The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1893-07-22


and she mad come to live at Col. Cop
pinger's beoau that old warrior had
liked her parents and liked her. Nane
knew that she was poor To this he
paid little attention, and to Eunice
herself he would have paid more had
she not had way of eScusing herself
and leaving him in Alice Coppinger's
company every time he called.
On this occasion Alice was not at
home and there was no choice for
Eunice but to remain,
He saw an army sword upon the
piano. What is the Coloners sword
doing down here?' he asked.
at is not the Colonel's sword" she
answered.
Yours, possibly?' he said, smiling.
Eyes, it was my fathers He gave
it to me-"
81 did not know you We're soldiers
daughter"
al am, and prouder of il than if an
ancestor of mine had been mem Der
of Sir Peter StUyve.ant's Council
She went gracefully over to the piano
ass bespoke and taking the scabbard
inone hand. with the other skillfully
drew ont the blade.
81 like to hear You say that, he
said, going to her side. lit is the
kind of talk that puts lighting blood
into men when it is needed"
She had laid the scabbard on the
piano and was holding the saber.
"See! have been polishing it, 1t
glistens as | fancy it did when my
father swung it at the head of his men
and they hushed the rebel yell and
broke the line of the enemy"
: he SIN led As she concluded her lit
tie speech, and he admired her more
than he did the saber
Most women would be afraid to
handle such weapon" he said.
In answer she gave little laugh
which plainly showed she wasn't.
see how sharp it is" she continued,
as she passed the saber over to him for
inspection. Vane ran his thumb along
the edge. 1t was keencr than he
thought. A drop of blood fell upon
the blade
In an instant Eunice had wrapped
her handkerchief around the bleeding
finger. As she frightened the knot he
wished he had also cut his other
thumb.
There" she exclaimed; cit is IL
ways the duty of n soldiers daughter
to bind up a soldiers wounds.
And why do you keep it SO tantaliz-
ingly sharp"
My father did so. | love to do as
he did. Then, it is always ready for
service, and if there ever comes n time
when it is needed shall give il to the
bravest man | know, as he requested. ="
II should like to he that man lie
bent very close to her. She was look
ing down at the saber which she had
placed on the piano again. AS she
felt his breath upon her cheek she
moved step away.
This step stopped what he would
lantly.
Under whom did your father
scrve?'
Under Sheridan from first to lass?"
He questioned more eagerly.
"What company"
THE Ninth Illinois"
1.-THE Ninth Illinois!" he said, seiz-
ing her hands. That was my fathers
regiment Why, this is like meeting
an old friend. You are Captain Erd-
mans daughter?'
And you are Lieut. Vane's son?'
she cried.
Eyes, yes. ! know all about your
father. He was the bravest man in
the regiment. He had five horses shot
under him in battle. At Chickamauga
he fell wounded near to death holding
fast to the colors, and they made him
q captain for it. Father often Won
dered what had become of him, He
was never at any of the reunions
You see," he.sadded by way of ex-
PLANTATION, father went to Chicago
directly after the war He did well
and when ! was old enough | went to
Yale. / had just got to be able to
earn my own living and to show my
gratitude for what he had done for
me when he died"
He did not ask about her father: he
inferred that he, too, was dead. She
did not tell him about their history.
He had not "done we'll" but he had
done the best he could and had died
In his office chair, trying.
This finding of new ties settled these
two young peoples destinies. 1t was
the old story-thcy were in love.
A month afterward, while Vane was
in his office one afternoon, a note came
to him from Vaughn, one of his
wealthiest clients, asking him to me ct
the president of the United MeNica N
Mining Company, Limited, at the Fifth
Avenue Hotel at 7:3O that evening, and
to have all of his wits about him. He
had arranged to take Eunice to the
* u 4S= T.