ower no alien eye had peered into the
mysterious pages. (It might have resulted in marvellous developments if
Miss Flower thought they had.) Note and enclosure were sent first thing
next morning by the trusty hand of Master Sanford Ray, himself, and by
him delivered in person to Miss Flower, who met him at the trader's
gate. She took it, he said; and smiled, and thanked him charmingly
before she opened it. She was coming out for her customary walk at the
hour of guard mounting, but the next thing he knew she had "scooted"
indoors again.

And from that moment Miss Flower had not been seen.

All this was Mrs. Dade revolving in mind as she walked pityingly by the
side of the troubled woman, only vaguely listening to her flow of words.
They had thought to be admitted to the little room in which the wounded
officer lay, but as they tiptoed into the wide, airy hall and looked
over the long vista of pink-striped coverlets in the big ward beyond,
the doctor himself appeared at the entrance and barred the way.

"Is there nothing we can do?" asked Mrs. Dade, with tears in her voice.
"Is he--so much worse?"

"Nothing can be done just now," answered Waller, gravely. "He has had
high fever during the night--has been wakeful and flighty again.
I--should rather no one entered just now."

And then they noted that even the steward who had been with poor Field
was now hovering about the door of the dispensary and that only Dr.
Waller remained within the room. "I am hoping to get him to sleep again
presently," said he. "And when he is mending there will be a host of
things for you both to do."

But that mending seemed many a day off, and Mrs. Hay, poor woman, had
graver cares of her own before the setting sun. Avoiding the possibility
of meeting the general just now, and finding Mrs. Dade both silent and
constrained at mention of her niece's name, the trader's wife went
straightway homeward from the hospital, and did not even see the post
commander hurrying from his office, with an open despatch in his hand.
But by this time the chief and his faithful aide were out on the
veranda, surrounded by anxious wives and daughters, many of whom had
been earnestly bothering the doctor at the hospital before going to
breakfast. Dade much wished them away, though the news brought in by
night riders was both stirring and cheery. The Indians had flitted away
from Webb's front, and he counted on reaching and rescuing the Dry Fork
party within six