Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-03-22

since. What if he should have known my
mother2"
"He looked like death when he first saw
your face Gay" said Mark thoughtfully.
at was as If be had seen a ghost"
Gay started, and exclaimed:
"From the moment / beheld the man /
shrank from him. l 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 ~
81 will not, Gay" said Mark soothingly.
IF he Is your father, he shall not know
that you are his daughter"
The promise comfOrted Gay, who smiled
family through the gloom that had fallen
upon her.
AS some young people came toward the
Hebers, Mark arose abruptly, and went to
look after his oxen.
Gay was about TO join Mark, when the
false Lieutenant Failon approached him,
Offering him cigar.
"Fine evening, Mr.. Heber," said the dis
guised Blue Jack courteously. "What!
You don't smoke? Smoking is a vice. I
wish could break myself of 1t. Your sis
ter Is n lovely child, or girl, I should say.
She must be fifteen years old. Is she not?'
She is but a child YET, lieutenant-only
fourteen-yet she is more womanly than
many girls of eighteen"
sony fourteen" sad the pretended lieu
tenant musingly. II had a fancy that
she was fifteen. ] knew child once-per-
haps she's dead now-but ifshe 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 sister s-Gabrtelle p
Mark depressed a start, and turnediaway
his paling face from the keen scrutiny of
the scheming villain.
1.-THE child | alluded to-" continued the
false lieutenant, "had black hair and brown
eyes, rather a singular combination but
her mother, poor creature, bad hadrhe
same features. and had been a great beauty
in her day. She was New York belle, Ia
belle Gabrielle ! But she went insane, and
wandered away with her child and was
never heard Of more.
"If Won had seen the New York dailies
of thirteen years ago. resumed the false
lieutenant, "you could not have failed to
notice a striking advertisement Offering a
thousand dollars reward for information of
the whereabouts of an insane woman aud
her child. The reward was afterward in
creased to five thousand dollars. Did you
never hear of the advertisement, Mr.. He
ber2"
"Never," said Mark. GLOW should
have seen it ?"
"Ah, yes; true. You were but boy at
the tiino. Yet If you lived near New York,
you might have heard of the disappear
ance.'
81 did not live near New York"
"Wby, the conductor told me you came
from York State" said the false lieutenant.
$50 did," responded Mark.
MAY ask from what part p inquired
the villain.
"Cerlainly," said Mark. ct came from
the western part of the State. May ask
the name of the lady whose disappearance
called forth the advertisement Of which you
speak ?"
"Her given name was Gabrielle" said
the pretended officer evasively. "If could
get trace of that insane woman aud her
I NUnI11 Ui nd dol lnr ont
of my own pocket. Think what a start in
lie that sum would give young man like
you y
Mark shrank back, as from the touch of
an embodied pestiIence.
II can give you no assistance in your
search, Lieutenant Fallon," he said cofdly.
Permit me TO ask if Miss Heber is your
own sister, born of the same parents as
yourself?" demanded the pretended officer
abruptly.
al do not tolerate any intrusion into my
private family affairs, Lieutenant Fallon,"
said Mark haurbtily. "My sister has al
reidy been annoyed by your questions in
| regard to her history, and must request
| you to leave us alone"
81 beg your pardon, Mr.. Heber," said
| the villain, adding maliciouslv, ~ see this
| is sore subject with you. You have not
said that Miss Heber is your own sister. /
presume YOU cannot say so trutbfully."
1--WE will not discuss the matter, sir. Gay
Heber is my sister, and while live she
shall not lack for protector"
"Ah, yes" said the pretended officer,
using his favorte phrase Of assent. BRO
| Tiers are not usually so devoted to sisters
as YOU seem to be. Mr.. Heber."
That evening Gay, whose curiosity had
been stimulated by what had taken place,
| to find out something more about her par
entaoe, was examining some Jewels which
| had been left by her mother, and some
| trinkets which she had possessed when
| child. She had taken them from a little
| box in the bottom of hertrunk, and thought
herself perfectly secure under the cover of
| the wagon, when she suddenly detected
| the false Lieut.. Fallon peering at her
through hole which he had cut in the can
| vas. All this she reported 10 Mark.
On the following day Mark had violent
| alteration with the pretended Lieutenant.
| No one had eyes or ears for ANYTHING but
| this exciting scene, and ii thus happened
that small body of horsemen in the uni
form of the United States had come up.
and dashed into the very camp before their
| approach was noticed.
A loud bugle call from the head of the
| troops was the first token the emigrants re-
| ceived of the new arrival.
In moment the combatants were loosed
| and all eyes turned to the new -comers.
| The disguised Lieut. Falon looked and
| turned faint He knew what this visit
| meant, If no one else did.
Conductor" shouted the lender of the
troop, tive are here in search of Blue Jack,
| the noted desperate. accused of the at
| tempted murder of Lieutenant Fallon of
the United States army, whom he brutally
attacked and flung into the Deep Canyon
| as dead. Tho lieutenant il now at Fort
Kearney, in n critical condition, and we
| demand his would-be murderer 7!
The emigrants had listened with breath
| less amaZement to the announcement of
the officer in charge of the small detach-
ment of troops. They were actually spell
| bound. Not so the person most interested
in the announcement-Blue Jack himself.
The desperate had cOmprehended the err
| rand of the troops in the first moment of
their appearance. After his irSt sensation
| OF faintness and terror, he had recovered
his GOODNESS and courage. and was himself
| again.
AT the very commencement. of the Off
| GERS announcement, Blue Jack exchanged
| glances with the terrified and covering
Burk. The latter pointed one trembling
finger over his shoulder TO spot at little
| distance, where Blue Jacks horse stood
| grazing, saddled for use.
In an instant the chief desperate darted
under the wagons toward the waiting horse.
| He reached him and leaped upon his back.
And in the next moment that desperate
rose gracefully in his stirrups at the dis
| lance of few rods, and with the fierce de-
| FAINT yell of wild Indian, dashed his spurs
into his horses side, and was away like the
| wind.
| The troops gave an answering yell ossur-
| prise and anger, and the officer in command
| led the swift pursuit.
Blue Jack had the advantage OF a good
start, ard was splenddly mounted, his
horse being seasoned animal, born and
bred on the plains, and endowed with
great life and spirit.
Blue Jack laughed aloud as the strong
animal bore him onward as If he had been n
feathers weight. He rose again in his stir
.rups, aud shouted back defantly:
Come on. Take Blue Jack If yol can ~
The pursuing officer shouted to the out
law TO surrender, but the only reply was a
hooking laugh. The officer then fired a
shot at the fugitive, but the bullet missed
its mark, and Blue Jack, bending low to
his horses neck, and digging tho spurs In
to the animals sides, swept on and away
| with tha rnSb Of forna1o