Part 14 (1/2)

”I--Mrs Miller, forgive me, but it is a matter I cannot speak of

Hatton and I 'shook hands' on it ould say nothing to any one of our knowledge, and I cannot speak of it Wait until he returns He ought to be back to-uard to the stockade up on Sage Creek It's only three days' ood; but I will not say anything more,--just now, at any rate”

There ca the wooden piazza without, a tap at the door, and Dr Weeks peered in Glancing over her shoulder, Mrs Miller saw that his face hite,--that he was beckoning to her; and she presently arose and went into the front roo the house at a rapid trot She heard hurrying feet and excited voices, and then the young doctor stretched forth his hand at the door-way and led her into the hall

”Stay with McLean as much as you can, and keep this froh, God kno, during the night Hatton and his party were corralled yesterday beyond Rawhide butte Several of theo with them”

XV

For a man who prided himself on the ease and self-possession which uished a feature in society, Dr Bayard could not but confess to himself that the sudden orders which sent his assistant away left hi position The care of Weeks's patients now devolved upon the senior, and a these patients was one who ,--Randall McLean,--and another who him,--Miss Forrest

Mrs Miller was still at the bedside of the former when Dr Bayard nerved hireat relief, the young soldier had fallen into a fitful doze and was unconscious of his presence Mrs Miller, in low tones, described his condition; and the doctor was content to go without other exah he left directions with the attendant as to as to be done when the patient awaked Next he repaired to Mrs Forrest's rooms, and was measurably soothed and flattered by her appreciative reception He bade her pay no attention to the ruhted ears by Celestine, as to the probable fate of Hatton and his little command He pointed out to her, as he had to other ladies whoruesome afternoon, that it was not the first time Mr Hatton had been ”corralled” by the Sioux, and that he had always successfully kept them at respectful distance, and his own command under cover, until the rescuers in shape of cavalry could reach the scene It is true that in this instance the attack seeave the names of two men ere killed instantly; but, said he, as that attack was repelled, and Hatton lost no ti his men into a little hollow, he believed and Major Miller believed that they could ”stand off” the Indians indefinitely The cavalry would certainly reach the, and that would be the end of it Forty-two hours wasn't very long coes those infantryh the Indian country, if they only had water for their wounded, all would go well

There was the main trouble, said the doctor What with the Niobrara and the Rawhide and the little strea at Box Elder, close to the road, there was so lected to fill the barrel on their wagon and the canteen carried by each man If that were the case, and the Indians had surrounded the or streaht, indeed, have to suffer a day or so, but he anticipated nothing worse He had talked it all over with Miller before setting forth on his rounds, and knew just what to say Most women were reassured and rendered hopeful, but Mrs Forrest's spirits were at low ebb and she required consolation in double allowance Bayard lingered with her, nothing loath, hoping that Miss Forrest -room to hear his version of affairs at the front Even after Mrs Forrest was talked out, and the font of her ready tears was nearly pu Maud's and Vickie's juvenile tongues and dandling baby Hal to that youngster's keen delight But no one ca the hall whose step sounded like hers, and at last his patience gave out

”And how is Miss Forrest this afternoon?” he asked

”Still confined to her rooet up and dress this evening Now, do you think it prudent for her to go out in the night air?”

”On general principles, Mrs Forrest,” answered the doctor, slowly and ie of the merits of this case You will re lady in favor of those of the assistant”

”I know, doctor, I know fanny is simply the most incomprehensible creature I ever met I cannot understand her at all, and it's useless for me to talk to her I told her that you were the faard for the proprieties ought to show her how entle I say

She never has”

Bayard winced not a little at the invidious coe, but, now that the subject was opened, he desired to ”prospect” a little There was another view to be taken, and one farto his _amour propre_ Probably, in the coyness of a woe, Miss Forrest had tacitly ad another, not a lover, to attend her professionally If this hypothesis proved correct he would have soreatly desired to know before taking the plunge First, was it possible that Mr Courtlandt proposed leaving her a lue fortune? Second, was it possible that she had already given her heart to another? He well knew that on neither point would Miss Forrest be confidential with so weak a vessel as her sister-in-law; but, on the other hand,--and the doctor reasoned well,--he felt sure that, in order to reconcile her to having fanny as an inmate of their household, Captain Forrest had been compelled to tell her why he had withdrawn his sister froht her to share his humble fare as a soldier on the far frontier He had heard from a dozen sources how Forrest had al, explaining, conciliating; always fearful of saying or doing, or leaving unsaid or undone, so of which was sure to wound her sensitive soul and bring on a flood of tears and reproaches ”If she were my wife,” said blunt old Bruce, ”I'd pack her off ho about, and I'd keep her there until she arrived at years of discretion It is si, stalwart, soldierly fellow like Forrest led around by the nose like a ringed bull by that ridiculous and lackadaisical creature” Beyond doubt there would have been far more happiness all around if Forrest had firer the victim of her whims and caprices

There would doubtless have been a few days of sore la appeals to be restored to her father's arms (where she was not at all wanted, that esti only recently taken thereto a successor to her sainted mother); but in the end she would have respected hi him Like many another husband, poor Forrest was at times conscious of his duty in the case; but, like ely critical of the weakness of other spouses, was notoriously subservient to the wishes of Mrs Bruce; but she never had to resort to tears to accohly in unison with her husband in his condemnation of Forrest's weakness

”Poor, poor fellow!” she was saying to herself this very day ”With such a fool for a wife and such a--such a sharper for a sister!”

So confident was Bayard of his ground that he had decided, days since, on his plan of attack He would not ask direct questions, for her husband had doubtless pledged her to secrecy He would delicately but unhesitatingly speak of Miss Forrest as though he had full knowledge of her past, and he felt assured that he could read in the patient's face, even in the unlikely event of her silence, whether or no his theories were correct Besides, he had ventured an inquiry or two of an old New York associate and club-fellow, a man who had known the Courtlandts well

”We ly reht and apparent hesitation ”I confess that I felt a little aggrieved at first when she saw fit to summon Dr Weeks despite the fact that I was in the house as your physician two or three ti it all over, her motives were apparent and--quite natural You probably did not know that I ell acquainted with Mr Courtlandt, did you?”

”No! were you?” asked Mrs Forrest, with dilating eyes ”And fanny knew,--and did not tell me----”

”Yes We were reat deal of hi before, and it was only seeing, but Bayard did not care to explain this He wished to convey the idea that his acquaintance with the old gentleman had been recent and confidential, and he succeeded

”How strange that you should be here--where she is I'm sure Captain Forrest has no idea of it, doctor Did--did you ever speak with her about--the Courtlandts?”

”Yes, once Of course she did not care to talk of the matter at first

It was only when she found that I knew Mr Courtlandt so well, that she became at all communicative”

”And did she talk of her affair--of Mr Courtlandt--the younger one I mean?”

”My dear Mrs Forrest! We could hardly expect a young lady to be communicative on such a topic as that Of course there were so, and that is why I say we ought not to judge her harshly now Her experience of last year was not calculated to irl look upon the world with kindlier eyes, and the contrast between the life she leads now and that she led under her kinsh to dishearten any wo I possibly can to make her content and happy,” impetuously exclaimed Mrs Forrest ”And it's all her own fault if she isn't She--she needn't have come at all Mr Courtlandt told her and told Captain Forrest that it should make no difference; but she is self-willed and obstinate, and nothing would do but she must quit his roof forever and coger under already” (”Huht Bayard at this juncture, ”how little she realizes the truth of that assertion!”) ”Mr