This is all easily understood, but how did that
hound find the exact spot where our tent had been, even the very ashes
of our stove, on that large camp ground when he has no sense of smell?
I wondered all the day why I did not see Faye and when the stop for
luncheon passed and he had not come I began to worry, as much as I
could think of anything beyond my own suffering. Late in the afternoon
we reached the camp for the night, and still Faye had not come and no
one could tell me anything about him. And I was very, very ill! Doctor
Gordon was most kind and attentive, but neither he nor other friends
could relieve the pain in my heart, for I felt so positive that
something was wrong.
Just as our tent had been pitched Faye rode up, looking weary and
worried, said a word or two to me, and then rode away again. He soon
returned, however, and explained his long absence by telling me
briefly that he had gone back for the dog. But he was quiet and
distrait, and directly after dinner he went out again. When he came
back he told me all about everything that had occurred.
Under any circumstances, it would have been a dreadful thing for him
to have been absent from the command without permission, but when
officer of the day it was unpardonable, and to take the colonel's
horse with him made matters all the worse. And then the wagon master
was liable to have been called upon at any time, if anything had
happened, or the command had come to a dangerous ford. Faye told me
how they had gone back for the dog, and so on, and said that when he
first got in camp he rode immediately to the colonel's tent, turned
the horse over to an orderly, and reported his return to the colonel,
adding that if the horse was injured he would replace him. Then he
came to his own tent, fully expecting an order to follow soon, placing
him under arrest.
But after dinner, as no order had come, he went again to see the
colonel and told him just how the unfortunate affair had come about,
how he had felt that if the dog was not found it might cost me my
life, as I was so devoted to the dog and so very ill at that time. The
colonel listened to the whole story, and then told Faye that he
understood it all, that undoubtedly he would have done the same thing!
I think it was grand in Colonel Fitz-James to have been so gentle and
kind - not one word of reproach did he say to Faye.
