Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-12-16

thought OF dying with the woman he
loved best pressed close against his
hears, for die they must: he had long
Ago made up his mind. Turning his
head then, ne saw the Indian so close
upon them that he said to Elsie.
You must shoot him. Aim for his
heart. Steady, now'
The face turned toward the Indian
was white enough for dead woman.
but the slender wrist did not trembls.
and Yellow Bird fell-another victim
to the fatal passion of love.
The next instant, before she could
lower the revolver, an arrow tore away
the sleeve from her wrist, Just piercing
). the de..sats ~hi.a. .alssA..-as-
The long hair blown in his face and
the growing sickness from his wounds,
tor there was an arrow in Aliens side
as we'll as his arm, prevented his see
ing that help was coming, and he NUT
tered: There are only two shots
more. my love. Can YOU use them.
One for each Of us. caunot hold up
many minutes
rs Elsie turned to look at him, she
saw Ogilive, who was near enough by
/ this time to be heard when he shout.
Ell, Courage Hold up! Here We
are and a crack from his carbine
finished the sentence.
The Indians, towards always, halt.
ed, turned, hesitated like wolves driy-
sn away from near V captured feast.
and lowered just beyond rife.range
with yells of disappointment, while
Yellow Bird who had only been stun.
ned aud had managed to sit up, SEEM
ed urging them to keep up the chase,
but the ranchmen coming up, and the
caya.r!meH behind, turned tho o..t-
tie, and they made off, carrying their
chief with them
just IN time, for, as the NEIL rode
up, Allen hold !oosened and but for
Osilvie Elsie would have fallen, as
Allen reeled out of his saddle into one
OF the mems arms in dead faint.
The good black horse himself,
trembling in every limb and gray with
foam and dust, come in for no small
share OF the welcome at the fort, YOU
may believe, on account OF the burden
he had carried. and the race he had
run so piucklly.
The fire snapped. the shadows
danced on the white tents, a breath
of air came down from the hills and
swept moaning over the plain; the
line Of sentinsls took up the cry Of
Twelve o'clock, and all's well : and
echoed it around the camp, and the
major began filing his meerschaum.
But 80 on, go on, Major, half -
dozen voices urged. Tell US the rest'
Why do you stop in such an inter.
esting place
Tell us about the wedding. for, of
course, Allen married his lady love
amid general rejoicing as the news.
papers say, Nanderlyn went on Did
the black horse go to the wedding.
decked ont in white ribbons? OF
course, there could only be one ending
to that romance
DO You think so2 answered the
major, hunting about for a mate b.
That's the way they end ia ory-
books, | know, but real life is lot so
smooth.
Miss Elsie married the adjutant
that very Winter Allen was asked
/ 10 be best man, but he would nave had
to appear at the wedding with his arm
in sling, 50 he staid at home 1t
was no disloyalty on her part, God
blessed her. He never said anything
more about his love to her than the
few hurried words on that awful llde.
She never knew how much he loved
her And OgiIvie left her asleep
among the myrtles by the Guadsl-
quiver when the regiment came up
from Texas ten years ago last June.
As for the black horse, he met a
fate, the best be or his master could
have hoped for after the light of their
eyes was gone-he died in battle, in y
glorious charge on the enemys guns
before Port Royal, and his master en-
vies him.
Tie majo, lighted his pipe. and after
moments silence walked away, and
no one spoke until the ra;tling of the
salutIng sentinels gun told Us he had
crossed the line, and was safe in his
tent
Collingwooi, the officer Of the day,
had not spoken before. but now he
leaned forward, traced some lines in
the sand with the point OF his sabre,
and, looking uP, said
I've heard that story before BY
snstches. It's the MAJORS own. He
rode that terrible race on the black
horse himself, but ! don't believe any
of the fellows IN the Third knew how
hard he was lit, or the reason why
he exchanged into our regiment.
Well, the least We can do Tor him is
to keep his secret.
Aud so We did; but now, that he is
dead and gone, there can be no harm
in my telling it.
sA-The editor OF a paper in ies-
. H.