoille; but if I’m out dancing till 9 or I in the morning it’s no use, I tell you; I just can’t wake up.” It was always predicted of Ned Perry hat he would be “married and done within a year of his graduation, new face in the five years that allowed revived the garrison proph- “Now he’s gone, surer’ but, how- rer devoted he might seem to the damsel i question, however restless and impa ct! he might be when compelled by his cities to absent himself from her side, owever promising to casual observers— erchanoe to the damsel herself—might i all the surface indications, the abso- i frankness with which he proclaimed i admiration to every listener, and the ; that he “had been just so with half girls,” enabled the cooler i of tiie regiment to decide that the i had not yet owns—or at least the two before he was aware of the fact that the sergeant still stood there, instead of returning to his duties. “I said that was all, sergeant; you can go back to your feeding.” And then Mr. Parke turned in some surprise, for Sergt. Gwynne, by long odds the “smart est” and most soldierly of the non-com- missioned officers of the cavalry battal- lion, for the first time in his history seemed to have forgotten himself. Though his attitude had not changed, hiii face had, and n strange look was in his bright blue eyes—a look of incre dulity and wonderment and trouble all combined. The lieutenant was fairly startled when, as though gathering him- the sergeant falteringly gave it a sudden and vigorous squeeze, “but Capt. Lawrence lias called me twice j self together, —he will not re-enter after lighting his asked: cigar—and I must say good night.” “I beg pardon, sir—he had ridden— “Oh, good night, Mrs. Lawrence. I’m where?’’ sorry you go so early. We are going to “Down to tho Ranch, sergeant—that reform you all in that respect as soon as one you can just see, away down the we get ferly settled. Here’s Perry, now, { valley, would sit up and play whist with me an hour yet.” “Not this night, colonel. He has prom-' ised to walk home with us” (another Cvery “I do wish,” nid Mrs. Turner, “that Puny would settle on somebody, bo- jot eo kqg aa ha don’t, It fa hard to teu who he belongs to.” a Mm Turner had long been a arried women tho —th, and one to whom the young always expected to show her whimsical way of is readily un- tBut hare at the new station—at far pay Rossi ter—matters were taking on .■» . [new look. To begin with, the wireefS n *|~._ the officers of the cavalry battalion i of the would bo scout- . , done with. Tho «>ms until the >rk was over and of the little faatta yet at tbs poat squeeze), “and go he must, or be a faith less escort Good night We’ve had such a lovely, lovely time." And Ned Perry, dazed, went with her to the gate, where Capt Lawrence was awaiting them. She had barely time to murmur: “You were just on the point of telling him about the doctor’s lights. I cannot forgive myself for being the means of seeing it; but keep my confidence, and keep—this until everybody is talking about it; it will come soon enough.” Naturally, Mr. Perry went home some what perturbed in spirit and all alive with conjecture as to what these things could mean. The first notes of “assem bly of the trumpeters”—generally known as “first call”—roused him from his aleep, and by the time the men marched out to ; the stables he had had his plunge bath, a vigorous rub and a chance to think over his plans before following in their tracks, dressed for hie ride. The astonishment of Lieut. Parke, the junior of the troop, was something almost too deep for words when Perry came bounding to his side. “What on earth brings you out, Ned?" was his only effort “Going for a gallop—down the Monee; that’s alL I haven’t had a freshener for a week.” “Gad! we get exercise enough at morning drill, one would think r and our horses too. Ohl”— And Mr. Parke stopped suddenly. It flashed across him that perhaps Perry was going riding with a lady friend and the hour was her selection. If so, ’twas no business of ids, and remarks 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 more offended his eye the eight of two or three of his charges loose and plunging and kicking up ud down the stable yard. On the otner hand, there was no one exploit that seemed to give the younger animals keener delight— nothing that made the perpetrator a big ger hero in his own eyes or the object of greater envy among his fellows—and os a consequence every device of which equine ingenuity was master was called into play, regularly as the morning came around, to break loose either from the controlling hand of the trooper or from tbe taut and straining picket rope. The first care of the officer In charge of the troop sergeants was, therefore, to see! that all the Worses were securely lashed and knotted. Not until he had examined every “halter shank” was Mr. Parke at leisure to look around, but when he dl<f his comrade had disappeared from view. And over this broad bounded, not seen. Far away, or four, black dots of grazing cattle marked the plain, and over in the “breaks" of the Monee, just beyond the fringing cottonwoods, two or three herds of Indian ponies were sleepily cropping their morning meal, watched by the little black imp of a boy whose dirty red blanket made the only patch of color against the southern landscape. “I know, sir; but—the name?” “Dunraven Ranch." For an instant the sergeant stood as though dazeff, then, with sudden effort, saluted, faced about, and plunged into tho dark recesses of tho stable. CHAPTER IIL ii I; I&.XB& 1 :i]!i 1 bounds, as though Ite shunned even being seen. That was the queer thing, thought Perry. He acted just as though lie did not want to be recognized. Perhaps he'd been up to some devilment at the ranch. This thought gave spur to his speed, and Nolan, responsive to his master's mood, leaped forward along the winding trail once more. The point was soon reached and turned, and tho first object that caught Perry’s eye was a long row of stakes stretching from the cotton woods straight to the south up the gen tle slope to the prairie, and indicating be yond all question the presence there of a ■tout and high and impaaaable wire fence. There are few things the cavalryman holds in meaner estimate. “That marks the western limit,” thought Perry to himself, “and doubt less reaches miles away to the south, from what I hear. Now, where does one enter?" A little farther on he came upon a trail leading from the low bluffs to his left hand. It crossed the winding bridle path on which he rode, though some of the hoof tracks seemed to joifi, and wheel tracks too. He had marked that between the fort and tho point no sign of wheel appeared; it was a hoof trail and noth ing more. Now a light and little trav eled wagon track came in from the north, and while one branch seemed to cross the Monee and to ascend the opposite slopes close along the wire fence, the other joined him and went on down the stream. This he decided to follow. A ride of a few hundred yards brought him to a point where a shoulder of bluff twisted the trail well in towards the stream, and he, thinking to cross and re- connoiter on the other shore, turned No lan in that way, and waa suddenly brought up standing by the heaviest and most forbidding wire fence he had ever seen. Yes, there it stretched away through the cottonwoods, straight as a die, back to the angle whence started the southward course he first had noted, and, looking down stream, far as the eye could reach, lie marked it. ‘Well,” thought Perry, “I’ve often fEANTIME Lieut. Perry was riding blithely down |/ the winding trail, total- heard an Englishman’s house was his ly unconscious that his castle, but who would have thought of movements were of the staking and wiring in half a county— half a Texas county—in this hoggish way? How far down is the entrance, anyhow?" Following the trail, he rode down stream a full half miie, and still there seemed no break. Nowhere on the other shore was there sign of bridle path lead ing up the slopes. Turning to his left in some impatience, he sent Nolan at rapid lope across the intervening “bottom,” and soon readied the bluffs, which rose the perhaps forty or fifty feet above the stream. Once on faintest consequence to 'anybody but himself, and equally heedless of their being a source of speculation. His horse was one he rejoiced in, full of spirit and spring and intelligence; tho morning was beautiful, just cool enough to be exhilarating; his favorite hound, Bruce, went bounding over the turf under the slopes, or ranging off through the cottonwoods alons Stream, or the shallow, sandy arroyoa, where the grass and weeds grow rank and luxuriant. Every now and then with sudden rush and whir a drove of prairie chickens would leap from their covert, and. after vigorous flapping of wings for a few rods, would go skim ming rcstfully in long easy curve, and settle to earth again a hundred yards away, os though suddenly reminded of tbe fact that this was mating time and no gentleman would be mean enough to shoot at such a season. Every little while, too, with prodigious kicking of dust and show of heels, with eyes fairly bulging out of tjia feather brained head, and tall lop ears laid flat on his back, a big jack rabbit would bound off into space, and go tearing across the prairie in mad race for hie threatened life, putting a mile between him and the Monee before he began to realize that the two quadrupeds ambling along the distant trail were obedient to the will of that single rider, who had no thoilgiit to spare for game so smalL Some Indian ponies, grazing across his pathway, set back their stunted ears, and, cow like, refused to budge at sight and hearing of the big American horse; whereat a little vagabond of a Cheyenne, j not 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 Ids white teeth in a grin as Perry sung out a cheery “Howl sonny,” and spurred on opening thoroughfare, heedless ful pony looks or threatening heels. Perry’s spirits rose with every rod. through the Hess of spite- Later in the day, when th. sun mounted UirTS high in the heavens and the brisk west erly winds sent the clouds sailing Swift across tbe skies, all the broad prairie seemed 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 on a broad platform, Nature's oven “observation car,” taking a leisurely journey towards the for away Pacific. But the sun was only just up as Mr. Parke came back from his inspection of the halter fastenings and paused to look across the low valley. Par down to the ■ouL’Kaat the rays seemed glinting on clustered together range of the shadowy fringe, and the lieutenant shaded his eyes with his gauntlet and looked fixed ly thitherward as he stood at the stable door. 'Some new tinning down at that Eng lish ranch they talk of, I suppose,", was his explanation of the phenomenon, and m “wonder why Perry hasn’t ridden to cultivate the acquaintance of those people before this. Ha was always the fim man in the —th to find out neighbors — J - - some bright objects within short range i our ing; eight that'! To be sun, i bluffs that north by that or so out from tM» question, ft • fist Perry had i the Mouse that mi oo- kadsaid fellow men. To the best of his reckon- | ing, he had not an 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 on the long march down, the most crabbed of the frontiersmen they had ever encountered, waa never proof j against such sunshine as seemed to ir radiate his face. He would go out of his way at any time to meet and hail a fellow man upon the prairies, and rarely came back without knowing all about I Him—where he was from, where he was bound and what were his hopes and prospects. And as for himself, no man ; was readier to answer questions or to meet in friendliest and moat jovial spirit the rough but well meant greetings of | “the plains " Being in this frame of mind to an ex tent even greater than his normal wont, Mr. Perry's eyes glistened, and ha struck •pur tq hasten Nolan’s stride, whan, far ahead, and coming towards him on the trail, he saw a horseman like himself, in this mood of sociability, he eras more than surprised to see all of a sudden that horseman bad reined in—a mere black dot a mile away a speck in > to tbe low valley on the I ridden a i Wm mmi he advanced. preeumably examining him aa Ml Hostile Indiana than had been none for many a long month, “road •geul^wi would have starved in a i ware no i cowboys might, and did, get on 1 and have wild “tears” at times, be their being hostile, j wao] ... >teU.t that the crest, the prairie stretched before him northward, level as a floor, until it met the sky; but it was southward he longed to look, and thither quickly turned. Yes, there it lay—Dun- raven Ranch, in all its lonely majesty. From where he gazed the nearest build ing stood a good long mile away. That it waa the homestead he divined at once, for a broad veranda ran around the lower story, and white curtains were visible at the dormer windows of the upper floor. Back of it and on the eastern flank were other buildings, massive look ing, single storied affairs, evidently stables, storehouses and corrals. There was a tall windmill there—an odd sight in so remote a region—and a big water tank. Perry wondered how it ever got there. Then at the southwest angle was a build ing that looked like an office of some kind. He could see horses tethered there, and what seemed to be human figures moving about Beyond it all, to the east and south, were herds of grazing cattle, and here and there in the dim dis tance a horseman moved over the prai rie. This reminded him of the stranger who had given him the slip; and he gazed westward in search of him. Far up the valley, between him and the distant poet, he could plainly see a black object just descending the slopes from the southern prairie to the stream. Not another was in sight that his prac ticed eye did not know to be cattle. That, then, was his horseman, once more going fort-wards in the valley, after hav ing made a three or four mile detour to avoid him. “Now, what sort of a Chris tian is that fellow?” thought Perry, as he gazed at the distant speck. “Going to the fort, too. By thunder! I’ll find out who he is. anyhow. Now Pm going to the ranch.” Down the slopes he rode. Down the winding trail once more he trotted, peer ing through every gap among the cot- tor woods, slaking Nolan’s thirst at a lit tle pool in the stream, and then, after another long half mile, he came to a sudden turn to the right The road dipped and twisted through the stream bed, roee to the other side, wound through the cottonwoods and then out on the open turf. Huzza! There it stretched up the slopes straight away for the south, •height through a broad gap between two heavy gate poets standing on the •take Una of that rigid fence. Nolan broke into a brisk canter and gave a neigh of aalutetion; Perry’s eyes glistened with anticipation as he bent over his charger’s neck, keenly searching the odd looking structure growing on his vision as they neared tbe fence. Then, little by little, Nolan's eager stride shortened and grew choppy. Another moment, and bona and rider • barrier of cobweb as spider ever wove, bet with barbe, stiff as and unyielding as steel. One mywmzrmxj tos \ up short in Fbrai ly no admission was to be gained here, he reasoned, and yet it was through here that that horsemen had come but an hour be fore. Here were the fresh hoof prints in the trail, and it was evident that the rider had dismounted, opened the gate, led his horse through, closed and fast ened it, then remounted ridden away. Perry waa plainsman enough to read this from the hoof prints. Studying them carefully, a look of surprise into his face; he bent down closely examined the two or three that were most clearly defined upon the trail, then gave a long whistle as a means of ex pressing his feelings and giving play to ids astonishment. “Johnny Bull holds himself top high and mighty to have anything to do with us blare ted Yankees, it seems, except when he wants his hones shod. These shoes were set at the post blacksmith ’•hop, or I’m a duffer,” vras tha lisuten- “Now, now was it done without the quartemaster’s knowing it? That's the cavalry shoe!” Pondering over this unlooked for revo- latina, Mn Perry once more mounted and turned his disapp^^d ^n*#^ d)wu stream. At last, full half a mile farther on, he saw that a wire fence ran southward again across the prairie, as though marking the eastern boundary of the homestead inclosure, and con jecturing that there was probablv a trail along that fence and an opening through, even if the southeastwanl line should be found fenced still farther, he sent Nolan through the Monee to the open bank on the northern side, cantered along until the trail turned abruptly southward, and, following it, found himself once more at tbe fence just where the heavy corner poet stood deeply imbedded in the soil Sure enough, here ran another fence straight up the gentle slope to the south, a trail along its eastern side, and a broad cattle gap, dusty and tramped with the hoofs of a thousand steers, was left in the fence that, prolonged down stream, spanned the northern boundary. Inside the homestead lot all was virgin turf. Following the southward trail, Perry rode briskly up the long incline. It was east of this fence he had seen the cattle herds and their mounted watchers. Hs was far beyond the ranch buildings, but felt sure that once well up on the prairie he could have an uninterrupted view of them and doubtless meet some of the ranch people and satisfy himself what there was in the stories of their churlish and repellent demeanor. The sun was climbing higher all this time, and he, eager in pursuit of his reconnoissance, gave little heed to fleeting minutes. If fair means could accomplish it, he and Nolan were bound to have acquaintance with Dunraven Ranch. Ten minutes’ easy lope brought him well up on tho prairie. There—westward now—was the mysterous clump of brown buildings, just as far away as when he stood, baffled and disappointed, by the gateway on the Monee. Here, leading away towards the distant buildings, was a bridle path. Here in the fence was a gap just such as he had entered on the stream, and that gap was barred and guarded by the counterpart of the first gate and firmly secured by a padlock that was the other's twin. Mr. Perry’s comment at this point of his explora tions was brief qnd characteristic, if not objectionable. He gave vent to the same low whistle, half surprise, half vexation, that had comforted his soul before, but supplemented the whistle with the unnecessary remark: “Well, I’ll be damned!” Even Nolan entered his protest against such incredible exclusiveness. Thrusting his lean head far over the topmost wires, us before, he signaled long and shrill— a neigh that would have caught the ear of any horse within a mRe—and then, nil alert, lie waited for an answer. It came floating on the rising wind, a re sponsive call, a signal as eager and con fident as ills own, and Nolan and No lan's rider whirled quickly around to see tho source from whence it rose. Four hundred yards away, just appearing over a little knoll in the prairie, and moving towards them from the direction of a distant clump of grazing cattle, another horse and rider came trotting into hail ing distance; and Perry, his bright blue eyes dilating, and Nolan, his dainty, sen sitive ears prioked forward, turned promptly to meet and greet the new ar rivals. For fifty yards or so the stranger rode confidently and at rapid trot. Perry smilingly watched the outtumed toes, the bobbing, “bent over” seat, and an gular elbows that seemed so strange and out of place on the broad Texan plain. He could almost see tho “crop” in the free hand, and was smiling to himself at the idea of a “crop" to open wire gates, when he became aware of the fact that tlie stranger's mien had chang ed; confidence was giving place to hes itancy, and lie was evidently checking the rapid trot of his hone and throwing his weight back on the cantle, while his feet, thrust through to the very heels In the gleaming steel stirrups, were braced iu front of the powerful shoulders of the bay. The horse wanted to come, the rider plainly wanted to stop. Another moment, and Perry could see that the stranger wore eyeglasses and had just succeeded in bridging them on his nose and was glaring at him with his chin high hi air. They were within two hun dred yards of each other by this time, and to Perry's astonishment, the next thing the stranger did was to touch sharply his horse with a barbed hoel, whirl him spitefully about, and go bob bing off across the prairie at lively can ter, standing up in his stirrups, and be striding his steed as though hie object were not so much a ride ha game of leap frog. It was evident that he had caught eight of Perry when Nolan neighed, had rid den at once to meet him, expecting to find some one connected with the ranch, and had veered off in disgust the mo ment he was able to recognize the uni form and horse equipments of the united States cavalry. (To be continued.) LliFJC OF THZE3 Hon. Jefferson Davis. Br MRS. JEFFERSON DAVIS. To ke Soli by Sobscriptioo Ooly. The. for canvi ately NO HUMBUG. proepeetus and eomplete outfit tvaning will be ready immedi- front A WAHoro desirab 'tvye.u.bs rito on this work Win please address, as sc possible, desirable ter- great soon i 18-M Kaet l«th Street. MPANY. N*W York. ; . Genuine Bargains In tlie following Goods : Clothing, Overcoats, Hats, Caps. Buggy Robes, Ladies’ Jerseys, Children’s Blouses, Ladies’ Balmorals, Valises, Trunks, and Boots. 4&10ES A Si-JiClAlTT.s*’ Call and prices will be given in Store that will astonish you. Respectfully, January 16, 1890. J. G McCALL, (£% flank of JJurlinflttMi, HAS OPENBD A S-A.VX3STOS knd from and after tills ditto will receive deposira of One Dollar and upwards, and pay quarterly interest on the same, at tke rate of five per cent, per annum, under regulations to be made known at the Bank. This is a favorable opportunity for Farmers, Clerks, Mechanics, Laborers, — and — Factory Operatives, To save their earnings. J. LOOKER, BRIGHT WILLIAMSON, President. Cashier. Darlington, S.G., June 18,1889 Lewenthal & Hennig, — DEALERS IN THE — Farmers’ Alliance Rye Whiskey. GROCERIES, WINES, LIQUORS INI CIGARS. Corner Pearle Street and Court House Square, DARLINGTON, S. C. December 19, 1889—3m Read these Prices. Call at .EAR J 1,000 yards assorted Worsteds at 10 cts, worth 20 to lOcts* A full line Cashmeres at 121 and 15 cts. We arestil Inn ning our famous 25 cts. yard wide Cashmere in all shades more popular than ever this season. 45-inch Henrietta at 50 cents. A large line of Black Goods consisting of C ashmeres, Henriettas and Imported Reps from 15 to $1 per yard. A well selected stock of Ladies’ and Misses’ Wraps consisting of Jackets, Modjeskas and New Markets. A specially large line of Staple Dry Goods, and Notions at prices that move them rapidly. ' SHOES. Our line of Shoes is large and complete and well adapted to the wants of the people. We continue to maintain 4>ui reputation for selling solid goods. Gents’ Furnislxing Goods, Our success in the Gents’ Furnishing Goods Depaitment war rant us in the belief that our Clothing and Hats Men’s, Youths’ and Boys’ suit the people, both as to quality and price. We carry always in stock a full line of Hardware, Crockery, Tin, Harness, &c. GROCERIES. The Grocery Department is large and kept, well supplied, at Rock-bottom prices. HABDWAKE. At the Hardware Store, Managed by J. H. Early, is kept Stoves, Sewing Machines, Pumps; Gins, Belting Steam Engines, 4c., in fact everything that comes under the head of machinist’s supplies. REPAIRING A SPECIALTY. October 31,1889. Schedule of tht RutnHIt R. R. Hartsvillk. 8. C., Dee. ' 9. DAILY MIXED THAI Leaves HartsviUe, 7.1« A. M. Leaves Jovann, 7.40 “ Arrive at Floyd’*, 8.08 “ Making connection with the South bound passenger train on the Cheraw A Darlington RailrChd. RETURNING. Leave Floyd’e, 10.00 A. M Leave Jovann. 10.90 “ Arrive at Harteville, 10.50 u This train waits two hours, if necessa ry, for the North bound freight train on C. &. D. R. R. J. L* COKER. President. FOR C. & D. AND C. * S. RAILROADS PaiaiDUT’sOmoe 1 C. A D. and C. A 8. RAILROADS. V Charleston, 8.0., May 12, 1889. j On and after May 12, the trniai oa these road* will run an follows (Sands ex cepted) every day: Down TBA1M. Leave Wndesboro eeeeeoees oneeeoeeseao esen too Bennetts • •••••••• eeseoeew •••••onoeeee • ooeeeo Morven’s Sooooooee••••••••• eeoo 8.86 McFarland 6.60 Leave Cheraw ooaoooooo••••••••• ••••••» 7.80 Cash’s :7.46 Society Hill 8.09 Dove’s 8.22 Darlington 8.42 Palmetto • eoooo eeeeee ooeoooeoee o 866 Arrive at Florence •••see •■•••• •••#•• 9 16 UP TEAM, Leave Floreoee e••ooneee •••••• eweooe io r m Palmetto. 8.26 Darlington nooooo••••• •••••• 8.86 Dove’s 8.62 SoeletyHiU 9.12 CaeVe 917 LesveCheraw ••••••••••••••••••••••*• 9.48 PM MoFarlaa 10.08 Morven s.....................10.20 Bennett n..................... 10.86 Lake Wadesboro • ••••••••••• ••• 11.00 Freight Train geing up. Leave Florence 7.00 am Arrive Darlington 7.46 am Freight going down Arrive Darltnflon 8.00 p m Leave Darlington 8.60 p m Arrive Florence 4.10 p m A. F. RAVSNEL, Free. Q II Master Traneporlstion. JUST RECEIVED A Large Supply of the Latest Improvement on the Celebrated Golden Rye Whiskey Drops, DIAMOND DROPS, ILK. lVXa.ri.no, Sole Agent. Mr. S. Manne proposes to sustain to the fullest extent the business recently conducted by his father, and to this end so licits a continuance of the patronage which has heretofore been accorded the firm. Jan. 30, 1890. 3STBW SOHEBiDTTLE Jj^ORTHE ASTERN RAILROAD. Obaelzstom, 8. c., May 12, 1889. , Oa and after this date the following schedule will be run : GOING SOUTH. No. 87, Dally. Leave Floreaoo *1 86 a m Leave Kingstree 2 29 a m Arrive Lane* 2 60 a m Leave Lanes 2 60 a m Arrive Charleston I 00 a m No. 23, Daily. Leava Florence *9 30 a m Leave Kingstree 10 66 a b Arrive Lanes « 11 20 a i Leave Lanes 11 90 a a Arrive Charleston 1 80 a m No 63. Leave Lanea *7 60 P. M. Arrive Charleston 9 80 p. m. Trein No. 63 lekee No. 68 8onlh of Lance Train on C & D R R conn eta at Flor ence with No 23 Train GOING NORTH. No, 78, Doily. Leave Charleston *|g 26 a m Arrive Lanes 2 46 a m Leave Lanes 2 60 a m Leave Kiugstree 3 10 a m Arrive Florence 4 20 n m No 1«. Leave Cnariestoo Arrive Lanes Leave Lanes Leave Kiogetree Arrive Florenoe No. 62, Doily. Leave Charles I on Arrive Lanes * Daily, f Daily ezeept Sue Train No. 62 tikes No. 62 North Lanes Train No. 14 eonoecU at Flor with Train on C & D R R for Cheraw .. and Wadeaboro. N. O. Nos 62 ruae through to Columbia via Central R R of 8 C. Noe. 78 sad 14 run solid to Wilmiagten, ™ oIo,e connection with w. ft W R R for all poiale north. J R. KENLY, J, F. Ditimb, 8u I‘\T r i** Gea’l Sag’l. T. M. Enzbsob, Gon’l Pass. ‘ *4 80 pm 6 28 p m • 28pm 6 46 p m 7 66 pm 7 .i0 a 1 tO a i Agt. Viupm CHDIBU AM IDCMTi Ki&tti May 12, 1889. GOING SOUTH No. 28. Leave Wilmington Leave Marion Arrive Florenre Leave Florence Arrive Sumter Leeve Sumter Arrive Celumbla Leave Wilmington Leave Marion Arrive Florenoe Leave Sumter Arrive Columbia Leava Florenoe Arrive Sumter Ne. 60. No. 27 No 62 No 68 •• 26 p m 9 88 pm 10 3t. . 8.20 at 4.40 e a 4 40 » m 8. Item •IP. 10 • m 12.40 pm 1 20am flO IS e m 1166pm f»20sm 10 28 am No 62 run. throngh from Charleston vie Central R R. Leaving Lanes 9 16 A M., Manning 868 A M. Train on C ft D R R conn#els at Ftoreaee with No 68, GOING NORTH. No 61 A>eave Columbia. •10 86 p e UMpa 11 68 p m Arrive Sumter Leave Sumter Arrive Florenoe No. 78. 1 16 am Leave Florence, 4 86 a m Leave Marion 6 90am Arrive at Wilmiagtea, No. 69 8 86am Leave Sumter t«*7pm 7 60pm Arrive Florence No. 68, Leave Columbia •6 20p m • 68pm Arrive Sumter Ne 14 Leava Florenoe *• 16 p m 8 69pm 11 60pm Leave Marion Arrive at Wilmington •Daily. -fDaily except Snaday. No 68 mas through te Charleston, via Central R R, arriving Maaatag 7 04 P k. Lanea 7 42 P M. Charlottes 910 P M. No 69 eoautete at Florenoe with C ft D train for Cheraw and Wadeoher*'. Noe 78 aid 14 make eleao eeeneetiea at Wilmiagtou witk W ft W ft R for all pointi North. Traia oa Floreaoo R. ft, leave Pee Dee daily except Snaday 4.4ft P. M.. arrive Rowland 7.00 P. M. Returning leave ftowlaod 6.80 A. M„ arrive Pee Dae 9.00 A.M. Traia 0u Manchester ft leavaa Sumter daily exe A. M., arrive Piaewaed taming leeve Piaeweed me Sumter 1.80 P, hi. P. DIVINIi Gap id© i J01II F, J, ft. KENLY, I‘M. EM ' lea. Par a ill * m