Part 23 (1/2)

Not until the speaker had coolly stepped past them both and out of the room had Sanders recovered sufficient presence of mind to sing out, ”All right, old man; I'll come.” Then, as the outer door closed after the retiring officer, he whirled on Willett.

”You inveterate a.s.s! How dare you haul me into this?”

CHAPTER XXIII.

Among the gentlemen from Braska visiting the post that afternoon was Mr.

Langston, who drove thither full of eager antic.i.p.ation, and hailed the first glimpse of the bright hues of the flag with a thrill of hope and joy. No spot in all G.o.d's green earth at that moment held in his eyes such vivid charm and interest. Ten minutes later no spot in all the world seemed so barren and desolate. The suns.h.i.+ne, the sailing clouds in the vault of blue, the chasing shadows along the slopes, the streaming colors of blue and white and scarlet at the tip of the swaying staff, the glint and sparkle of the accoutrements of the guard, the gaudy lining of the troopers' capes, were absolutely unaltered, yet the light had gone from his eyes--following the trail to the far Ogallalla. To him who loves a woman with all his heart there is more beauty in a mud-c.h.i.n.ked hovel in a frontier fort where she may dwell than in all ”the castled crags” of storied Rhineland or the cloud-capped towers and gorgeous palaces among the mirror lakes of Alpine Italy.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ”FOR A MOMENT NOT A WORD WAS SPOKEN.”

Page 324.]

Langston learned of the departure five minutes after he reached the post, and lost all further interest in the day. He said he would ”loaf”

at the club room until Burtis and Willett got through their calls, which, said they, would occupy some hours,--two or three at least.

Indeed, Willett ”didn't know but what he might stay out with Sanders overnight” and let Burtis ”tool the trap” back to Braska when he got ready. When, therefore, in less than forty minutes Willett's team was reported being hurriedly harnessed in the post trader's corral and that gentleman himself came bustling in with a pale, scared face that intensified the blue blotch under his eye, Langston was astonished. He was listlessly turning over the leaves of a magazine at the moment and seeking solace in a cigar. Willett looked nervously about him, bade the attendant bring him some brandy and soda, and threw himself into a chair in front of the stove.

”You look used up, Willett,” said the elder. ”What's the matter? Seen anything more of your midnight antagonist?”

”No, by heaven! I wish I had. I believe the devil himself has gone in league with the gang at this garrison. I never knew such a string of mishaps in all my life. Say, are you ready to go back?”

”Any time; but I thought you wanted to stay.”

”Oh, so did you when you came out, Langston, and now you don't, and I'm simply in the same boat.”

The attendant brought him a tall gla.s.s and poured the soda hissing into the brandy. Willett drank eagerly, then started for the door. ”Come, then,” he called; ”the trap's ready--or ought to be.” Langston knew it was not, so temporized.

”How about Burtis?” he asked.

”Burtis? Oh, I don't know or care. He can get back just the best way he knows how. There's an ambulance coming over to town to-night.”

”Well, I think you ought to let him know, Willett.”

”I have. I sent him word by Sanders, whom I just left.”

”Very well, then I'll go with you now. Only stop one minute at Sanders's so that I can say good-by to him. He goes back to the agency to-morrow, I believe.”

”Well, he isn't there. He's gone out to pay a call. Jump in.”

But as they drove around the level road towards the northwest gate, and the long line of officers' quarters lay to their right front, two officers could be seen in earnest conversation at the front gate of No.

12, the farthest away.

”There's Sanders now,” said Langston. ”It won't take you five minutes out of your own way. Turn over there, won't you?”

”I can't. I--I've got to hurry, Langston. If you want to see him you can jump out, and I'll wait for you outside the gate.”

”Well, if you're in a hurry that'll take much more time than if you drove. I'd have to walk both ways, don't you see?” was the cool answer.

”Never mind, though; go ahead. Who's that with Sanders?”

Willett, who had turned red with confusion at his own blunder, turned redder at the question, then went gray again. ”That's Lieutenant Davies,” said he, briefly.