Part 15 (1/2)
and captured by them a mile away to the west; and Hatton had promptly availed himself of the episode to make a rush with his entire party for a little hillock three hundred yards east of the road He had marked the spot before and knew its possibilities for defence, and there in less than fivethe crest and yet co the approaches in every direction From here they not only successfully ”stood off” every attack until dark, but prevented the Indians reaching the bodies of the slain and securing the coveted trophy of their scalps, and covered the teamsters ere sent down to unhitch and secure the ht came a half-breed scout slipped aith news of the ”corral,” and Hatton found that two of his men were severely wounded and that few of them had any water in their canteens The river was full sixwas close at hand, and with characteristic improvidence the teamsters had failed to fill their water-barrels at the stockade before starting ”What was the use, with the Niobrara only a few hours' lect in having left so important a matter to theover the past So had to be done at once to provide water for the es, who, under cover of the darkness, had crept out and succeeded in scalping the two dead soldiers They knew that very soon the Indians would be crawling out to the wagons in an attempt to run them away or fire them Hatton himself ventured down to examine the water-barrels, and found not more than half a barrel of dirty, brackish, ill-flavored fluid in all The darkness grew black and impenetrable Heavy clouds overspread the heavens, and aHorn range and ca down across the treeless prairie Every now and then they could hear the galloping beat of pony-hoofs, and knew that they were closely invested in their hillock citadel, and at last, about ten o'clock, a sergeant who had been sent with a couple ofback breathless The wagons were gone! Every one of them had been run off by the Indians under cover of the wind and darkness; and presently, half a lare of flame arose, and the white tops beca naked forer, fiery tongues, and in another h in the air, but the perforinal ballet scurried for shelter The soldiers sighted their rifles for nine hundred yards, and the little hill blazed and sputtered half a ers whistling through the burning wagon-covers and hu about the ears of the revellers
Fifteenhis woundedhis little party, soldiers, teamsters, and quadrupeds, he slipped away froroped through the darkness back to the high range overlooking the valleys of ”Old Woman's Fork” of the South Cheyenne and Hat Creek to the eastward; andnot ten miles from the stockade Thither, of course, the Indians trailed and followed at daybreak There again they attacked and besieged and were repulsed, again and again; and there at dawn on the second day, after an all-night nal of rescue, and the charging troopers sent the Sioux whirling in scattered bands over the bold and beautiful upland The little detachment was safe, but its brave coh and another in the shoulder Dr Weeks declared it impossible to attempt to move him back to Laramie; and in a litter made with lariats and saddle-blankets the men carried their wounded leader back to the stockade at the head of Sage Creek, and there, wrote Weeks, he ht have to remain a month, and there, unless otherwise ordered, the other woundedthem in his improvised field-hospital
Major Miller and Dr Bayard, after brief consultation, had decided that the young surgeon's ideas were sound The stockade ell guarded and provisioned Medical and surgical supplies were pro cavalry escort, and that same day the entire cavalry battalion struck its tents and moved away northward over the route Hatton had taken Once more was Laramie left with only a handful of men and hardly a company officer for duty
Old Bruce turned out, despite his rheuarrison service under the circumstances Roswell Holars in the supply-wagons, with his compliments to Dr Weeks and his patients, and who had re to the front solely because of an odd turn in local events, now declared that he ht Dr Bayard's permission to visit his patient, Mr McLean, to solicit the loan of his uniforleefully at the idea, and all the garrison was beginning to pluck up heart again, for Hatton's wounds were pronounced not dangerous, though painful, and all the infantry people were proud of the way he and McLean had upheld the honor of their corps Jeannie Bruce and Elinor had had long hours of who knohat delicious confidence and tearful exchange of sy very well; Blunt was iallery Everybody seemed in better spirits, despite a certain constraint and arrison,--everybody, with one exception--Dr Bayard
”Mr McLean is i so rapidly that he is able to sit up already and will need his uniforestion, but both Major Miller and the gentleht have hazarded the assertion that it was a eon that his patient was on the e conversation held with the doctor, the post commander had become almost distrustful of histhat McLean was the guilty party in these recent mysterious larcenies? What could have put such ideas into his head? For the first time in several days the major was tempted to reopen the subject which he had practically forbidden his wife to ed to knohat she would say or think if she knew that the surgeon was trying to divert suspicion fro officer Now that the cavalry had gone out to the front andup fros was dispelled, and the e complications in which two of the prominent people of histo Mr Holentleman in case he had the faintest inclination to speak of his losses; but, though the civilian instantly sahat the sied the subject, and it presently became plain to the commander that he would not speak about the matter at all Miller could not well seek his advice without telling of the other thefts of which he believed Mr Hol officer it was his duty to say to the visitor how retted the occurrence and how earnestly he was striving to discover the offender But Hol a little ferreting on his own account
As for the doctor, two things had conspired to make hiallery, as has been said, but was never in her sister's room when the doctor called; declined his professional services with courteous thanks and the assurance that no physician was necessary, yet begged to be excused when he sent aif she would not see hi her antipathy to thehi-room, but to deliver it in person and wait for an answer
Robert found her proallery, and people who had been saying that Mrs Post had nothing to do with her at Robinson were surprised at the growing intimacy between therave and courtly Virginia bow, then withdrew to a little distance and respectfully awaited her answer Over at the Gordons' a group of ladies, old and young, watched the scene with curious and speculative eyes Everybody knew that Miss Forrest had declined to see Dr Bayard during her illness Everybody had noted that, while the entire fearrison flocked to inquire for Nellie in her invalid state, nobody went to see fanny Forrest Nohat could this strange girl be doing with letters from ”Dr Chesterfield”? Even Mrs Post watched her narrowly as she hurriedly read the lines of the doctor's elegant htened and a little frown set itself darkly on her brow; but she looked up brightly after a ht, and spoke kindly and pleasantly to the waiting er,--
”There is no answer, at least not now, Robert Thank the doctor and tell him I am very much better”
And so, empty-handed, he returned to his e was almost an affront,--such was his pride and self-estee over the strange characteristics of the girl who, despite the story of her poverty and dependence, had so fascinated him It cut him to the quick that she should so avoid him, when he kneell that between her and Mr Hole of notes Mr Holmes had seen fit to preserve a nificant circumstance, and finally, apparently by appoint after his arrival, and had enjoyed a long and uninterrupted conversation with Miss Forrest out on the upper gallery Nohat did this portend? It was Celestine who gave hi information as he entered the lower hall, and, despite his repellant e of character to venture on a low and confidential tone of voice in addressing hinantly at her and had bidden her hold her peace as he passed her by, but Celestine was in no wise dismayed She knew her man It was on his return froloom and silence of his library, pondered over the palpable rebuff Over across the hall he could hear the soft voices of his daughter and her now intiether in soirlish confidences which he was in no mood to appreciate, and hich he could feel no sympathy whatever Then in came Holmes from the sunshi+ne of the parade; and he heard him cheerily enter the parlor, and in hearty, cordial tones announce that he had just co finely, and would be able to sit out on the piazza in a day or two, and that Mrs Miller was nursing him like a mother For a ti the principals, and then ca lassie ho deeper and softer The words were indistinguishable, but there was nothe tone, such was the tremor of tenderness of every syllable Faint, far between, and monosyllabic were Nellie's replies, but soon the father knew she was answering through her tears It did not last long Holmes came to the hall, turned and spoke once , but with a ring ofcare in every word; Bayard could not but hear one sentence: ”It irl,--and his, too”
And then he strode forth into the breeze and sunshi+ne again, and no man whohad told him, days before, that Miss Forrest's words were prophetic,--Nellie Bayard would prefer one nearer her own years
It was to satisfy himself that Randall McLean was that enviable soh she had ad and he had not questioned, he had read in her tears and blushes a truth that only recently had she trely admitted to herself Now he saw his way clearly to the end
But to Bayard the abrupt close of the murmured interview meant a possibility that filled him with double dis was an evil sufficient unto the day That it should be followed by the conviction that his daughter had utterly declined to consider this wealthy and entleman as a suitor for her hand was a bitter, bitter disappointment; but that she should have refused Roswell Holes, because of Randall McLean--hat?--wasto her roo, he interposed
”My little Nell!--my precious!” he cried, in tenderest tones, as he folded her in his arms ”Is it so hopeless as this? Is it possible that ht under my eyes--and I never saw it?”
For an answer she only clung to hi the more violently Speak she could not
”Nell! Nellie!” he pleaded, ”try and tell me, dear You don't knohat it means to me! You don't knohat fears your silence causes me! My child--tell me--that it isn't Mr McLean”
No answer--only closer nestling; only added tears
”Nell, my own little one! If you knehat awful dread I waited!
If you knehat this hter Tellman”
And now, startled, shocked, she lifts her bri at hiasps ”Why--why not Mr McLean, papa?”
For a h stunned Then slowly relaxes the clasp of his ar his face with his hands
”My God!” he moans ”This is retribution, this is punishh it all Nellie!” he cries, turning suddenly toward her again as she stands there tree said, has there? Tell me!”
”Not a word,--from me,” she whispers low ”He sent h Jeannie Indeed, you can see it, papa; but I have not answered It doesn't ask anything”
”Then proo, my child! Promise me! I cannot tell you why just yet, but he is not the ive you My child! my child! his name is clouded; his honor is tarnished; he stands accused of crime Nellie--my God! you must hear it sooner or later”