yond doubt. Who, then, were these others who had now totally
disappeared? She thought to speak of it to Nannie in the morning, and
then thought not. There were reasons why nervous alarm of any kind were
best averted then from Mrs. Blake. But there came reason speedily why
Mrs. Ray could not forget it.

And that night, later still, along toward four o'clock, the persistent
clicking of the telegraph instrument at the adjutant's office caught the
ear of the sentry, who in time stirred up the operator, and a "rush"
message was later thrust into the hand of Major Flint, demolishing a
day-old castle in the air.

FROM ROCK CREEK, WYOMING,
_October 23, 188--._ 9:15 P. M.

COMMANDING OFFICER, FORT FRAYNE,
_via Fort Laramie_.

Stage capsized Crook Canon. General Field seriously injured. Have wired
Omaha.

(Signed) Warner,
_Commanding Camp._

CHAPTER XVII

A RIFLED DESK

Events moved swiftly in the week that followed. Particulars of the
accident to General Field, however, were slow in reaching Fort Frayne;
and, to the feverish unrest and mental trouble of the son, was now added
a feverish anxiety on the father's account that so complicated the
situation as to give Dr. Waller grave cause for alarm. Then it was that,
ignoring every possible thought of misbehavior on the part of the young
officer toward the gentle girl so dear to them, not only Mrs. Blake and
Mrs. Ray, but Mrs. Dade herself, insisted on being made of
use,--insisted on being permitted to go to his bedside and there to
minister, as only women can, to the suffering and distressed. Waller
thought it over and succumbed. The lad was no longer delirious, at
least, and if he revealed anything of what was uppermost in his mind it
would be a conscious and voluntary revelation. There were some things he
had said and that Waller alone had heard, the good old doctor wished
were known to certain others of the garrison, and to no one more than
Mrs. Dade; and so the prohibition against their visiting the wounded lad
was withdrawn, and not only these, but other women, sympathetically
attracted, were given the necessary authority.

There was other reason for this. From the commanding officer of the
supply camp at Rock Springs had come, finally, a letter that was full of
foreboding. General Field, it said, was sorely injured and might not
survive. If the department