The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-11-14
N HONOR BOUND.

LS 80
follsd "a vspor and the winds were lait
With sound Now The French are il
4ull retreat, and the foe following then
= best they can. A young man hurry
ing along the dusty road stops sudden.
y, hearing s shot whizb by him. Heturn.
II time to see two men fall heavily il
the white dust. Then . faint voice call.
out:
alHs is dead, Castor! Wait-I-
The voice ceased, but CASTOR LIS
Fargo knew il well, and his heart
seemed suddenly 70 stop beating as he
heard II. He sprang back to the side
81 the fallen man, who opened his weary
eyes as CASTOR clasped his hand.
lis it possible, Rafe r.
EYES said the wounded man. 81
was just il time, dear old boy. He
would have picked you off in another
second.
And you saved me %
$50, we are even now. Yon know
when you plunged into the Seine
for me the day I took q cramp in the
water. We were only boys then, but I
never-I never" and the speaker
tainted away.
CASTOR lifted him from the dust, and,
with mach exertion, bore him for some
distance down the green lane. He
thought there must be q stream near
by line Of dense verdure That he saw
in the waning light. He found the
water, aud brought it in his cap to
battle the wound. Then he took out q
pocket-hask and forced some drops Of
brandy between the set teeth. With q
s~huddering sigh, Rafe opened his
eyes.
a0h, you have brought me back. 1
was with Claire, " he murmured. poor
CLAIRE she Will be sorry. You must
tell her.
aTell her?'' exclaimed CASTOR.
aHow / died. faltered the other.
mo! no! You are not going t odie!"
cried CASTOR, aghast at the thought.
"Itet me go and find q surgeon. How
could live and know that you died for
me? Why did you risk your life in
this way? You have q young wife wait
ing for you.
And you hayea mother. murmured
Rafe. We cannot weigh such things.
Perhaps if ! had thought of Claire it
would have madea coward OF me. Yon
never saw her, CASTOR, or you would
know she is one for whom 9 man might
barter his soul. You were off with your
regiment, dear old boy, or you would
have been best-man, you know"
81 know" said CASTOR, half choked
by his emotions, and still bathing the
brow OF his friend. It seemed to grow
colder and colder, and the temples
throbbed in slow beats irregularly.
"You must not leave me-" Rafe
went on, clutching his friends hand.
1T have something to say to you. All,
what is it?" he said, with y shudder,
pointing to an apparition that seemed
to stand upa few yards of. 9There is
some one listeningp
CASTOR peered eagerly through the
cleaning light, and saw a strange fig-
ure that shone forth with costly CLEAN
in the shadows. It we're no uniform or
clothing Of any earthly fashion. The
arms were extended and bare. The
limbs, straight and rigid, did not
touch the ground, and upon the white
brow rested the scmblance Of q kinply.
crown. In IN instant the truth flashed
upon him. It was a wayside shrine.
The white presence was a caryen image
of the Man Of Sorrows. The shadowy
s crown was one of thorns.
Dear Rafe, he whispered, it is no hui
MAJ ear that listens. 1t is Christ on
the cross, don't you know, like the one
neal your home at MEDIUM, where we
swore eternal friendship to each other
before we went to college. Yon have
kept your oath-oh, too well, my dear
boy"
me there, move me there, in
the shadow of the cross" he faltered.
Now / want you to swear something
to me, and you must keep your vow as
/ have kept mine.n
CASTOR said no word, but once more
AnS y llIlCnN ia las hIlllS. IIc IGlU5 Ills
heart beating like q mufied drum but it
seemed to stop suddenly as he put him
down ut the very foot of the rudely-cut
cross In the cleaning the Christ above
themseemed to be extending His arms to
bless them. Once more a few drops of
brandy brought the color back to Rates
face. He cast an upward glance at the
Cross and murlnured, ttHe hears isl"
Don't think it delirium, " he said AT
have my senses yet. I know they will
slip away from me in a little while into
utter darkness, SO ! must make haste.
You must listen. You must promise to
do what / shall say-all-all Do you
swear it II"
Of course" answered CASTOR, EAGER
ly you could not ask anything of me
that / would not do. But you will live
to do oil for yourself"
NO; they say it is given to mortals
to know when the supreme hour APP
proaches, and 1 can not be deceivedl'
Rafe said. $50 you will promise?"
Y e
aYou will swear by it-by the Christ
upon the cross q"
III that will make my oath stronger,
/ will swear It'll" exclaimed CASTOR.
The wounded man paused o moment,
and his breath came hard. Then a new
strength came to him. The blood kin
died in his veins, the pulses of life beat
fuller and higher, and something of the
old fire came into his eyes. "Such
I brightness dying suns g.difnse.n Gas.
ton took heart from the change. AL
might be well yet.
RATE began talking hurriedlys
~ told you much Of her. ]
could not speak of the insane passion ]
feel for her. You would not under.
stand. She does not understand it her.
sell. / have neyersbeen able to reach
&hae&Adn,,&h az Ia. nsA,..o Gil.