Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-03-25

| am bearer of dispatches from Fort Near
ney to Fort Sedgwick. Will you grant me
the protection of your train during the re-
mainder of my journey?'
"What is your name?'
"Fallon, Lieutenant Fallon." was the
reply and he offered to show his creden-
tials.
Landlord babe Lieutenant Fallon well
come, and offered him the freedom of the
camp.
Fallon ate supper with the Whitmans,
and after conversing until a late hour, re-
tired to the rear of the train to sleep. AZ
ter all was still, he rolled over on the
ground until he came to the side of Burk
"Burk I" he Kissed
Burk started, with a smothered oath.
"Who calls ?' he growled.
"Hush, you idiot !" Kissed Fallon. be-
tween his teeth. Have / fooled you and
the boys as easily as fooled the conduct
or of the train? Don't you know me? !
haven't got my card-case with me, but I'm
Blue Jack, at your service! Ha, ha. The
serpent has got into Eden"
Il and the boys have looked for you to
join US all day." said Burk. but of course
we didn't look for you in this disguise"
Upon the morning after the counterfeit
Lieut.. Fallon had joined the wagon train
the camp was astir as usual at daybreak
The train halted at noon on the river bank,
opposite lovely island. AT sunset they
again halted, and for the night
In the course of the evening Lieut.. Fal-
Ion approached Gay, and said:
Miss Heber, must say to you that you
are startlingly like former friend of
mine. 1t seems almost as if she stood be-
fore me as | first knew her 1t is a
strange. startling coincidence, | could
almost think-but no. impossible. You
are the sister of Mr.. Heber, are you not p
Gays pure face flushed
YES she answered. with some hesita-
ton.
The disguised Blue Jack turned yet
whittier. He had marked that hesitation,
and his wonder at it thrilled him with a
sudden fear.
You do not look like your brother,
Miss Heber?" he remarked.
Il have been told so before" said Gay
dryly.
And you are his own sister? P" persisted
Blue Jack, with agitation.
Il do not know your motive for max
ing such inquiries, Lieutenant" said Gay,
after moments thought. II do not there
fore know how to reply to you. l should
like to know the name of your friend
whom | resemble, but for an answer to
your inquiries | must refer You to my
brother"
Gay Heber seized the first opportunity
to inform her adopted brother of the par
ticulars of her singular interview with the
false Lieut.. Fallon.
Il told him to speak to you. Mark, she
sad, ''but my heart has been on fire ever
since. What if he should have known my
mother?'
''He looked like death when he first saw
| your face, Gay" said Mark thoughtfully
1T was as if he had seen ghost
Gay started, and exclaimed:
Prom the moment | beheld the man
shrank from him. | had an instructive
fear and adherence of him. Oh, Mark
dear Mark, don't let him know any more
about me than he knows now :"
Il will not, Gay" said Mark soothing
". 'If he is, your father, he shall no
know that you are his daughter
The promise comforted Gay, who smiled
family through the gloom that had taller
upon her.
As some young people came toward the
Hebers, Mark arose abruptly, and went t,
look after his oxen.
Gay was about to join Mark. when tn,
false Lieutenant Falton approached him
offering him cigar.
Fine evening, Mr. Hebcr,n said the
disguised Blue Jack courteously. 'What
You don't smoke ? Smoking is vice.
wish | could break myself of it. You
sister is lovely child, or girl, should
say. She must be fifteen years old. Is
she not ?"
"She is but child yet, lieutenant-only
fourteen-yet she is more womanly than
many girls of eighteen
"Only fourteen" said the pretended
lieutenant musingly. IL had fancy
that she was fifteen. knew a child once
perhaps she Is dead now-but if she were
living she would be fifteen years of age
and the very picture of your sister. And
oddly enough, that child's name was the
same as your sisters Gabrieller'
Mark repressed start, and turned away
his paling face from the keen scrutiny o
the scheming villain.
The child l alluded to- continued the
false lieutenant had black hair ant
brown eyes; rather singular combina
| ton; but her mother poor creature, haC
had the same features, and had been ,
great beauty in her day. She was New
York belle, la belle Gabrielle. But sh,
went insane, and wandered away with hel
child and was never heard of more.
If you had seen the New York daihes O
thirteen years ago, resumed the false lieu
tenant, you could not have failed to no
tice striking advertisement offering a
thousand dollars reward for information OF
the whereabouts of an insane woman and
her child. The reward was afterward in
creased to five thousand dollars. Did you
never hear of the advertisement, Mr.. Heb
er?n
Never" said Mark. "How should |
have seen it p''
"Ah, yes true. You were but boy at
the time. Yet if you lived near New York
you might have heard of the disappear
ance."
81 did not live near New York.
"Why, the conductor told me You came
from York State" said the false lieutenant.
$50 did," responded Mark.
MAY ask from what part ?" inquired
the villain.