during Captain Chiswick's long and painful illness--"

"My dear Captain had been sick for three months, and got up out of his
bed to go and be killed with his men by those dreadful Apaches," the
Hen cut in.

"--and when the news came of the massacre," Charley went right on, as
cool as an iced drink, "our hearts almost broke for her. Captain
Chiswick was a splendid gentleman, sir; one of the finest officers
ever sent out to this Territory. His loss is a bad thing for the
service; but it is a worse thing for my poor niece--left forsaken
along with her sweet babes. They are noble children, sir; worthy of
their noble sire!"

"Oh, Uncle Charley!" said the Hen. "Didn't you get my letter telling
you my little Jane died of croup? I've only my little Willy, now!" And
she kind of gagged.

"My poor child. My poor child!" said Santa Fe. "I did not know that
death had winged a double dart at you like that--your letter never
came." And then he said to the old gent: "The mail service in this
Territory, sir, is a disgrace to the country. The Government ought to
be ashamed!"

Hill said while they was giving it and taking it that way he most
choked--particular as the old gent just gulped it all down whole.

Hill said the three of 'em was sort of quiet and sorrowful for a
minute, and then Santa Fe said: "It is too bad, Rachel, but your Aunt
Jane did have to go up to Denver yesterday--a despatch came saying
Cousin Mary's taken worse. And the parsonage is in such a mess still
with the painters that I've moved over to the Forest Queen Hotel. But
you can come there too--it's kept by an officer's widow, you know, and
is most quiet and respectable--and you'll be almost as comfortable
waiting there till your transportation comes along as you would be if
I could take you home."

Hill said hearing the Forest Queen talked about as quiet and
respectable, and Santa Fe's so sort of off-hand making an officer's
widow out of old Tenderfoot Sal, set him to shaking at such a rate he
had to get to where there was a keg of railroad spikes and set down on
it and hold his sides with both hands.

Santa Fe turned to the old gent, Hill said--talking as polite as a
Pullman conductor--and told him since he'd been so kind to his unhappy
niece he hoped he'd come along with 'em to the hotel too--where he'd
be more comfortable, Santa Fe said, getting something to eat and drink
than he would be kicking around the deepo waiting till they'd filled
in the wash-