Fort Frayne

■mm! " F0LS IMAMBU&H" f _,_ 3E TfRQM THE RANKS " ZSlJN [Copyright, 1896, by F. Tennyson Neely.J Ohaftkií I. - Iíoyle Farrar disgraces himself at West Point, deserts the school and leads a wan■dering Ufe, zinking lowcr and lower, marries his employer's óanghter and then commíte a forgerv. II.- Colonel Farrar, father of Rovle. is killed ín a ba'.tle with the Indians. III.- boy lo Farrar's younger brothor Will graduales at West Point ánd falls in lovc with Kittv Ormsby, whose brother Jack ia in love with Will's sister Ellis. IV.- Will is made lieutenant. They all retnrn to Fort Frayne. accompanied by a cerlain Mrs. Daunton. V.- It lias been reported that Borle Farrar is dead, but he tnrns up at the fort in the íruiec of a coinmon soldier under the name of Graice. Ellis Farrar and Jack Ormsby quarrel over Helen Daunton. VI- Helen Daunton has ain interview with Jack Ormsby, in which it transpires that she is Roy ie Farrar's much abnscd ■wife. whoni Ormsby has before befriendeii. VI I - Helen Farrar discovers her husband. VIII- Ellis Farrar witnessesanother interview between Helen Daunton and Jnck Ormsby. IX- Trouble arises between the cowboys and inc Indians. X. -The garrison is ordered out to protect the Indians. XI - Helen Daunton makes preparations to get her husband away from the fort. compelled to run back iudoors agaiu to find it. Absorbed though he was in his own trouble, Will could not butremark how strange it seemed that his rnother's coinpanion shonld be seeking and Ormsby sending those mysterious notes at night. He made such explanation and excuse as he could, however, then hurried away. With nervous flngers Helen counted over the money in the envelope. Two hurjdred dollars I Ormsby was indeed generous. Then, desperate, determined, thoughtless of the military crime she was about to urge upon her husband, thinking only of the dreadful menace his presence was to the friends who had I harbored and sheltered her, she sped away up the row and, turning through the broad open space near the colonel's quarters, came out upon the snow covered brow of the heights overhanging the silent, icebound stream, aud there, barely 100 f eet away, the dim outlines of the huge, hulking figure oould be seen. She knevv it only too well - knew it at a glance. Graice was standing on post at the moment, listening apparently to some faint, distant sounds of maudlin revelry that rose from the unhallowed walls of Bunko Jim 's, beyond the Platte. With one brief muttered prayer to hoaven for guidanoe and streDgtb, she eped across the snowy expanse and was at his side before he could either halt or challenge. He never had time to speak before impetnously ehe began: "Boy Ie Farrar, I must speak to you here and now. If your beinghere moant only danger and harm to me, you ruight do your worst, and I would bear it. You are mider a false name. Your lifo has so changed you that as yet no ono has recognized you, but it cannot last, and then there wil! be bitter shameand perhaps death that would lio at your door - your mothsr's; your pooi-, gentle mother, Royle, svho holds her life only through the belief that you aro no longer alive to briug further disgrace to yonr father'a name. " But now he had partially recovered himself and angrily interrupted: "Is it my fault I'in here? Did I suppose of all cursed places thcy'd send me toitwould be here, to be ordered about by my cub of i brother, to see niy noble captain making lovo to rny" - "You dare not say it!" she cried. "You've had some experience of what I dare, my lady, and one thing I dare and mean to do is to stick it out right here uid take my chances at Prayne. There's no other post-where I'd find go many friends at court if ihings go wrong." "You shall not fitay here if I have to buy you to go," she cried, bnt she shrank even as she spoke, as tliough dreading a blow, for with nplifted hand hc sprang to her side, thenroughly, savagely, seized her slender wrist. Who are you to pose as guardián augel of the Parrare? Who aro you to gay 'shall' to me? Do you realize, my love, that rour place in the army is not in officers' quarters, but down vonder in laundresses' alley? By the Lord, I've a mind" - But here a dark shadow feil befcween him and the sleudcr writhing object of his brutal rage, an iren grasp was laid in turu on the hand that so cruelly crushed the white wrist. A deep voice, eloquent with wrath, controlled, yet boiling, seemed to ring in his oars the two words, "Let go!" and then, releasing perforce his hold on the shrinking, 6tartled womau, Graice writhed in furious effort to free himseif from the clinch of Malcolm Leale, and writhed in vain. "You've the devil's own grip," he savagely hissed through his grinding teeth. "I've a grp, my man, that won't loosen till yon are past doing further mischief here," was the stern, relcntless answer. Then, uplifting his voice, Leale shouted for the corporal of the guard, and at the instant the cry went echoing over the posts of 6 and 7. The sentry still writhed in impotent rage. Finding bis struggles futile, he once more lashed with his tongue. "Don't be too sure of that, captain. Thero are some kinds of a hold even your grip can't loosen." "No insolence. You go from here to the guardliouse as it is. ;' "D - n the guardhouse, and you, too, " raged the soldier, hurling down the carbine. i'Ifl'nj to sperid Christmas in limbo, I'm cursed if you shall spend it raaking lovo to my" - And hore, with a tigerlike bound, his free I hand brandishing a glistening knife, he lunged at the officer's throat. A litho form had como leaping liko a panther tip the path, andeven bef ore Helen 's cry had died away Crow Knife had hurled himself between the men and tho shining blade was buriod out of sight. There was a moment of furious struggle, and then the sentry lay, felled like an ox in his tracks, and Leale's ioot was at his tliroat. The knifc, bloodstained, had dropped in the snow. The ludían, his hand pressed to his side, was swaying slowly back as the sergeant of the guard, with a brace of men, came running to the spot. "Take this man to the guardhouse," was the brief, stern order, as they lifted Graice, stunned and sodden, to Jais feet. Then the captain turned to Crow Knife. "Did that ci-azy brute strike you? Are you hurt?" he asked, in deep concern. "Captain," said tho Indian Blowly. "I believe I'm killed." Leale sprang to support him. Other men, running to the scène, linked their hands and made a chair and raised the poor fellow f rom the ground. "Carry him gently to the hospital, Jads. I'll be with you in a moment, "said Leale, and then he turned to where, trembling, terrified, Helen Dannton still etcod as though powerless to move. ' 'Helen - Mrs. Daunton I First let me see you home. I ask no confidence, no explanation, but this is something in which I must help you. I have guessed tho truth, have I not? That man is your brother?" "My brother, Captain Leale? God pity me, that man is my husband!" For a moment not another word was spoken. Leale had recoiled - staggered - as though struck a mortal blow. Then, in hoarse whisper, 60 choked and broken seemed his voice: "Your husbaud! Your htisband, Helen? Oh, my God! And I had thought you free to be loved, as I have learned - as you have taught me - to love you. " "Captain Leale, " shecried, "in pity say you do not believe that. Oh, hear me! Do not turn from me," she implored, for in his rnisery he had averted his face. "You shall not thinkme sovile, " she went on despera tely. "Ineverknew until today that you had learned tocare for me. I thought all that had gone with my yonth - oh, so long ago! Ionly asked of life a place where I could be uscful and safe and where, by and by, perhaps I could forget. I have seemed to myself so old and dull and sad, so different from the women men love that I never dramed it my duty to say I was not frce. Oh, I thought yon were my friend. My heart bas been so heavy and so numbed I have thought it dead since that Christmas eve four yearsago. Ah, let me teil it toyou, and you willunderstand. Fonr years ago this nightmy little sick baby woke and wailed with pain. That man, my husband, was in a dranken sleep on the fioor. The baby's cry woke him. He swore a dreadful oath at the little weak, white thing in my anas and strnck it hard across the month. I don't know what wild words I said to my husband, but I told him I would never see his face agaiu. Then I caught my baby to my breast, and I ran and ran through the cold Christmas streettf, and tho stars went out, and the lights went out in the honses, and the ' little baby on my breast grew heavier j and heavier, and by and by it was dawn, and, oh, so cruelly cold, and I - I operted the. shawl and saw" - Here, overeóme by the recollection, the poor woman covered her face in her hands and burst into wild sobbing. And (hen the captain. "Helen, Helen, my poor, poor girl! Hnshl I spoke j like a brute, but X was hit haid. I was your friend; I ara your friend. It is late. You must go in. Tako my cloak, ' you are shivering. " With that he turned and led her to the angle by he colonel's quarters, and thero she looked up one instant iuto his sorrov stricken faco. "Do notcomefartËer with rae, "she irnplored. "You havo been so good to me," and, bowing to her will, hc let her go, and stood, following her swiftly retreating fonn with his longing cyes. And then, soit Bnd sweefc aud oleai, as though rising above all surronndiug of ciime or sin or 301-row, there fioatcd on tho night the proloned notes oí the cavalry trnmpet sounrling the soldier lullaby, "Lights out." "Lights ont, " mnrinured Lealo. "Lights oxit Ah, God help me! Fürlii.ú and love it is indeed lights out." Tho next day Crow Enife died. CHAPTER XII. The long expected Christmas ball was in f uil Rwiug, but the late corners entured snow covored and buffeted, for a bowling blizzard was s weeping down froin the gorges of the Eockies and winning ciecp the clriíts about thewalis of olrt Fort Frayne. Leale had come in about tattoo, grave aud taciturn, hia fine face shadowed by a sorrow whose traces all couJd see. He had como for no festivo purpose, was still in undress uniform, aud, aftcr a brief low toned conference with hia colonel, had tumed at once in search of Helen Dauutou, who, ever sinco the dance began, had hoveied near the windows that looked out toward the guardhouse, barely 1 00 yards away, yet now, even with itsbrilliant light, only dirnly visible throngh the lashing storm. Twice hadMrs. Farrar essayed to draw her friend into the littlo circle by which she was surrounded, but Helen had speedily shown she was unable to give her attention to what was being said or to take anypart in the conversation. It was at the window Leale found her and gently but firmly drew her to one si de and closed the simde. "I have feit in every fiber," said he, "how you were waiting, watching and agonizing here for news from - from hini. There is no news, Helen, except ! - you know the man ho stabbed - who gave his life for me - is dead?" "I know, "was the shuddering answer. "Hasheheard? Doesherealize?" "Possibly not. He seems to be ] ing. But ho will know it soon enough. Helen, do you kuow this - tüat I row we raust givo him up?" "Give him up?" she asked, unable to comprehend his meaning and looking with new dread into his compassionato face. "Yes, to the civil authorities. He; has - I caniiot choose words now - ho has committed murder and must be tried by a civil, not a military, conrt. " ! "You must give him up, " she rncaned. "Oh, what can we úo - wnat can we do?" and fearíully she glanced towhere Mrs. Farrarwas seated, chatting blitheI ly, even joyously, now witb her garrison friends. "Yes," he answered, "and well I know now wby you gazo at her. I know all the miserable truth. Ormsby told me when be carne to ask my counsel and my help. He bas only left me a short time since. I was pledged to help your busband, Helen, and I am doubly pledged to help that dear, dear woman's son. I must protect Roylo Farrar to the utmost of my power; but, Helen, in this last half hour, by the bedside of the brave fellow who gave his life for me, 1 have looked life and my own sonl in the face. I know what I must do and what I cannot do. I am not strong enough to play at friendship with the womiin I love with all my soul. I can only be your friend by serving you from iar away. When what is coming to Eoyle Farrar has come, I shall take leave of absence and go over the eea. It is goodby bet ween us now. Tonight I look my last upon the face of Eoyle Farrar's wife. What? You want me, Will?" he suddenly turned and asked, for at this moment, throwing back the snow matted hood of his overcoat, Farrar entered and came quiokly tothem, unseen by his mother. "Yes, sir. The news of CrowKnife's death is all over the garrison, and the men are fairly raad over it. They won't try lynching, but the sentries at the guardhouse are doublé, front and rear. Graice is sleeping yet or else shamming. I don't think he's too drunk not to realize what would happen if Crow Knife's people got at him. " "Then your duty is doubled, lad," was Leale's low toned answer - "to hold the prisoner and to protect him too." "I nnderstand," said Will firmly. "The man who gets at bim tonight, sir, will have to go through heil first'. " And then be turned to flnd Kitty standing, smiling in eaucy triumph, at his elbow, leaning on the colonel'sarm. Still angered agaiiist her and deeply impressed with tho importance of the duties devolving npon him, Parrar woulrt have hastened by them with only brief and ceremonious salutation, wlieu Fenton stopped hün. "Where did I understand that yon were going, sir?" said he, wiih niock severity of marnier. "I fjave jou permiasiou to lemain here, sir, and you'd better jümp at the chance. Here's my niece telling me that you are engaged to dance with her, and ac this moment it secms you are about to leave the room. Off with that overcoat, crit's your saber that will come off, sir, in arrest. What, sliglit amemberof your'oolonel 's noiü! Liova Diesa me, sir, it s tautaxnoant to ïnutiuy!" "Bet, colonel, " responded Farrar inipetuously, "the offleer of the day" "Not aucther word, sir. Here is your offioer of the day," said lie, iudicaiing Kitt'y, "and you will report for duty instantly." Irresoluta, rejoicing, disappointed and pertnrted all in one, Parrar stood onc moment hardly knowing what to do, wben Kitty seized him by ono arm, and Leale, noting liis embarrussruent, steppcd to bis aid. "I am going to the gnardhonse, Will, and I will look after yonr duties there. Have your dance and return at your convenience. ïhe' colonel will let you go after awhile. " And thcu Kitty reKiimed her sway. "I slian't (lauco one step with you until ( you take that dreadfnl thing oflF, " said ghe, indicating hia dangling eaber and ntterly ignoring bis protest that, as ofifloer of the gaard, it was an essential part of bis uniform andequipment. Her only response was that ho was to remeinber that he was then on duty to her. "Take off that sword, sir, andhurry about it, for there goes the band. " j And so, unslinging the heavy weapon, j he hauded it subniissively to his iniperious queen, wlio promptly stowed it away uuder the wooden settee against the wall ïmd theu, courtesying to her partner, indioated to him that at last he was at liberty to lead her to the dance. And now, smiling, joyous and once more thrilling with inischicvous delight ns she bore her nulky prize a cross the room, Kitty carne suddenly upon the major, standing mooning and preoccupied, gazing apparently at the portrait of Colonel Farrar, yet, aa was equally apparent to the littlc knot of laughing lookers on, seeing itiiot at all. Kitty was on the point of accosting and bringinghim tohimsclf; but, witheagei whisper and gesticulations, Amory, Martin and others called her to them. "Don't wake him," they mnrmured. ' 'Do let Aunt Lou have that comfort. See, shc's coming to him now. " And, as what Kitty most wanted at that moment was au opportunity to restore her interrnpted dominion over her angered lover, and as he was blind and deaf to anything but the consideration of his [ own grievances, personal and official, Wayne was left to becomo the central object of interest, while Kitty drew her deposed offlcer of the guard to a distaut corner. Wayne was a study. That he was Btruggling to recall somo important matter was evident to all who had long knowu him, and for the time being he was lost to all consciousness 01 surrounding sights and sounds and had floated off into that dreamland of reminiscence in whioh only bo was thoronghly at home. Ono or two of the ladies who wero at the moment resting from the dance stood leaning on the arms of their attendant cavaliers and watching with them the result of Lucretia's timid yet determined approach. Almost tiptoeing, as though ufraid that her noiseless footfall might i'udely awaken him, she was stealing to his eide, and presently they saw her lay her hand upon his arm and peer trustingly up into his face. Thinking only of him and for him, she, too, then, was almost unconecious of any observation, kindly and good natured though it was. Unwilliug to interrupt too suddenly the current of his meditations, she hesitated bcfore speaking. Then, half timidly, she suggested, "ïou like the picture, major?" Slowly his gaze came down from the ■ fiag draped portrait, and through his eyeglasses Wayne benignantly regarded her. Finally his wandering wits returned, and he aroused himself to a faltering answer to her repeated question. "It inakos him look too old,"hesaid. "I can't bear anything that looks old, don't youknow." Then, dimly conscious of something he might have put in far happier form, he quickly strove to recall his words. "I - I don't mean women, of course - I like old woinen. You know I liked you 20 years ago. " "You left me toguessit, then," murïnured she, vaguely grateful for even this admission and desirous of encouraging ayowals even thus late and lukewarm. "Ycs, " he went on, "you know, it seems to me - wasn't it that last night we flanced together at Jefferson barracks? That was every day of 20 years ago." "Ah, well," answered Lucretia, "yon know it is so very difflcuit to reckon from, because that was the 29thof February, and that coming only once in f our years, you" - ( t rr„ i j TT7 i t_ ; i_ í_.i_ xi : vvajiiu iaugmngjy interrupted and then suddenly feil back again into his old mooning way. "And yet, you know, there was somethiiig I wanted io ask you that night, aud I was so confoundodly absentminded" - "Oh, very, " said she, "for you mentioned that there was sonietiiing you wanted to ask me, and I've been wondering what it could be for 20 years. " "Do yon know," said he delightedly, "so have I, so have I." And here he leaned beamingly over her, and his eyeglasses feil off and dangled at the end of their cord. "Itwasonly tonight," he went on, "it came to mo that it was something connected with this ring - my class ring, you know. It's odd I can't think what it was. Why, your hand is trembling!" Coyly sheupráised it to meet the coming ring, and then again he faltered. "I remember, I was holding the ring just like this when somebody called to t me that I'd better hurry" - "Yes," she said breathlessly. deed you'd bettrr hurry. " But he was still wandering in the past. "It seerus to me - oh, they'd sounded officers' aill, and that meant the devil to pay somewhere, don't you know. " But Lucretia was wilting now, despondent again, for still he went on: "You know, I fancied uutil the very next day thatl'd left the ringhère." And, sniting the action to the word, he slippedit on her flnger. "And yet the very uext day, when I was on scout, I found - I fonnd it hore. " And with that he again replacel it on hisownflnger. Lucretia's face was n sight to see. Ibere was au instant of silence, and then, failing to note tho expression of her face, Jookins fTO BE CONTIXUED.] Husband - Well, what do you know about politics anyway? Wifo - I know a lot. Husband - A vacant lot, I Etippose. - Brooklyn Life. Wong Chiu Foo, au Americanized Chinaman, is at tbo head of a movement to build a grand temple for tho worship of Confucins in Chicago. He will rally the true followers of the Chinese teacher around him, and from their temple as a center will radíate rays of a light that will convert Americana to the true religión of Confucins. Well, why not? Ohicago is the place to start such a thing, for Chicago npeds all tho religión it can get of any kind. Chinese religión is better thau dour at all when Chicago ia in question. Wong Chin Foo hopes to show Americans how Confucius in his precepts anticipated many of the Büblimest teachings of the fonuder of Christianity as well as the wisdom of j Solomon. We have in the United States several Greek churches, tho Christian Scientists have founded a brand new dencmination of their own, ■whilr' a Mohamraedan mosqne will at no distam time adorn New York city. We eau stand a temple to Confucius tco. As British Historians See Va. The New England Magazine does good service in laying before its readers some extracta from British histories dealing with the American Revolution. The edI itor has selecte), in every case the com mon chool textbooks and volumes prepared in simple style for popular readI ing. It is to be noted that the British writers deal with the Revolution in a spirit of fairness and generosity that seems incredible to Americana. Compared to the British story of the American Revolution some of the school histories prepared by onrown writers sem like child's stories, in which purposely all the good people are perfect and all the bad peopje incapable of anything but depravity. The British histories generally tako the ground that the American colonista ■vere right in resisting the tea tax imposed to pay for King George III 's European wars. After detailing the circumstrfnces of the Boston tea party Longman's Reader says: After this it was seen that, as neither side would give in, nothing but a war could end the quarrel. Then both sides got ready to fight. It was a sad sight to see men of the same race fighting against each other. The colonista ehose a brave and good man named George Washington to be their leader. He did not want to fight against the king, but he loved freedom, ar.d he thought that the king was treating the colonista unjustly. So he was willing to spend his money and his life in the good cause. The war lasted for about seven ycars. The French helped the colonista, and in the end the colonista won, and so they wore free. Since that time they have had no king over them, and they have beeome one of the greatpst nations upon earth, for in the land that is now called the United States thero are over CO.CCO.CCO people, and the vast country that was at one time the home of bands of roving Indiana is now peopled by Englisli speaking folies. Conceruing Drunkards. The nineteenth century inethod of correcting au evil is, first of all, to appoint a commission to inquire into its bistory as far back as bistory gocs, to investígate its effects on tbe social and economie lifeof community and to tben dip into prophecy as to tbe probable effect on tbe public, provided the evil were suppressed. The investigations continue sweetly year af ter year, never apparently reaching tbe point where remedial measures are sharply and thoroughly applied. But the investigations of the committee are ahvays published in huge tomes tbat nobody reads. Entirely illustrative of thiamethod of reforniiug the world is that admirable committee of fifty whieh has 1 taken tellessen the universal evil of the drink babit. lts niembers are scattered through tbe country. They are divided into groups, committees and subcommittecs, each with its owa particular task. The groups begin with the first and most important one of ways and means. lts task is to find money to carry tself and the other groups. Other largei general departments are the pbysiological and pathological group, the legislative, the economie and efcbical groups, with the "necessary subdivisions, " of coursc. By tbe time this wise and altogether to bc commended committee gets really to m;ike its report tbe year 199T will be on the world. Nevertheleaa, success to the committee of fifty for tbe suppression of the drink hahitl Now that it bas been made, the wonder is tbat nobody thonght of it before - that invention for keeping the under water snrface of a bcat's huil covered with a fiue fllin of oil to prevent rust and barnacles froru fastening upon it and likewise to acceleratc its ppecd. A civil engineer namei cd haa laid bef ere the Uniti government au invention which he declares will do this, and bis claim seems jnstified. The naval depaitment ■will shortly experiment with the inventioii with the view of adopting it for war vessels. By Mr. Altschnl's device tho huil of a ship below the water is covered with a fine wire netting saturated with a tal] composition. Over tbis is constanthspraycd by mechanica] means a flow of crude petroleum. Probably it will not be long till all náutica! craft, inland and oo an, are covered below the water line with this preparation. The inventor claims that bis device will increase the speed of a steani or sailing vessel 25 per cent. Very Silly. What ia the use or sense of iusulting a flag? It cannot help aiiy people or nation ; it does not a whit in the way of weakening or embarrassing the nation toward which disapproval is thereby mauifested. On the contrary, it only irritates that natiou and causes it to be more hostile. It is said that a Spanish flag was burned at New Castle, Del., and a second one was hissed at an evening entertainment in another place. Snch performances are silly and childish. They belong rather to boys rnaking faces at one auother than to serious, sensible, grown men. The pcople of the United States have no quarrel with the people of Spain orwith theSpanish flag. They believe the Spanish government to be au intolerable tyranny so far as Cuba is concerned and want Cuba to be a free and independent republic, but bow is jeering the Spanish national embletn to further these sentimeuts in auy way? Under the peculiar circurnstances of the preseut it will be better for Aniciicans to refrain from showing any ity to the Spanish flag. Realiy, it uever did us any harm. If Spaiu can ever be iuduced peaceably to let Cuba go or to do justice to American prisoners held in confinenient, it will not be by such means as hissing or buruing her flag. "Mr. Close, " saitl a member of tbe finalice committee of the proposed new Baptist church of Smithvills, "wehave not asked you for a contri bution for the church, bnt some one suggested thafc you might ]ike to give us a $10 goldpiece to put iu the cornerstone. " "Are yon sure it would go into the cornerstoue aud bo bricked up?" "Quite sure. " "Then I'll giye you my check for the amount, which you eau put in instead oí tüe