"Three mortal hours," said Miss Folsom to her fond little school friend
and chum that afternoon, "have I had to sit or stroll with or listen to
Major Burleigh. I never once was able to enjoy the view. What made him
hurry us away from the northeast point, do you suppose?"
"Did you notice that, Nell? I did, too, and I was so interested in the
view. Away up toward Laramie Peak I could see something through the
glasses that looked like a lot of little ants crawling along together.
It was just after that--just after we looked through the glass, that he
marched us round to the other side. The view toward Green River isn't
half as pretty."
"And now he's telling some interminable story to father over their
cigars. What shall we do if he hangs on? Father will have to ask him to
drive with us to the fort, and there won't be room."
"Unless Mrs. Fletcher gives up her seat," said Jessie demurely.
"Mrs. Fletcher isn't going. A very different person takes her seat
to-day, Jess. Father left a note for Mr. Loomis at the hotel and he
accepted. Now you see why I don't want Major Burleigh."
It was then long after three o'clock. At five they were to start and
Jessie could hardly curb her impatience. The mail from Frayne, so said
Folsom, would arrive that evening, and then surely there would be news
of Marshall. They had slipped away to their rooms after the bountiful
luncheon served on their return, in order, as "Pappoose" expressed it,
that the gentlemen might have t-heir cigars in peace. Mrs. Fletcher,
after seeing that everything was prepared, had directed the servant to
say to Mr. Folsom, on the return of the party, that she would prefer not
to appear, and would be glad to keep her room, as she did not feel it at
all necessary for the housekeeper to meet strangers, and Folsom felt a
sense of relief. It was so much sweeter not to have any presiding genius
other than Pappoose, not that he was forgetful of Mrs. Fletcher's merits
and services--which were great--but it was plain to see that his
daughter would have been happier had no such office existed as that
created for this deserving and destitute widow. At three Miss Folsom had
gone and tapped at the lady's door--her room was in the third story
overlooking the street--and was very civilly assured that Mrs. Fletcher
stood in need of nothing, but, being wearied, she would like a little
sleep. No, she did not even care for a cup of tea. Yet Elinor felt
confident that the voice that replied to her inquiries came neither from
the bed nor the lounge, but from the direction of the front window.
At three the cigars were smoked out and the host and his guest were in
the library. It was Folsom's custom, when a possible thing, to take a
brief nap after the midday meal, and Elinor felt sure he would be glad
of the opportunity now, if Burleigh would only go, but Burleigh
wouldn't. In monotonous monologue his voice came floating up to the
second floor, drowsy, unbroken in its soporific flow, and the girls
themselves, after the morning's drive in the clear, bracing air, felt as
though forty winks would be a blessing. Could it be that Burleigh
lingered on in hopes of their reappearance below? Might it not be that
if relief came not speedily Papa Folsom would yield to the spell and
fall asleep in his easy-chair? Was it not Miss Folsom's duty to descend
and take the burden of entertainment off those elder shoulders? These
thoughts oppressed the girl, and starting up, she cried:
"It's simply wicked of me staying here and letting poor papa be bored to
death. Do come down, Jess, dear, unless you're dreadfully sleepy. He
acts just as though he intended never to go."
And Jess promised reluctantly to come down in ten minutes, if he didn't
leave; but she hated him, and had hated him ever since he spoke so of
Marshall in the car three days before.
The upper hall had been quite dark when Miss Folsom went up to inquire
how Mrs. Fletcher was just after luncheon. The door to her little room
was tightly closed. The blinds in all the other rooms aloft were drawn
against the glare of the sunshine in the cloudless atmosphere; yet now,
as Pappoose stepped suddenly out upon the landing, she was surprised to
see that the upper floor was much lighter than when she went up half an
hour earlier. The maid had not gone thither from the kitchen, and Mrs.
Fletcher wished to doze. Who, then, could have opened both blind and
door and let in that flood of light? Impulsively the active girl flew up
the winding stairs to the third story, and some one suddenly withdrew
from the balcony rail, and an instant later, as Miss Folsom reached the
top, all became dark again. Mrs. Fletcher's door had unquestionably been
open, and was now shut to. She must have been out there listening, and
gravely the young girl asked herself what it meant--Mrs. Fletcher's
agitation in the library that morning as she peered out at the major's
wagon; her absence from luncheon on account, as she pleaded, of not
desiring to appear when company was present; and now, despite her desire
to sleep, her vigil at the third-floor landing, where she was surely
listening to the sounds from below.
Pondering over the facts, Elinor Folsom slowly retraced her steps and
went downstairs. She reached the library none too soon. Old John's eyes
were closed, and he was slowly toppling, over come with sleep. The sound
of her cheery voice aroused him, and he started, guilty and crestfallen.
Burleigh's heavy face brightened visibly at her coming. He cared no more
for music than does a cat, but eagerly followed her across the broad
hall into the parlor when she suggested showing him the beautiful piano
papa had given her; and old John, blessing her, lurched for the sofa,
buried his hot head in a pillow, and was asleep in ten seconds. Major
Burleigh was alone with the lovely daughter of the veteran trader. He
was a man of the world; she an unsophisticated girl just out of
school--so said Burleigh, albeit a most charming one; and he, who had
monopolized her time the entire morning, bore down once more upon his
prize.
She had seated herself at the piano, and her long, taper fingers were
rippling over the keys. She knew full well he did not care what she
played, and as for herself she did not care just then to play at all.
She was thinking of his insinuation at Marshall Dean's expense. She was
still pondering over Mrs. Fletcher's stealthy scrutiny of the
quartermaster's team. On these two accounts, and no other, he was
possessed of certain interest in Elinor's dark-brown eyes, and they were
studying him coolly, searchingly, as he drew a chair near the piano
stool, and seated himself and met her look with a broad, encouraging
smile.
Trill and ripple, ripple and trill her white fingers raced over the
keyboard.
"I'm sure you know this waltz, major," she was saying. "They played it
beautifully at the Point two summers ago."
"I--ah, yes, it's a charming composition--charming, though I don't
recall it's name just now."
"This? why it's one of Godfrey's--'The Hilda,' don't you know? I'm sure
you waltz, major."
"I--ah, used to, yes. I was very fond of a waltz," answered Burleigh,
whose best efforts in that line could result in nothing better than a
waddle. "But of late years I--I--since my bereavement--have practically
withdrawn from society." Then, with a languishing smile, he added, "I
shall be tempted to re-enter the list now," and the major drew his chair
nearer by full an inch, and prepared to be further "killing."
"Jessie dances divinely," said Miss Folsom. "She simply floats round a
room. You should see her waltz with her brother, Major Burleigh. They
might be waltzing here this very minute if he were only home. What can
have detained him, do you think?"
"I wish I knew," said the quartermaster slowly. "It makes those who
are--ah--his friends, you know, anxious in more ways than one, because
there is--er--nothing to warrant delay--nothing to--excuse it. He
should, in fact, have been at his post, where his troop is sorely
needed, full four days ago," and Burleigh looked heavy with portent.
"Is it not possible that he has found something along the lower
Laramie--something where his troop is needed much more than here doing
stable guard?"
"How can it be possible?" said Burleigh. "The only thing to warrant his
delay would be Indians, and there are none south of the Platte; or horse
thieves, and they hung the last of the gang three months ago. Mr. Dean,
I--ah--regret to say, is fonder of fishing and hunting than of his
legitimate duties, and this, I fear, is why he is not here to welcome
his sister."
The piano went rippling on, but the brown eyes kept up their steady
gaze. In the deep bass chords now her slender fingers were entangled.
Slowly and thoughtfully the rich melody swung in the proud waltz rhythm
through the airy room and floated out upon the summer breeze. A little
line was setting deep between the dark, arching eyebrows, a symptom
Pappoose's schoolmates had learned to note as a signal for danger, but
Burleigh knew her not, as yet.
"It is odd," said she dreamily, "that at the Point the officers spoke so
highly of Mr. Dean, and here you seem to think so differently of him. It
is a deep disappointment to his sister that he is not here; but, do you
know, major, we were saying only this morning before you came that there
was some excellent reason for his delay, and we'd know it within another
day."
"Oh, ah--er--of course I hope so. I think, pardon me, that that must be
a messenger from my office now," for spurred boot-heels were coming
briskly up the wooden walk. There was a bounding step on the piazza, a
ring at the bell. The servant bustled through the hall and threw open
the door. It was not a messenger from the depot, but a stalwart,
sunburnt man in rough ranch garb, who whipped off his broad-brimmed hat
and stood abashed within the hall as he asked for Mr. Folsom.
And all of a sudden over went the piano-stool with a crash, and out into
the hall, joyous, bounding, light as a fairy, a vision of dark, girlish
beauty, went Pappoose.
"Why, Ned Lannion!" she cried, as she seized the swarthy young fellow's
hands and shook them up and down "Don't you know me--Winona that used to
be? Why, how well you look! When did you leave the ranch? How did you
leave them? Is Hal here--or coming?"
And at sound of her voice old Folsom had started up from his sofa and
came trotting out into the hall, just roused from his sleep, and
blinking a bit as he, too, held forth cordial, welcoming hands. It was a
moment before they could let Ned tell his story, and then it came by
jerks.
"We left there early yesterday morning, mum. They're all well now, 'cept
Jake, and he'll come out all right, but we had a close call. A war party
of Sioux jumped as Wednesday afternoon, and they'd a got away with us
but for Lieutenant Dean and his troop. They come along just in time----"
"Ned!" gasped Elinor, "you don't mean they attacked the ranch?"
"No'me. We was down the Lar'mie--rounding up horses. There was a dozen
bucks in the party. It's the first time they've come across in a year
that I know of, and they won't be apt to try it again. We shot two of
'em and the cavalry drove 'em a running fight, so hard that they had to
leave one of their wounded behind them. He died in a minute. It
was--" and then Ned Lannion gulped and stumbled and choked in
embarrassment.
"Who was it?" demanded Mr. Folsom, his rugged face pale and twitching,
his eyes full of anxiety.
"Chaska, sir. _You_ know."
Folsom gripped him by the shoulder. "And Burning Star--did you see him?
Was he there?"
"Yes, sir; but those boys of Lieutenant Dean's gave them a lickin'
they'll never forget. The ranch is safe as if it was here in Gate City,
only Hal he couldn't come himself, and he knowed you'd be anxious for
full particulars, so he sent me in with the cavalry. They're out at the
fort now."
"Jessie!" cried Elinor, in delight that overmastered the emotion with
which she had listened to the tale of her brother's recent peril.
Marshall's here--almost home. It's just as we said, Jess. Do come down.
He was there just in time to save my brother's life--to drive the
Indians back to the river. Come quick--I want to hug you!" And her dark
eyes, flashing with joy and excitement, danced full upon the bulky form
of the major, slowly issuing from the parlor door, then beyond as she
went bounding by him, all eagerness to clasp her bonny friend in her
arms, and shower her with congratulations. And so it happened that both
the girls were at the rear of the hall entwined in each other's arms at
the foot of the stairs when the ranchman answered Folsom's next
question, and then broke out with the abrupt announcement, "I never see
a young officer handle his men better. We'd all been in hell by this
time if it wasn't for him, yet, by God, sir, the moment he got into the
post they clapped him in arrest."