The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1893-08-12

and she mad come to live at COL cop
pinger's bee ause 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 excusing 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. lie gave
it to me-"
Il did not know you were a soldier S
daughter"
81 am, and prouder of it than if an
ancestor of mine had been a member
of Sir Peter Stuyvesant'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.
a like to hear You say that" he
said, going to her side. 1t is the
kind of talk that puts fighting 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
glstens 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 mled 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 a weapon" he said.
In answer she gave little laugh
which plainly showed She wasn't.
''See how sharp it is, " she continued,
US she passed 'hc snbcr over to him for
inspection. Nane 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 cxclaimed cit is al
ways the duty of soldiers daughter
to bind up soldiers wounds"
And why do you keep it SO tantaliz-
ingly sharp
MY fathef dlu so, l love TO 40 us
he did. Then, it is always ready for
service, and if there ever comes time
when it is needed | shall give it to the
bravest man know, as he requested "
Il should like to be that man" He
bent very close to her. She was look
ing down at the sabcr which she had
placed on the piano again. As she
felt his breath upon her cheek She
moved a step away.
This step stopped what he would
have said, and he went on noncha-
lsntly.
''Undcr whom did your father
serve?"
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. Nane's son?'
she cried.
"Yes. yes. | know all about your
father lie 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
a captain for it. Father often Won
dered what had become of him. lie
was never at any of the reunions.
"You see," hesadded by way of ex-
PLANTATION, father went to Chicago
directly after the war. He did well
and when | was old enough ! went to
Yale. l 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 dome we'll" but he had
done the best he could and had died
In his office chair, trying.
I his finding of new ties settled these
two young peoples destinies. 1t was
the old story-they were in love.
A month afterward, while Vane was
in his office one afternoon, note came
to him from Vaughn, one of his
wealthiest clients. asking him to me ct
the president of the United Mexica n
Mining Company, Limited, at the Fifth
Avenue Hotel at TAO that evening. and
to have all of his wits about him. He
had arranged to take Eunice to the
>>a. ~ as +