The Darlington news. (Darlington, S.C.) 1875-1909, May 15, 1890, Image 3
poetry.
Life.
Life to the falling of a utar,
Or a« the t1i|{htH of eagles are.
Or like the fresh spring's gaudy hue,
Or silver drops of luorniug de w,
Or like a wind that chafes thetjod,
Or bubbles which on water stood—
K’en such i man,whose borrowed light
Is straight called in and paid to-night.
The wind blows out, the bubble dies,
The spring entombed in autumn lies;
The dew dries up, the star is shot.
The flight is jaist—aud man forgot!
DIBAVi RANCH
to the scene just In time to prevent a
bloody and desperate fracas, for the few
ranch people who appeared were still
quivering with excitement and dread.
Kwen was almost too much agitated to
speak:
"Uo to Mr. Maitland as soon as you
can. doctor: this has given him a fearful
shaking up Mrs. Cowan is having a
room made ready for Mr. Perry. Ah!
here’s young Cowan now. Ready?" he
asked.
"All ready. Mother says carry the
, gentleman right in. She wants you to
come too.” he added, in a lower tone, to
Scrgt Gwynne. but the latter made no
reply.
And so, borne in the arms of several
of Ids men, Lieut, Perry was carried
wmcu k/iuM v* isail cua uuui Wilis iivr 9
they were marshaled down the long cor*
ridor by Mrs. Cowan in person, sad, to
Perry’s huge delight, were shown In to
his bedside? It looked as though Quin
were showing unwarrantable tUacHminy
tion. Stryker and the colonel, too, came
in to see him, and the latter told him that
both Mr. Maitland and Mr. Ewen hnd
begged that the arrested soldiers might
not be pun islied. Including Sergt. Leary
and Kelly, there were now twenty men
under charges more or less grave in their
character, and he had asked that a gen
eral court martial be convened for their
trial The colonel deeply appreciated the
feeling displayed by the stricken propri
etor and his overseer; he was touched
that even in his extreme Illness *nd pros-
»r«. tb. iottrvening taloZ “'“f“T* !“
main building. WheVi l» recovereO con- lh « »“» • rl “ •» bo«ile an In-
A Story of American Frontier
Life.
By Oapt. UHABLES KINO, U. 8. A.,
Author of “The Colonel's Daughter," “From !
the Hank*," “The Deierter” Etc.
Copyright,id ikks by j u lJpp| BC ott Company.
Hhiladeiiihit, aud published by ipei-lal at-range-
lusnt through the American Hnaw Association.
CHAPTER XVII.
“I
•1
T THE head of a score
of his own men, Capt.
Stryker rode forth
some fifteen minutes
later. His orders from Col. Brainard
were to go to Dunraveu, and, if he found
the marauders there, to arrest the entire
party ami bring them back to the post
From all that could be learned from hur
ried questioning of the sentries and the
dared, half drunken sergeant of the cor
ral, the troopers engaged In the raid
must have selected a time when the sen
try was walking towards the south end
of his post to lift one of their number
over the wall of the inclosure in which
were kept the wagons and ambulances.
Tlds man had unbarred from within the
gate leading eastward to the trail down
which the “stock” was driven daily to
water in the Monee. Riley admitted
that “the boys” had I ft a bottle with
him r hich he and his assistant had
•-niptied before turning in, and so it liap-
pvr.ed that, unheard and unseen, the
raiders had managed to slip out with a
dozen horses that were kept there and
had also taken six mules as “mounts”
for those who could not find anything
better.
Eighteen men, apparently, were In the
party, and the sentry on Number Three
heard hoof beats down towards the val
ley about half past 3 o'clock, but thought
it was only some of the ponies belonging
to the Cheyenne scouts. There was one
comfort—the men had taken no firearms
with them; for a hurried Inspection of
the company quarters showed that the
carbines were all in their racks and the
revolvers in their cases. Some of the
men might have small caliber pistols of
their own, but the government arms had
not been disturbed. Half the party, at
least, must have ridden bareback and
with only watering bridles for their
steeds. They were indeed “spoiling for
a fight,” and the result of the roll call
showed that the missing troopers were
all Irishmen and some of the best and
most popular men in the command.
Whatever their plan, thought Stryker,
as he trotted down to the Monee, it was
probably carried out by this time; it was
now within a minute of 4 o’clock.
Only a mile out he was overtaken by
Dr. Quin, who reined up an instant to
ask if any one had been sent ahead.
“Thank God for that!” he exclaimed,
when told that Perry and Sergt Gwynne
had gone at the first alarm; then, strik
ing spars to his horse, pushed on at rapid
gallop, while the troopers maintained
their steady trot A mile from Dun-
raven, in the dim light of early morning,
the captain’s keen eyes caught sight of
shadowy forms of mounted men on the
opposite shore, and, despite their efforts
to escape on their wearied steeds, three
of them were speedily run down and
captured. One of them was Corp. Dono
van, and Donovan’s face was white and
his manner agitated. Bidding him ride
alongside as they pushed ahead towards
the ranch, Stryker questioned him as to
what had taken place, and the corporal
never sought to equivocate:
"We’ve been trying for several nights,
sir, to get horses and go down and nave
it out with those blackguards at the
ranch. We took no arms, sir, even those
of us who had pistols of our own. Ail
we asked was a fair fight, man against
man. They wouldn’t come out of their
hole -they dasn’t do it, sir—and then
they fired on us. We'd have burned the
roof over their heads, but that lient
Perry galloped in and stopped us. I
came away then, sir, and so did most of
us. We knew twas all up when we saw
the lieutenant; but there was more fir
ing after I left This way, captain. Out
across the prairie here. We cut down
the fence on this side.” And so saying,
Donovan led the little troop to a broad
gap in the wide barrier, and thence
straight across the fields to where lights
were seen flitting about in the dark
shadows of the buildings of the ranch.
Another moment, and Stryker had dis
mounted and was kneeling beside the
prostrate and unconscious form of his
lieutenant Some misguided ranchman,
mistaking for a new assailant the tall
young soldier who galloped into the
midst of the swarm of taunting Irish
men, had fired the cruel shot There
lay Nolan dead upon the sward, and
here, close at hand, his grief stricken
master had finally swooned from loss
of blood, the bullet having pierced his
lag below the knee. Beside him knelt
the doctor: he had cut away the natty
riding boot and was rapidly binding up
the wound. Close at hand stood Gwynne,
a world of anxiety and trouble in his
bruised and still discolored face.
Grouped around were some of the as
sailing party, crestfallen and dismayed
at the unlocked for result of their foray,
but ashamed to attempt to ride away,
now that their favorite young officer
was sore stricken ss a result of their mad
folly. Mr. Ewen, too, had com® out,
and was bustling about, giving direc
tions to the one or two of Ms hands who
hsd ventured forth from the office build
ing. The big frame house under whose
walls the group was gathered was evi
dently used as a dormitory for a number
of men, and this had been the objective
point of the attack, but not a soul had
lamed from its portals; ths occupants
wtie ths men who made the assault on
Parry ths night of his first visit, and
sciousnees, as the morning light caiue
through the eastern windows, ho found
himself lying in a white curtained bed in
a strange room, with a strange yet kind
and motherly face bending over him,
and his captain smiling down into his
wondering eyes.
“You are coming round all right, old
fellow,’’ he heard Stryker say. “I’ll call
the doctor now; he wanted to see you as
soon as you waked.”
And then Quin came in and said a few
cheery words, and bade liim lie still and
worry about nothing. The row was over,
thanks to him, and he and poor Nolan
were the only victims; but it had been a
great shock to Mr. Maitland and ren
dered h*s condition critical.
Perry listened in silence, asking no
questions. For the time being he could
think of nothing but Nolan’s loss. It was
such a cruel fate to be killed by those he
came to save.
All that day ho lay there, dozing and
thinking alternately. “
vasion of his premises and brought upon
the Inmates of Dun raven a night of dread
and anxiety; but discipline had to be
maintained, he replied, and the ringlead
ers in the move had been guilty of a
flagrant breach which could not be over
looked.
But on the following day—the fourth
of Perry’s stay—the doctor came down
with a face full of gloom and distress.
Both nurse and patient noted it, and in
quired the cause. For a time Quin
avoided any direct reply: “something
had ruffled him up at the pest,” he an
swered: “can’t tell you about it now.
I'll do it by and by. I want to think.”
He examined Perry’s leg, dressed and re-
bandaged the wound, and then went
back to Mr. Maitland's room. They could
hear his voice in the hall after a while,
and Perry’s heart began to throb heavily;
he was sure the low, sweet tones, almost
inaudible, that came floating along the
corridor, were those of Gladys. When
Mrs. Cowan spoke to him on some or-
WOn ^, a . t dinar y topic, he impatiently bade her
and seemed to anticipate his every want.
Quin came in towards evening and
dressed his wound, which now began to
be feverish afid painful He heard his
colonel’s voice in the hallway, too, and
heard him say to the doctor that some
body at Rossiter was eager to come down
and take care of him. “Bosh!” said the
blunt surgeon; “I’ve a far better nurse
hero—and a reserve to fall back
disturbed
—and, far from being hurt at his petu
lance, Mrs. Cowan smiled softly as she
turned away.
Then Quin came back, and, after
fidgeting around a moment, abruptly ad
dressed his patient:
“Perry, do you remember that morn
ing you rode down here right after re
veille and met mo on the trail—or at
least would have met me if I hadn't
ES, certainly very pretty—
If a such a pity that
Englishwomen grow coarse
and stout and rad faced so
very soon after they are married.” The
speaker was Mrs. Belknap, and her soft
voice was tuned to a pitch of almost
pathetic regret They were telHwg 0 ?
Miss Maitland, who had just been as
sisted to her saddle by ths colons), and
now, followed by the faithful Griggs
and escorted by Capt Stryker, was rid-
; ing away homeward after a brief call at
| the post. Fort Rossiter, once so hum-
Irani and placid and “stupid,” as the
ladies termed it. had been .the vortex of
sensations for u whole fortnight, and
one excitement had trodden on the heels
of another with such rapidity that people
were growing weary.
Perhaps the happiest man in garrison
was Capt. Stryker: he had refused to be
lieve in the guilt of Str gt Gwynne when
Capt. Wayne came to him to say that
there were men in his troop who openly
accused the sergeant of having thatcher-
ished seal ring socre ed in his chest So
confident was he that he had gone with
the captain and Mr. Farnham to the
stables and there told Gwynne of the
| charge against him. Gwynne flushed
hotly, denied the truth of the story, but
■ hesitated when asked if he would allow
Ins chest to be searched. This was quick
ly noted by Wayne and Farnham, and
uero—anu a reserve to fail back upon „ ... iy uoteu uy wuyue anu raruuam, anu
that will be worth a new life to Mm.” oMhfv^vr nS ^ ^ ^ OU, ° r ^ ^h was insisted upon. Gwynne
valley?’
“Certainly I do, doctor.”
“1 may as well explain that singular
performance first. You may have heard
tions, and the pain of his wound sub
dued by Mrs. Cowan’s cooling bandages
And, weak and feverish though he was,
Perry’s heart thrilled within him; ho
woqdered if it could mean Gladys. Two
days more he lay there, the fever skill-
and applications. But there was a burn
ing fever in his heart that utterly re
fused to go down. He strained his ears
listening for the sound of her voice or
the pit-a-pat of her foot fall in the corri
dor. At last he mustered courage and
asked for her, and Mrs. Cowan smiled:
“Miss Maitland has been here three
times to inquire how you were; but it
was while you were sleeping, Mr. Berry,
and she rarely leaves h6r father’s bed
side. He is very ill, and seems to be
prowing weaker every day. I don’t
know what we would have done if we
had not found D.. Quin here; he ha?
pulled him through two or three bad
seizures during the past year.”
“ Where had y ou known the doctor
fore?" asked Pen v, with an eager
in his eyes.
“Nowhere;but!*was as though one
of Ids own kith and kin had suddenly
made his appearance here to welcome
Mr. Maitland. The doctor is a first
of Mrs. Maitland’?; she was from
land, and it was from her family
the ranch was named. lord Donraven
is of the peerage of Ireland, you know,”
added Mrs. Cornfen, with the cheerful
confidence of the Englishwoman that
•very person of any eduoatton or stand-
i be familiar with the pages of
orbe-
lignt
IJ know anythjfig about
it? 1 laughed Perry, lie felt in merry
mood; another page in his volume of sus
picion and dread was being torn away,
and Quin's relations with the household
were turning out to be such as made
him an object of lively interest, not of
jealous doubt
Then came the callers from the garri
son. It seemed as though all of a sudden
the blockade had been raised and that no
people were so warmly welcomed at
Dunraven as the very ones who had been
especially proscribed. Mr. Maitland,
weak and ill as he was, had asked to be
allowed to see Col Brainard on the occa
sion of that officer’s second visit; Stryker,
Dana, Graham and Parke had all been
allowed to come up and see Perry a few
moments, but Mrs. Cowan was vigilant
and remorseless, would allow them only
a brief interview, and, with smiling de
termination, checked her patient when
he attempted to talk. The third day of
his imprisonment Dr. Quin came scowl
ing in along in the afternoon, manifestly
annoyed about something, and said a few
words in a low tone to Mrs. Cowan, and
that usually equable matron fluttered
away down stairs in evident excitement.
“It’s Mrs. Belknap,” explained the
doctor, in answer to Perry’s inquiring
look. “She has ridden down here with
Dana and sent her card up to Gladys—
who can’t bear the sight of her; I don't
know why; intuition, I suppose."
Presently Mrs. Cowan reappeared:
“Miss Gladys has asked to be excused, as
she does not wish to leave her father at
this moment; and the lady would like to
come up and see Mr. Perry.”
“Tell her no!” said Quin, savagely.
No—here: I’ll go myself.” And down
went the doughty medical officer, and
straightway the rumbling tones of his
harsh voice were heard below: the words
were indistinguishable, but Mrs. Cowan’s
face indicated that there was something
in the sound that gave her comfort. She
stood at the window watcMng the pair
as they rode away.
“Miss Gladys shuddered when she had
to shake hands with her that day when
we came away from Mrs. Sprague’s,” said
she. “I hope that lady is not a particu
lar friend of yours, Mr. Perry?”
“We have been very good friends in
deed,” said he, loyally. “To be sure, I
have hardly known Mrs. Belknap a
month, but both she and the captain
have been very kind to me.” All the
same, down in the bottom of his heart,
he did not wonder at Miss Maitland's
sensations. He was beginning to despair
of ever seeing her, and yet could get no
explanation that satisfied him.
“You know she can walk only with
great pain and difficulty even now,”
said Mn. Cowan. “Her ankle was very
badly wrenched, an4 she hardly goes
farther than from her own to her fath
er's room. You ought to feel compli
mented that she has been here to your
door three times.”
“I feel more like butting my brains
out for being asleep,” muttered Perry in
reply. “I wish you would wake me
next time, Mrs, Cowan. I shan’t believe
it until I see it, or hear her voice at the
door."
She had excused herself to Mrs. Bel
knap, and the doctor had denied that
lovely woman her request to be allowed
to come up and see Mr. Perry; and yet
the very next day, when the big four
mule ambulance from Roesiter came
driving up to the front door, and Mrs.
Sprague and Mrs, Istwrenoe, escorted
by the colonel and Capt Stryker, ap
peared on the veranda, how did it hap
pen that the ladies were speedily ushered
upstairs to Miss Maitland’s own
and that, aftatan animated though
colonel was ass enough to totally miscon
strue the pnrjxwe of my visits here, and
I was ass enough to make no explana
tion The Maitlauds went away; I was
not called for again while the Eleventh
remained; and therefore I said no more
about it. Mr. Maitland returned unex
pectedly soon after you came, and the
first I knew of it was the signal lights
telling me he was there, ill, and that I
was wanted. It was the night of the
| colonel’s dinner party. I couldn't ex
plain then, iiml decided to go at once
aud explain afterward. When I met
you all of a sudden the next morning,
the first impulse was to get away out of
your sight, and I obeyed it simply be
cause of the unpleasant experiences 1
had been having with your fellow caval
rymen. I did not want to have to an
swer questions. See? I was ashamed
of it, but too late to turn back.”
Perry nodded “I understand it—
now,” he said.
“Well, what 1 want to ask Is about
Sergt. Gwynne. Did you meet him be
fore you got back?”
"Yes—a mile or so out from the post.’’
“You stopped and talked with him
didn't you?"
“Yes—for several minutes.’'
Mrs. Cowan's needlework had fallen in
her lap. She was seated near the window,
and had been busily sewing. Now she
was looking up, eager and intent.
“You’ve known him a long time,
haven't you?”
“Yes—over since he joined. He’s one
of tho best sergeants I ever knew.”
“You would hardly think him guilty
of any dishonesty, would you?”
Mrs. Cowan was rising from her chair;
the needlework had fallen to tho floor.
“Dishonesty! Not by a—good deal!”
was the reply that bade fair to be even
more impulsive, and was checked only
in deference to the presence of a woman.
“Well, neither would I, from wliat
I've seen of him; and yet Mr. Maitland’s
seal ring was found on him last night”
“My God! Of course ho could explain
it in some way?”
“He couldn't—or wouldn't He sim
ply stood there, white as a sheep except
where those braises made him green and
blue. He had denied the charge flatly
when accused; and yet there it was in
his chest I never saw any man so taken
aback as Capt Stryker; he said he would
have sworn to his innocence.”
“So would II—so I do, by Jupiter! It’s
some foul plot!—it’s”
But he got no further. To his own
amaze, to the utter bewilderment of Dr.
Quin, Mrs. Cowan precipitatefi herself
upon her patient, seized the hand that
lay nearest her on the coverlet, aud
burst forth into half articulate, sobbing,
indignant words, mingled with kisses
showered passionately on that astonish
ed hand.
“Oh, bless liim for the words! Oh,
God bless you, Mr. Perry 1 • • * Oh,
the fools! the lunatics! • • • A
thief, indeed. * • * The Idea of • his
being accused! • • • Oh, God! what
would his mother in heaven say to this?
* * * As though he had not .borne
far too much already! * * * It’s his
own—his own ring, I tell you! Who
else should wear it? # * * Who dare
take it from him now? • * • Oh, the
infamy of it all!”
In her wild excitement, in her inco-
tlien said there were a few items in that
J chest which he allowed no one to see; he
pledged his soldier word that they were
! nothing but a paper or two, some little
photographs and a book. These he asked
permission to remove first: then they
might search. But Wayne sternly re
fused. The sergeant turned very white,
sol bis li|M. and hesitated still, until his
; own captain apoke; then he surrendered
his key
Wayne and Farnham bent over the
chest while the troop first sergeant rapid
ly turned over the clothing, books, etc.,
with trembling hands. There was a little
compartment at one side, in which were
tying some small items—a pocket oom-
pass. a pencil case, some keys, a locket
and a nock chain, and, among these,
something wrapped in tissue paper. This
u as hamled to Capt. Wayne, whff un
rolled the pa per,and—there was a massive
seal ring. A crest was cut in the stone,
and, taking it to the light, Wayne was
able to make out the motto, “Quod sur-
sum volo videre." It was the ring Mait
land had lost
Stryker looked wci.=«ringly at his ser
geant, who stood the' as though petri
fied with amaze and consternation, pale
as death, and unable to say a word.
Asked to explain the matter, he could
only shake his heud, aud, after awhile,
hoarsely muttered, “I know nothing
about it 1 never placed it there.”
“ Do you mean to tell me you never saw
it before':" asked Wayne, sternly. And
Gwynne was silent.
“U this the first time you ever saw it,
i say?” repeated the captain angrily.
“No, sir; I have seen it before,” was
the answer.
“Then you must have known twas
stolen, and you have connived at Us con
cealment,” was Wayne’s triumphant
conclusion; and on the report of his offi
cers Col I rainard liad no alternative but
to order Gwynne’s close arrest. Only
Stryker’s appeal and guarantee saved the
sergeant from confinement in the guard
house.
The next sensation was the sight of
Dr. Quin galloping back to the post like
mad and bolting unceremoniously into
the colonel's gate. Then Stryker was
sent for, and the three officers held an
excited conversation. Then the orderly
went at a run over to the quarters, and
in five minutes Sergt. Gwynne, erect as
ever and dressed with scrupulous car^
looking anything but like a guilty man,
was seen crossing the parade towards his
colonel’s house. The men swarmed out
on the porches as the tidings went from
Up to Up, and some of the Irish troopers
in Wayne's company were remarked as
being oddly excited. Just what took
place during that interview none could
teU, but in ten minutes the news was fly*
ing around the garrison that Sergt
Gwynne was released from arrest, and
in less than half an hour, to the wonder
ment of everybody, he was seen riding
away towards Dunraven with Dr. Quin,
and for two days more did not reappear
at Rossiter.
But when the story flashed from house
to houae about the garrison that Sergt
Gwynne was not Sergt. Gwynne at all,
but Mr. Archibald Wyndham Quin Mait
land, late of her majesty's —th Lancers,
the only surviving son of the invaUd
owner of Dunravan Ranch and other
valuable properties, the amaze amount
ed .to stupefaction. It was known that
old Mr. Maitland lay desperately weak
and U1 the day that Quin the doctor
come riding back. All manner of stories
were told regarding the affecting na
ture of the interview in which the
ss ever, soul au accounts, rje nau
Mvar been iahuato with m»j of them,
but always friendly i.nd k nd One thing
went the rounds Use lightning
“You'll begetting your Jisclmrge now,
sergeant,” said Mrs Itoed. the voluble
wife of the leader t>f the band, “and
taking up your residence ut tho ranch, 1
suppose. Of sejAtso the British minister
can get it for you in a minute."
“Not a bit of it, Mrs. Reed,” was the
laughing answer. “I enlisted to serve
Uncle Sam five years, and he's been too
good a friend to me to turn from. I
shall serve out my time with the —th.” |
And the sergeant was true to his word
If old Maitland could have prevailed, an
application for his son’s discharge would
have gone to Washington; but this the
soldier positively forbade. He had eight
months still to serve, and he meant to
carry out his contract to the letter.
Stryker offered him a furlough, and !
Gwynne thankfully took a week, that
ho might be by his father's side and help
nurse him to better health. “By that
time, too, tho garrison will have grown
a little more accustomed to it, sir, and
I will have less embarrassment in going
on with my work.”
Two days before Ills return to duty
there oame a modified sensation in the
shape of the report that a trooper of
Wayne’s company had deserted. Ho
was a man who had borne a bad reputa
tion as a turbulent, mischief making
fellow, and when Sergt. Leary heard of
his going he was hi a state of wild ex
citement He begged to be allowed to
see his captain, and to him he confessed
that one of his little party of three had
seen the ring drop from Mr. Maitland’s
finger the night of the first visit to Dun
raven, had managed to pick it up and
carry it away in the confusion, and had
shown It to his friend in Wayne’s troop
when they got back. The latter per
suaded him to let him take it, as the
lockers of the men who were at Dim-
raven were sure, he said, to be searched.
It was known that he had a grudge
against Gwynne; he was one of the men
who was to have gone to the ranch the
night they purposed riding down and
cliallenging tho Englishmen to come out
and fight, but had unaccountably failed
at the last moment. They believed that
lie had chosen that night to hide the
ring in the sergeant's chest: he could
easily liave entered through the win
dow. Aud this explanation—the only one
ever made—became at once accepted os
the true one throughout the garrison.
During the week of Ids furlough the
sergeant found time to spend many hours
by the bedside of Lieut. Perry, who was
rapidly recovering, and who by the end
of the week had been lifted into an easy
invalid chair and wheeled in to see Mr.
Maitland. When not with Mr. Perry,
the young trooper's tongue was ever
wagging in his praise. He knew many
a fine officer and gallant gentleman in
the service of the old country, he said,
and he admired many a captain and sub
altern in that of his adopted land, but
the first one to whom he “warmed”—tho
first one to win Ids affection—was the
young cavalryman who had met his pain
ful wound in their defense. Old Malt- 1
land listened to it ail eagerly—he had
already given orders that the finest thor
oughbred at Dunraven should bo Perry’s
the moment he was able to mount again
and ho was constantly revolving in mind
bow he could show his appreciation of
the officers who had befriended Ids son.
Mrs. Cowan, too, never tired of bearing
Perry's praises, and eagerly questioned
when the narrator flagged There was
another absorbed auditor, who never
questioned and who listened with down
cast eyes. It was she who seldom came
near Perry during his convalescence, she
who startled and astonished the young
fellow beyond measure, tim day the am
bulance came down to drive him back to
the fort, by withdrawing the hand he
had impulsively seized when at last she
appeared to bid 1dm adieu, and cutting
short his eager words with “Mrs. Belknap
will console you, I dare say,” and ab
ruptly leaving the room.
Poor Ned! In dire distress and per
plexity he was driven back to Rossiter,
and that very evening ho did a most sen
sible and fortunate thing; he told Mrs.
Sprague all about it; and, instead of con
doling with him and bidding him strive
to bo patient and saying that all would
come right in time, the little woman's
kind eyes shone with delight, her cheeks
flushed with genuine pleasure; she fairly
sprang from her chair, and danced up
and down and clapped her hands and
laughed with glee, and then, when Perry
ruefully asked her if that was the sym
herent praise and lamentation and wrath long lost son was restored to his over-
* . ,. .. . . . . • i a au
and indignation, her voice, her sobs,
rang through the room and out along
the brood corridor. Even in their amaze
tho two men heard a hurried step ap
proaching, a limping, halting, painful
stop, yet rapid and impulsive. Quin, ab
sorbed In his contemplation of tho ex
cited woman, paid no attention; Perry’s
eager eyes were strained upon the door
way, where, the very next instant, with
pallid features and startled mien, Gladys
Maitland appeared and stood staring in
joyed father, but, like most stories, they
were purely the offspring of Imagination,
for at that Interview only three were
preeent: Gladys led her brother to tho
room and closed the door, while good
Mrs. Cowan stood weeping for joy down
the long corridor, and Dr. Quin blinked
his eyes and fussed and fidgeted and
strode around Perry's room with his
hands In his pockets, exploding every
now and then into sudden comment on
the romantic nature of the situation and
upon the spectacle of Mrs. Cowan kiss- H*® idiocy of some people there at Ros
siter. “Joy does not kill,” he said;
“Maitland would have been a dead man
by the end of the week but for this; it
will give him a new lease of life.”
And it did. Though the flame was
feeble and flickering, it was fanned by a
joy unutterable. The boy whom the
stricken father believed his stubborn
and condemnation had driven to
and suicide was restored to hi™
prime of manly strength, all ten
derness. all forgiveness, and Maitland's
whole heart went up In thanksgiving.
He begged that Brainard and Stryker
would come to him, that he might thank
them for their faith in his son; he bade
the doctor say to Parry that the moment
he could be lifted from his bed he would
come to clasp his hands and blew him
for being a far better friend to hia eon
than he had been a father.
The sergeant’s return to the poet was
the signal for a general turnout on the
part or the men, All of whom were curi
ous to sm how he would ap ,_ _ar now th* 1
his identity was established. Of course,
his late assailants could not join in the
crowd that thronged about him, but they
wttt eeffmew to ewrthinr
wet told. ”SewL iurtXftojai
ing and sobbing over Perry's hand. Al
ready he had divined the truth, and
strove to warn the tear blinded woman
of her presence; but Mrs. Cowan's ex
citement had increased to the verge of
hysteria; she was laughing and crying
now by turns, blessing her soldier patient
for his faith in the accused sergeant, and
then breaking forth anew in indignant
expletive, “Who are his accusers? Who
dare say thief to him? • • • Notone
is fit to look him In the face! Twas the
very ring his mother gave him, • • •
his own! his own!”
And then the doctor seized her and
turned her so that she must see Gladys—
Gladys, wild eyed, panting, staring, tot
tering forward from the doorway. One
sharp cry from the woman’s Ups, one
spring towards the reeling form, and
she had caught the girl in her arms.
“Gladys, Gladys, my Uttle pet! my
own baby girl! Look up and thank God!
I’ve tried to keep my promise and his
secret until he released me. I’ve tried
hard, but it’s all uselem; I can’t, I can’t.
Oh, Gladys, sweetheart, your mother's
■miling down on us this day. Who do
you think has come back to ua, safe and
strong and W|U and for*? Who but
pathy he had a right to expect from her,
rhod
broke forth with:
she only laughed the more, and at last
“Oh, you great, stupid, silly boy I You
ought to be wild with happiness. Can’t
you see she’s jealous?"
And the very next day she had a long
talk with Dr. Quip, whose visits to Dun
raven still continued; and one bright
afternoon when Gladys Maitland rode up
to the fort to return calls, she managed
to have quite a chat with her, despite the
fact that Mrs. Belknap showed a strong
desire to accompany that fair English
girl in aU three of her visits. In this
effort, too, the diplomatic services of
Capt Stryker proved rather too much
for the beauty of the garrison. Was it
possible that Mrs. Sprague had enlisted
him Also in the good cause? Certain it
is that the dark featured captain was
Miss Maitland’s escort as she left the
garrison, and that it was with the con
sciousness of impending defeat that Mrs.
Belknap gave utWanoe to the opening
“By tne way, now was n tnat uwynne
wasn’t drowned? I never understood
that’’
“He never meant to be,” said Stryker.
“He told Perry all about it He was
ruined, he thought,in his profession and In
hisown country, and he know his father’s
inexorable pride; so he simply decided to
put an end to Archie Maitland and start
a new life for himself. He wrote hia
letters and arranged his property with
that view, and he called the steward to
enable him to swear he was In his state
room after the steamer weighed anchor.
Then in a jiffy he was over the aide in
the darkness; it was flood tide end he was
an export swimmer; he reached a coast
ing vessel lying near; lie had money,
bought Ids passage to France, after a
few days at Cape Town, and then came
to America and enlisted. He got a con
fession out of one of their irregulars who
was with him. Perry says, and that was
one of the papers he was guarding so
jealously He had given others to Perry
that very night."
“They seemed to take to each other
like brothers from the start,” said the
colonel, with a quiet smile.
“Just about,” answered Capt. Stryker.
Meantime, Perry and Sergt. Gwynne
have been riding slowly down the valley.
Night has come upon Dunraven by the
hour they reach the northern gate—no
longer closed against them—and as they
near the house Perry slowly dismounts.
“I'll take the horses to the stable myself:
I want to," says his trooper friend, and
for tho second time tho young officer
stands upon tho veranda at the doorway,
then holds his hand os lie hears again the
soft melody of the piano floating out
upon the still night air. Slowly and not
without pain he walks around to tho east
front, striving to move with noiseless
steps. At last he stands by tho open
casement, just where ho hsd paused in
surprise that night a month agone, and
slowly drawing aside one heavy fold of
curtain, gazes longingly in at Gladys
Maitland, seated there at tho piano, just
where he first saw her lovely face and
form.
Presently, under the soft touch of her
fingers, a sweet, familiar melody comes
rippling forth. Qo remembers it in
stantly; it is the same ho heard the night
of Ids first visit—that exquisite “Spring
Song” of Mendelssohn's—and he listens,
spell bound. All of a sudden the sweet
strains are broken off, the musio ceases,
she has thrown herself forward, bowed
her queenly head upon her arms, and.
leaning over the keyboard, her form is
shaken by a storm of passionate tears.
Perry hurls aside the sheltering curtain
and limps rapidly across the soft and
noiseless rug. She never dreams of his
presence until, close at her side, a voice
she has learned to know and know well
—a voice tremulous with love, sympathy
and yearning—murmurs only her name,
“Gladys,” and, starting up, she looks
oue instant into his longing eyes.
Sergt. “Gwynne" Maitland, lifting the
heavy portiere a moment later, stops
short at the entrance, gazes one second
at the picturesque scene at the piano,
drops the portiere, and vanishes, unno
ticed.
Things seemed changed at Dunraven of
late years. The —th are still at Rossiter,
so is Lieut. Perry. It may be the climate
or association with an American sister
hood, or—who knows?—perhaps some
body has told her of Mrs. Belknap's pre
diction, but Mrs. Perry has not yet begyp
to grow coarse, red faced or stout She
Is wonderfully popular with tho ladies of
the —th, and has found warm friends
among them, but Mrs. Sprague of the in
fantry is the woman she particularly fan
cies, and her gruff old kinsman Dr. Quin
Is ever a welcome guest at their fireside.
It was he, she told her husband loi
after, who undid the mischief Mrs.
knap had been able to sow In one brief
conversation. “I’ve known that young
woman ever since she wore pinafores,
Gladys. She has some good points, too,
but her one idiosyncrasy is that every
man she meets should bow down to and
worship her. She is an Alexander in pet
ticoats, sighing for new worlds to con
quer, has been a coquette from the cradle,
and—what she can’t forgive in Ned Perry
is that he simply did not fall in love with
her as she thought he had.”
Down at Dunraven the gates ore gone,
the doors are very hospitably open.
Ewen is still manager de jure, but young
Mr. Maitland, the proprietor, is manager
de facto, and, though there Is constant
going and coming between the fort and
the ranch, and the officers of the —th
ride in there at all hours, what makes
the ranchman so popular among the rank
and file is the fact that Sergt. “Gwynne,”
as they still call him, has a warm place
in his heart for one and all, and every
year when the date of his enlistment ih
the —th comes round he gives a barbecue
dinner to the men, whereat there are
feasting and drinking of healths and
song and speech making, and Learyand
Donovan and even the recreant Kell/
are apt to be boisterously prominent on
such occasions, but blissfully so—for
there hasn’t been a shindy of any kind
since their old comrade stepped into his
possessions at Dunraven Ranch.
THB END.
For Sale—Six
Apply to
Feb. 18, ’90,
Cows for Sale.
(6) fine milch cows.
KTEW SOHED'UXJB
W. F. DARGAN,
Darlington, S. C.
Talbott & Son
: • yi.,
MANUFACTURERS,
Schedule of the Hartsville R. R.
Hautsvillk. S. G., Dee. ’ it.
DAILY MIXED THAI
Will furnish Lowest Esti
mates on all kinds of
Machinery, Engines and Boil
ers, Saw Mills,, Old Do-j
minion Corn Mills, Cot j
ton Oin.N and Elevators,
Colton Presses, i rick and
Tiling Machinery, Plan
ers and Wood-Woi king
Machinery.
Write to me lor prices be
fore buying.
Y. C. Badham,
Oaneral Agent,
OOXL.TJMBX^, S. O-
Feb. 20, ’!H).— lyr.
HEIRY M. SMITH,
Real Gslafe Agenf,
Florence St„ ~ , S. C.
o——
Special attention paid tothe buying
and selling of real estate, collection of |
reins, &e. The strictest attention
will be paid to all business entrust
ed to me.
March 27, ISftO—ly
7.14 A. M.
7.40 “
8.05 “
Leaves Hartsville,
Leaves Jovann,
Arrive at Floyd’s,
Making connection with
liound passenger train on
& Darlington Railroad
RETURNING.
Leave Floyd's,
Leave Jovann.
Arrive at Hartsville,
This train waits two hours, if necessa
ry, for the North liound freight train
on C. &. D. R. R.
J. L. COKER.
President.
the South
• ■ -Tagl
the Cheraw
• ;;
10.00 A. M
10.20 “
10.50 “
PATENTS,
Caveats and Trade-Marks obtained,
and all Patent business condueted for
Moderate Fees.
Our Office is OpiKisite U. H. Patent
Office and w T e can secure patent in
less time and at less cost than those
remote from Washington.
Send model, drawing or photo., with
description. We advise, if patentable
or not, free of charge, Our fee not
due till patent Is secured.
A Little Book. “How to Obtain Pat
ents,’’with names of actual clients in
your State, County or town sent free.
Address,
C. A. SNOW <fe CO.
Opp. Patent Office, Washington, 1). C
FOR C. & D. AND C. & 2. RAILROADS
I’kKKinsxT’sOrricu ,
O. & D. ann C, & 8.
RAILROADS, t
Charleston, 8, C.,
May 1, 1610 )
Ou and after May 12,
the traiui on
these roads will run as fol 1
own (Sunda ex-
copied) every day:
DOWN TRAIN.
Leavo Wadesboro
5.25 A M
liennetts
Morven’s
McFarland
Leave Cheraw
Cash’s
Society Hill
Dove's
Floyd’s
Darlington
7 60
1‘almetlo
Arrive at Florence
8 16
VP TRAIN
e
ralmctio
8 26
Darlington
8 35
Floyd's
6.46
Dove’s
8.62
Society Hill
9.12
Cash's
« 17
LeavcChsraw
9.43 PM
McFarlan
10.08
Morven’s
10 20
Lake Wadesboro
11.00
Freight Train going up
Leave Florence
8 1 » n.
Arrive Darlington
9 06 a ni
Freight going
down
Arrive Darlington
2.00 p m
Leave Darlinzion
3 3» p m
Arrive Florence
4.10 pm
HENRY OLIVER
Jill Mi Smitei
OEO.E.TOALE, HENRY Ol
Geo. E. Toale & Co,
MANUFACTURERS
—AND—
WHOLESALE DEALERS IN
Doors, Sash, Blinds,
Builders Hardware,
AND
N
A F. RAVENEL, Pres.
0 II Matter Transportation.
0RTHEA8TERN RAILROAD.
1, 1800
llg M
OFFICE AND SALESROOMS
10 and 12 Huy tie Street,
CHARLESTON, - - 8. C
Write for Estimates.
May 31,1888.
On and after this date the fol’owinc
schedule will bo run :
GOING SOUTH.
No. 27, Daily.
| Leave 1' lorence^
•1 36 a ib
i Leave Kings!ree
2 29 a in
Arrive Lanes
2 60 a m
Leave Lanes
2 60 a m
Arrive Charleston
6 00 a m
No. 28, Daily.
, Leave Florenoe
*8 30 a m
I Leave Kings)ree
9 40 a u
| Arrive Lanes
10 07 a i
! Leave Lanes
10 07 a i.
| Arrive Charleston
11 59 a ib
No 63.
: Leave Lanes
*7 60 1*. M.
i Arrive Charleston
9 30 p. in.
Train on C & D R R couu
ots at Pier.
cnee with No 23 Train
GOING NORTH.
No, 78, Daily.
Leave Charleston
•1 20 a in
Arrive Lanes
3 00 a m
Leave Lanes
3 00 a m
Leave Kingstree
3 17 a m
Arrive Florence
4 20 a bi
No. 14.
FLORENCE
Loate Coarlealon
Arrive Lancs
Leave Lanes
Leave Kingatree
Arrive Florence
*4 80 p ai
ft 20 p m
li 29 p in
t! 46 p bi
7 55 p ni
Nothing Succeeds
w
Like Success!
sentence of this chapter; Mr. Perry had
distinctly avoided her ever since his re
turn.
One lovely evening late in May Mr.
Perry was taking bis first ride on the
new horse, a splendid bar and a perfect
match for Gliulys Maitland’s favorite
mount Already had this ofroumstance
excited smiling oommant in ths garrison;
but if the young man himself had noted
the cloee resemblance It conveyed no
blissful augury. Everybody remarked
that he had lost much of bis old buoy
ancy and life, and it must be confessed
he was not looking either blithe or well
Parke bed suggested riding with him—
an invitation which Perry treated so
coldly that the junior stopped to think a;
moment, and began tosetthrough the
situation; ud so Mr. Peny was suffered
to eet forth alone that evening, and no
one was surprised when, after going out
of the west gate as though bent on rid
ing up the Monee, he was presently seen
to have made the circuit of the poet and
was slowly cantering down towards the
lower valley Out on the eastern prairie
another horseman could be seen, and
itly the two came together. Col
took down his binocular and
gaaed out a.'ter them.
’ i declare," laid he, ’ those two fig
ures are eo much alike I cannot tell
which of them is Perry.”
“Then the other is Sergt Gwynne, col
onel,” said Stryker, quietly. “Put him
in oar uniform, and it would indeed be
hard to tell the two figures apart Mr.
Maitland told me last week that that was
what so stanimi and struck him th* first
ton* he saw Psny.”
“How is Mr. Maitland now, do you
know*"
“He gets no better. After the
wR*?r of joy and thanksgiving over las
bey’s restoration to him, the malady
sssmsd to rsassert itself, Dunraven w ul
have a new master by winter, I fancy.”
I was silent a moment Then
The reason RAD-
AM'S MICROBE
KILLER is the most
wonderful medicine,
is because it has nev
er failed in any in
stance, no matter
what the disease,
from LEPROSY to
the simplest disease
known tothe human
system.’ The scientific men of to-day
claim and prove that every disease is
CiUSED BY MICROBES,
-AND-
Radam’s Microbe Killer
Exterminates the Microbes and drives
them out of the system, and when that
is done you caniA|, have an ache or
pain. No matter what the disease,
whether a simple case of Malaria Fe
ver or a combination of diseases, we
cure them all at the same time, as we
treat all diseases constitutionally.
Asthma, Consumption, Catarrh, Brou
chitis, Rheumatism, Kidney and
Liver Disease, Chills and Fever, Fe
male Troubles, in all its forms, and,
in fact, every Disease known to the
Human System.
Beware of ~
See that our Trade-Mark (same as
above) appears on each jug.
Send for book, “History of the Mi
crobe Killer," given away at
GARNERS DRUG STORE,
Darlington, S. C.
Jan 33, 1890
E3. Jb.. smith:
PHOTOGRAPHER,
Darlington, • ' - S. C.
Parlors over Garner’s New Drug
Store where the citizens of Darlington
County are now respectfully invited
to call and examine my pictures. The
very best of work guaranteed.
Oct. 17, W-lyr.
!
To the Citizens of Darlington
and Vicinity'.
I take this method of thank
ing you for the very liberal pa
tronage heretofore extended to
me by you, and respectfully so
licit a continuance of the same.
I call your attention to my
large and well selected stock
of Ladies’, Gents’, Misses and
Children’s Boots and Shoes ; not
surpassed by any other dealer
in the State. I call special at
tention to my
Custom Made
BOOTS and SHOES,
which I warrant to fit and give
perfect satisfaction.
CHAS. BULTMAN.
Dec. 19, ’89—Cm
No. 62. Daily.
J
7 00 e m
8 27 a ai
Leave Charleston
Arrive Lanes
* Daily, f Daily except Suu
Nos 62 runs through to Coltmbis
via Central R R ofS C.
Nos. 78 and 14 run solid to Wilmiogtss,
N. C., oiaking close counection witb IV. A
W R R for all points north.
J. R. KENLY, J. F. Divizs,
Supt. Trans. Gcn’l Sup’t.
T. M. Emeksox, Qen’l Pass. Agt.
VILI1MT0* COLUMBIA AND AUGUSTA RAILEIi
May 1, 1890.
GOING SOUTH
No. 23.
C MOONEY,
Dealer in
Leave Wilmington
«6 16 p a
Leave Marion
9 38 p a
Arrive Florence
10 20 a m
No. 60.
Leave Florence
3.20 a w
Arrive Sumter
4. 6 a a
Leave Sumier
4 36 n a
Arrive Columbia
6. 16 n ui
No. 27
Leave Wilmington
*10,10 a a
Leave Marion
I2.40p a
Arrive Florence
1 20 a m
No 62
Leave Sumter
t ^ 45 a n.
Arrive Columbia
10 65 p n>
No 68
Leave Florence
f8 25 n n
Arrive Sumter
9 85 a m
No 52 run* through from
Charleaten via
ALL
STYLES
©F
I Central R It.
Leaving Lanes 8 80 A M., Manning 9 10
A M.
Train on C A D R R connects at Floranc*
with No 68.
GOING NORTH.
No 61
AHI)
' .A. la A.HGKE
A SJSORTMENT
— of tuv —
FURNITURE
NOW ON THE
American Market.
Aug. 22, ’89 ly
19" If you don’t like the
WATCH
You have, trade it off for anoth
er at
Mason’s Jewelry Store.
Key and Stem Winding Railroad
Watches of All Kinds on hand.
Feb. 30,1890.
t>eave Columbia.
Arri-e Sum.o.
Leave Sumter
Arrive Florence
No. 78.
Leave Florenoe,
Leave Marion
Arrive at Wilmington,
No. 69
Leave Sumter
Arrive Florence
No. 63,
•10 86 p s
M 68 p a
1168 pm
116 am
4 86 am
6 20am
8 86am
f0 87 p a
7 60 p m
*6 20 p »
6 12 p m
•8 li p a
8 66 p a
11 46 p a
fDaily except Sunday.
ariettas, via
Central R R, arriving Maanlag? 04 P k
Leave Columbia
Arrive Sumter
No 14
Leave Florence
Leave Marion
Arriv> at Wilmington
•Dntly.
No 63 runt through te Cb
sntral R R, arriving Manning!
Lanes 7 42 P M. Cbarleaton 9 80 P M.
No 69 oonuoote nt Florenoe witb C ft D
train for Cberaw and Wndoeboro’.
Noe 78 aad 14 make clone eonaeotioa at
Wilmington witb W ft W R & for all pelnti
North.
Train on Florence 1. R. leave Pee Dee
daily, except Sunday 4.40 P. M., arrive
Rowland 7.00 P. iL Returning leave
Rowland fl.80 A. M., arrive Pee Dee 8.60
A.M.
Train on Manchester ft Angnsta R. R.
leaves Sumter daily exsept Sunday, IftW
A M., arrive Rimini fioipTii. Re.
tnrnlsg Here Rimini 18.lt P. M t , ar
rive Sumter 1.60 P, M. /
JOHN P. DIYHtl €
J. R. ONLY.
T M. EMMU809, Goal Pftffi,
i. ">■ cT;
! i 2..
>
v v: **
j&foi'&ja