Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1893-03-02

! Than duty's tack heroically done"
| pursuit of the treacherous foe, are sur
prised and delighted al the sudden sppear-
ance of their old leader and amid their en-
thusastic greetings there are anxious
| looks at the gaunt. haggard set face and
| nervous manner OF their beloved captain.
| But he is as brave and clear headed as of
old, and after a minute of brief question
| ing by the officer in command, he takes
| his place at the head of his men, and the
troop of cavalry sweeps on again.
! The campaign is prolonged aud hard
one, and the 10th bears the brunt Of 1t,
/ Troop is In the ,hickest Of the fght, led
| by the gallant, daring captain, whose eyes
/ glow with indomitable spirit. aud whose
voice ever cheers and urges them on to
| victory The soldiers say that Capt. Hill
| ton of the 10th bears a charmed life. Al
ways the first to plunge into danger. he
comes through it all unharmed His horse
| has been shot under him several times, his
broad hat is full of bullet holes and he
has been seen lighting for his life, sur.
rounded by redskins, and only rescued just
| in time.
| HIS hair breadth escapes are the talk Of
the regiment, and his fame is in all mouths,
and when, al the close of the campaign.
during the last fierce scrimmagc, the brave
young captain receives a wound that pros
trstes him. there is universal mourning.
| A troop is near its old quarters, and. as
fate will have 1t. his sorrowing comrades
tenderly carry their fallen leader to the
nearest house. where Rose Arnold-older,
! graver and more womauly than on the day
she parted from Capt. Hilton-receives him
| into her care.
| During the weeks that follow, while the
country is ringing with his praises, and
well-earned honor is bestowed upon him
by the grateful heads of the war depart
ment. Capt. Hilton lies, unconscious of it
all, at deaths door. There is nothing left
undone for him, but the long hardships of
the campaign have told upon frame al
ready weakened by mental suffering. and
1t is some time before his youth and his
splendid physique exert themselves to-
ward his recovery. Mrs. Hilton. who has
FASTENED to his side, gives him the most
tender care, aided by K )se Arnold. and
when Capt Hilton begins to dimly realize
where lie is, he is half conscious that
sometimes gentle hands minister unto him.
low, oddly familiar voice sounds In his
| ears, and q sweet, plying face bends over
him that is not his mothers.
SO gradually does he come to know who
1t is the bitterness is taken out OF the fact
that the little girl he had SO careiessly
hidden farewell and forgotten, is heaping
Goals Of fire upon the head dropping under
the blow Of woman's merciless hand.
Perhaps his illness is the best thing that
could happen to Roger Hilton, for during
| his long convalescence his mind has leis-
ure to recover its usual composure and
school itself to the inevitable. How large
share his fair young hostess may have in
the healing of his wounds may not be
known, but certain 1t is that on the day
the doctor assures him he may return to
the fort In safety, he draws Rose out Of
doors in the gloamiLg and asks her to be
his wife.
II know | have no right to even ask
your forgiveness" he says. And have
returned to you singed in the fire of disap-
pointment, but l long for peace and dear
little comforter like you. II you will come
to me. Rose, l will devote all my life to
your happiness"
His frankness goes a long way toward
pleading his cause, and Roses own heart
goes farther, so the chasm his own folly
has caused between them is spanned by q
bridge Of love aud forgiveness.
Three weeks later Mrs. AthertoD-who
Is Mrs. Atherton stills sitting in her
breakfast-room reading the morning pa
per, when a dispatch from the west takes
her attention. With brow on which a
puzzled, chagrined look is appearing she
reads:
"A wedding took place last night at
Fort -. which was, owing to the wide
spread renown Of the groom during the
recent Indian fighting, an event Of much
interest. The bride, Miss Rose Arnold, is
the fair, accomplished daughter Of one Of
our most prominent ranchmen, and it is
said that Capt. Hilton bore her image in
his heart during his sojourn in the east,
thus enabling him to resist the charms Of
our fair eastern sisters. Among the ele-
giant wedding gifts one of some value was
presented TO the groom. consisting of bis
promotion to the rank Of Colonel Of the
9th In place Of the late Colonel Hunt.
The happy couple will start Immediately
for Europe where they will remain until
the Colonel. as we must now call him, is
able to take command Of his regiment.
The hearty congratulations of all who
know the gallant young officer are extend.
ed TO him in his well-deserved happiness
| and good fortune"