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Chapter 9

           Atashortdistanceoffanothergroupofhousesmeetstheeye—nearly,ifnotquite,asimposingastheclusterabovedescribedbearingthenameof"TheFort."Theyarejustoutsidetheshadowoftheflag,thoughunderitsprotection—fortoitaretheyindebtedfortheiroriginandexistence.TheyarethegermofthevillagethatuniversallyspringsupintheproximityofanAmericanmilitarypost—inallprobability,andatnoveryremoteperiod,tobecomeatown—perhapsagreatcity.

           Atpresenttheiroccupantsareasutler,whosestorecontains"knick-knacks"notclassedamongcommissariatrations;anhotel-keeperwhosebar-room,withwhitesandedfloorandshelvessparklingwithprismaticglass,temptstheidlertostepin;abraceofgamblerswhoserivaltablesoffaroandmontéextractfromthepocketsofthesoldiersmostpartoftheirpay;ascoreofdark-eyedseñoritasofquestionablereputation;alikenumberofhunters,teamsters,mustangers,andnondescripts—suchasconstituteinallcountriesthehangers-onofamilitarycantonment,orthefollowersofacamp.

           Thehousesintheoccupancyofthismotleycorporationhavebeen"sited"withsomedesign.Perhapstheyarethepropertyofasinglespeculator.Theystandarounda"square,"where,insteadoflamp-postsorstatues,maybeseenthedecayingtrunkofacypress,orthebushyformofahackberryrisingoutofatapisoftroddengrass.

           TheLeona—atthispointamererivulet—glidespastintherearbothoffortandvillage.

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