Fort Frayne

f= AUTHOR OF ff jiSu? "" FL5 1N AMBUSH" i f _,_ ?ZJQ FRO.M THE RANKS " EtL( [Copyright, 1896, by F. Tennyson Neely.J ('iiafteu I. - Royle Farrar disgraces himself at Vet Point, deserts the school and leads a wan. ering üfe, sinking lower and lower, marries his mployer's uaughter and then commits a forgery. I.- Colonel Fárrar, fatlier of Eovle. is killed ín baltic with the Indians. III. - ïloyle Farrar's ouneer brother Will graduates at 'West Point and fallfl in loye witli Kitly Orinsby, whose brother Jack is in love with Will's sister Ellls. IV. - Willis made lieutenant. They all return to Fort Frayne. accompanied by a certnin Mrs. Daunton. V. - It has been reported that Boyle Parrar is dead, but he turns up at the fort in the nise of a conimon soldier ander the name of Graicc. Rllis Farrar and Jack Ornisby quarrel over Helen Dannton. VI- Helen Daunton has an interview with Jack Orinsby, in which it tranphvs that she is Koyle Far'rar's much abnued wife. whom Ormsby has lefore befriended. VII - Helen Farrar discovers her husband. VIII - Ellis Farrar witnessesanother interview between Helen Daunton and Jack Orinsby. IX - Trouble ari-es between the cowboys and tne Indians. X, - The garrison is ordered out to protect the Indians. XI- Helen Daunton makes preparations to get her husband away from the fort. XII- At the Christmas hall they are startled by the cry of "Fire!" in tne gardhouse. Roy Ie Farrar comes to his end amid the ñames, and Captain Léale loses hls eye-sight in the attempt to rescue the unworthy husband of the woinan he loves, Helen Farrar. Longing to be alone with her miserj-, Helea turued to scek the seclnsion of the dressing rbom and had alruost reached its threshold, when, over or through the strains of the lancers and the how] of the wind without, there carne sorue strange Bound that gave her pause. Somewhero out npon the parade she heard the distant, muffled crack of the oavalry carbine. Another, another farther away, and then, mingling with thom, a hoarse, low nmrmur as of many voices and of comniands indistinguisliablo through the gale. Louder grew the cimor, nearercame the sounds; then tho added rush of many feet in the adjoining barracks of K troop, the quick, ' ring peal of trumpet, sounding some unfamiliar cali. Overstrained and excited as were her nérvea, fearing for hira against whom the wrath of thegarrison was ronsed, she could only oonnect the sounds of alarm and confusión with bim aud bis hapless fate. She started forward to cali the colonel's attention, for among the dancers the sound was atill nnbeard Again the shots and shouts, the rush of hurrying feet on the broad veranda without. Again and nearer, quick and imperative, the thrilling trumpet cali. Then, close at hand the loud bang of the sentry's carbine and the s ten tori an shout of ' 'JFire!" And then, just as the music abruptly ceased in response to the colonel's signa], bursting in at the door, folJowed by a couple of troopers, carne Korke, rushing for a ladder that had been in uso during the day. "It's that madman, Graice, sorr!'! ho cried in answer to the look in his commander's faco. "He's fired the tower, and he's burnin to death. " Springing to the window, Helen Dauntou dashed aside the curtain, and, all one glare of flame, the guardhouse burst upon the view. A black ladder, silhouetted against the blaze, was being raised at the instant the curtain feil from her nerveless hand. Will seized his cap, made one leap to the door, despite Kitty's frantic effort to seizehim; then, missing his saber, whirled atout and rushed from point to point in search of .t. Divining his object, the giri threw herself in front of the settee, bchiud which she had concealed it, and, when he EOught to reach around her, desperately, determinedly fougbt him off. Seizing a cap, the colonel vanished into the night. Throwing over his shoulders the first mantle he could lay his hands on, which happencd to be Lïicrctia's, Wayne followed his leuder. Will, delayed and maddened, only succeeded in capturing his saber by foicibly lifting Kitty out of the way; tben he sprang to the doorway to join the men hurrying from distant points to the scène. Ormsby, too, had rushed after the colonel, and only women wero left upon the fioor. These, horror stricken, y et fascinated, had gathered about tho eastward window, where Helen Dauuton crouched, unable to iook again upon the frightful spcctaclc. It was Ellis who hurled aside the curtain, just as old Rorke, re-entering, sprang to the middle of the bal]. "Come away, ma'aml For ihe love of God, miss, stand clear of that window! The pooi1 divil's climbed to the top, and the cnnnon powdher a in the tovver. " With a moan of despair, Helon burst through tho group and toward the open doorway, as though sho lierself would hie to the rescue. Rorke, with one leap, regained the thrcshold and thrust her back. "My God, can no one save him?" she crie'd. "Save him, ma'am! It's sure death to the man that dares to try it. Any moment it may blow up. They're rushin clcar of it now. The colonel's ordercd theni all back. No ! God of hivin, Bomc one's elimbin the ladder now! It's Captain Leale! Oh, don't let him, men! Dhrive him back! Oh, what use is it? Did man ever live that couldturn Malcolm Leale frorn the duty he deerned his own?" And away rusbed poor Terry. Ellis sprang to her mother'sside just as, to the accompaniment of a shriek from Kitty's lips, there carne a dull roar, followed by a sudden thud and crash of falling timbers and the hoarse shouts of exoited men. Au infitant later, Ormsby, nearly breathless, leaped in at the door. "They'Jl have to bring him in here. Leale vould have saved him if he had not juinped. Ellis, your mother must not see his face. Take her into the dressing room." "And why?" cried Eliis. "The lives of onr best niid bravest havo been risked to save that worthless life? This is no place for him. He sball not be brought bero. " "Hu.sh," suid Ormsby in a low, intenso tone. "In God's name, Eliis, tiushl The man on that litter is your mother's son, your own brother, Royle Farrar. That is the secret I was guarding for Holen Daunton, your brother's wife." A moment later as the wornengatbered about Mrs. Farrai-, obedient to Ormsay's murmured injunction to keep her ïroin seeing the face of the dying man [est it prove too severe a shock to her weakened heart, the men carne solerun:y, bearing a stretcher, on which lay the Dlanket covered form, folJowe.l by a silent group of officers. The doctor simjly touched the wrist, gave ene glr.nce uto the scorched and blisteretl iace, shook bis head and drew the bkmket. Kitty, sobbiug, clung to Willy's arm, heii quarrel forgotten. Helen, whohad ;brown herself almost hysterically upon ier knees at the stretcher's side, turned n added terror at the wordsof the coloncl, "Another patiënt, doctor," for at he instant, supported by Wayne and others, Malcolm Leale vraa led within he doorway, a handkerchief presscd to ïis eyes. "He got the fnll flash of tbat exjlosion in bis face, ' ' murmured the old soldier as the doctor met, tliem. Then, n tho solemn presenco of death, in the msh and silence of the throng, Mrs. barrar stepped forward and laid her vhito hand gently, reverently upon the .ifeless breast. "Reckless and hardened he may have )een, " she said, "but somewhere, omewhere, I know a mother's heart is yearning over him and a mother's lips are praying for the boy she loves. ' ' And so it happened tbat only one or two conld hear the single, whispered word with which the doctor turned to his connnander after one brief look into Malcolru's eyes. "Bliud!" CHAPTÉR XIII. Jack Ormsby did not go east by tho first train after the Christmas ball as had been his purpose, but he saw no more of the lady of his love. Late that dreadfnl night, rousing for a few 1 ments from the stupor into which she j had been thrown by the announcement ' that it was her own brother who lay there downstrioken in the midst of his career of crime and shame, Ellis Farj rar, little by Jittle, realizcd the whole i miserable truth, that he, her brother, was the man who had wrecked Helen Daunton's life - Helen, who, to spare that invalid mother au added Borrow, had hielden from her the name of the man whose brutal blows and curses had revvarded her love. More than aJl did Ellis realizo that the lover, whose loyalty and devotiou she herself had repaid with snorn and contempt, had sulïered her words in silenee rather than betray another voman's confidence and thereby divnlge n truth that would overwhelm with sham all who bore the name of Farrar. ïhen it was that, hysterioally weeping, she broke clown utterly, and before the setting of another sun the mother and al] thehousehold learned from her lipj that it was all that was left of Royle Farrar that now Jay there, cold and stitr' and stil] in that bare, echoing ward of the old hospita], awaiting the last volleys and the solemn trnmpet salutation to tbc soldier dead. Only a corporal's gaard forincd the firing party when, just before sundown, the lemains of Private Graice were laid in the bleak, snoweovered ceruetcry out on the rolling prairie, but more than a, dozen men in the crowded garrison knew by that time that the folds of the flag were draped over the mortal remains of a colonel's son. It was an awestricken group that gathered about the hospita), when the bearers carne forth with their burden and placed it in the waitiug ambulance and the firing sqnad presented arms. The idea oí' the recreant, the would be rnurderer, Torn Graice, bcing buried with military honors had not occurred to tho garrison as a possibility. Yet here was the little iscort; here were the trompetera - the band had been mercifully excused; here were pallbearers from his troop insteád of from among the garrison prisoners, as might have been ruled when one of their nunlber died; here wero cld Terry llorke and some of the senior sergeants of the regiment; here indeed, with pallid face, was young Lieutenant Farrar, with him Mr. Ormsby, the adjutant, quartermaster, the surgeon and one or two veterau captains, Major Wayne and even Colonel Fenton himselfl Whoeverheard of such an array as that atteoding the obeseqnies of a criminal? Fort Fraynowas mystified and talked of it for hours, but the story tokt itseif beforo tattoo, and the mysteiy was done. They had bnried the firstborn of the colonel whom all men loved aml honored aiid inourned, and old Fcuton hiinself decided that, as Graice had never yet been tried and convicted and could uever appear before nn earthly tribunal, he must be considered as innocent and so issned the order that no military honor should be deuied except the band. It was too bitterly cold for them to atterupt to play, for the val ves of the instrnmtnts would frcczo at once, and it was deemed best that no sound of the dirge ruusic should reach the cars of Marjorie Farrar. Keitlïer she nor Ellis knew when the funeral took place, Mrs. Farrar learning only on the following duy, Ellis notuiitil weeks thereafter, for, as a rcsult of all the long, gradual strain, culrniaating in the shock of that tragic night and tho realization of the wrong she had done the honest man who had so loved her, her strength gave way, and braiafever and delirium supervened. In tho week that followed that hapless holiday Ellis hovered on the borderlnnd 'hvixt life and death, and no man could say that the fatal Christmastide might not claim still another of the. Farr.i- And that week was ons oí vce ro rsoor Jack Ormsby. He haunted the neighborhood of the Farrars; he hung about the gatcway, importuning the doctor, the colonel, Kitty, Wil], anybody, for tidings of the girl heloved. Hisfine, alert, intelligent faco was clouded witfa the dread and sorrcrw tliat overéame him. He could ïot soo Mrs. Farrar - sherarely moved f rom ,her stricken daughter's side - bt twice he saw and talked with Helen, and once, with her, walked out to visit the new made grave. All that weck the shadows cast by the glare of the guardhouse flames seemed to wrap Fort Frayne in gloom. andpeople gazed upou the black ruins oiily with a shudder. The Indiaus, ever superstitiou?, liad professed to seo the hand of the Great Spirit in the clouds, pointing remorselessly at the spot aud warning them of further wrath lo come as aconsequence of the nnavenged murder of a chieftain's son. Cowboys aud hastiéis, angered against tlie garrison because it had interposed bctween them aud their purposed punishment of Big JRoad's band, saw here a capital opportunity of embroiling tlie red men with their white defenderá. By dozens, in shivering silence, wrapped in their blankets and seated on their scraggy pouies, the warriors had looked on at the solemn little ceremony, aud withinanotherday by scores the cowboys aud settlers were spreading the story that the white chief had buried Torn Graice with all the honors of war, despite his crimes and misdemeauors, simply becanse he had killed the sou of an Indian chief - the son of the chief whoso people killed the colonel of the Twelfth when he attacked the fleeiug villago on the Mini Pusa three long years before. It was the White soldiers' way of taunting the red man. It was proof of hia real feeling toward the Indian. "Look out for yourself, Big Road!" said these astutc, f ron tier statesmen. ' 'Chief Fenton and his soldiers have only lured you here within range of their walls that they may the more readily swoop upon you sorne bitter morning and put you and your warriors, your women aud childreu to the j sword. " In the intense cold of tho threo days that succccded the blizzard, there was ko interchange of visits, so to Bpeak, between the fort and the Indian village, but the emissaries of Beu Thorpe had been uusily at work. Big [TO BE CONTINDED.] The bilí introduced by Representativa Hubbard oí' Missouri to appoint a cominissiou to decide on tlie indebtcdness oL the Pacific railroad to the United States has at least one merit. Wbile it gives f 10, 000 in a lnmp suin as cornpensatioii to cacli of the 13 members of that coraraission, it does not provide for the leugth of time thcy sliall servo. If appointed according to thc provisioas of Mr. Iiul bard'a bilí, therefore, the comuiissiouers will trarry their work through in a businesslike way to get their moneyas soon as possible.