Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-05-11

gtiu Tom Harris KEPT watcn. OccaSlOnaily
IL ere 81 on tptoc aud looked at his charge.
She seemed asleep. Finally he hobbied
the two horses to prevent escape, gath
cred some of the Vegetables in the desc
late garden, and stifled a strong mans
hunger with young ra,lishes. green toma.
foes and olless lettuce. He could afford |
~ wait. for he was engaged in what he
wondered to think was, in the midst of
the smoking signs of rapine and murder,
the most delightful task Of his life. He
did not know that hours ago the occupant
of the couch had opened her eyes. and
with returning consciousness had touched |
the crimson barred serape; and had seen
the stalwart sentinel sitting aiar off, and
then had fallen into the deep slumber OF
grief.
the sleepless irontersman passed back.
and forth. listening to the chatter OF the
coyotes and the gray VOLTS long-drawn
howl. He scared away the stealthy foot
steps of the providers of the night, and
listened and waited. Anon he crept close |
to the side of the couch and listened for |
the breathing of the sleeper, then crept |
away again with the happy consciousness
that he and love had all the wilderness to
heard the the clauk of sabers and the hum
of voices; and troop OF cavalry APP
peared from the post, and among them
Old Sims, relieved and trembling, but
sobered bv apprehension and grief. The
man from Maxwelrs had told OF the raid
at the post, and he had reason of his own
for doing so. They left men and means
for the conveyance of the woman back to
~, c1
As for Tom the soldiers gave him some
thing to eat, and he mounted his horse and
accompanied them upon the trail. His
step was as light and his heart as merry
as though he had slept in his bed, for as
he looked back the last time the face he
saw was Fad and white. but the eyes were
the eyes of woman who looks after one
he loves.
Fraii of body but strong of purpose, the
uncomfortable spirit of Old Sims daughter
employed itself in directing the erection
of house upon the spot which had been
go long home. In less than a month she
and Sims were again established in the
prairie nook, in a cabin not differing ma
terially from the former, but surrounded
: BY palisade which babe defiance to In
dian assault. The couple were not poor,
and while the old man drowned the past
in hali-drunk insanity, the dependents of
the house did the work the two daughters
had once done. Chuck, stately and sad,
but softened, seemed daily TO wait and
watch for something that never came, and
of which she never spoke. The. troops
with which Tom Harris went away had re-
turned. They told of a days running light
which was duly mentioned In general
orders, but in which they had suffered no
losses. Ii Tom had returned to his place,
why did he not come again to Sims's |
ranch? Chuck said to herself. And then |
there was bis beautiful serape; he might |
even come for that. But he did not. The
man from Maxwells did come; and so
placid was his reception that he went away
again with bitterness in his heart He
came again. The pale-laced woman had
dropped a little. he thought, and cared
even less for his distinguished company
than before. But even While she cooled
his ardor with grand dignity, she seemed
waiting for some one to come in, and
listening for some footstep.
But lately this man had become the pos.
SCISSOR of secret which filled his heart
with exultation. He learned it at the post,
where it was mentioned by careless SOL
diers, ignorant of its fearful import. The
loss of man is nothing, and the few of
them who had been lately al Sims's did
not even know of the fact. The only cir
cumstance about the affair at all remark
able in the eyes OF these sons of Mars
was. that a man whose name was hardly
known and now not remembered, who
went with them only "for fun and
through peculiar hatred of Apaches, should
be the only man to fall. True, he was
foremost; was a splendid-looking fellow
and they thought it pity, and buried him
where he fell. Therefore this sutton of
Sims's daughter. possessed of the cunning
which sometimes defeats itself, bethought
him Of this chance shot, and deemed that
if it did him no good it might at least
wound the placidity which he hated. So
one day as he stood at the door smarting
under a cool reception and no goodbye,
at all, he remarked to Sims:
''Seems to me, cd man, You and yer
darter is waitin' fur su,hin that'il never
come. She needn't slight me a-waitn'
fur better company. Tom Harris was
killed by the aches which burned yer
shanty; an that's fact ye kin think NV oil
at your leisure" And he laughed to HIM
self like hyena as he went away.
Old Sims staggered into the house where
his daughter sat, and dropped into seat.
Even his weak mind had conception of
the fatefulness OF the tdings he bore. and
hesitated in the task of disclosure.
CHUCK" he said. "do you member
that day you found the rnun-trail?r
She started, and nodded assent.
do you member my talk about them
two lovers o yourn Eli? Well, Tom amt
a-comin' any more. cause he's,-now |
can't help it, darter, Toms dead"
She must have known il in her heart be-
fore, she changed so slightly at the word
Perhaps she had only hoped against hope.
having long ago learned, as she lay on the
couch he made for her through the summer
night, that the man whose heart had been
then measured in the strength and sleep
lessness and honor and courage of great
love would have returned had he been
alive. She only arose and tottered to the
bedside, whose topmost cover was bright
serape; but she never left it again. The
one mighty love of life in whose sordid
af.Has.