The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-05-11

border Of Mexico where one must mol
cross, but where smuggling il permit
ted and vice possible.
The men were getting irritable
knew the signs; the tension was reach
ing swapping point. / had been think
ing OF Ii all day. That evening John
Leighton and I were working under the
orderly ffy atthe records '-were post
ing Waugh and Murray's finals in
the clothing and descriptive books.
Vaugn was a corporal and Murray our
blacksmith, who had been killed the
week before on the day we pushed the
Apaches off the divide. We were crowd
ing them too closely in the lower pass,
when a few bucks slipped off into the
canyon and nipped our pack train in
rear. We had to quit pressing In front
to save our train. 1t was q clever BIZ
of work, and Ave bucks did it, killing
two men for rs, losing us our game
just as we were bagging it.
Leighton was company clerk, a tai
ented, handsome fellow-had served
out in India. He had a cheering fresh.
ness and facility Of expression and spoke
with the quick, falling infection and
di~rectness OF the English In speech one
o o quickly learns to love. He was me.
chanically ruling double red ink lines
in a book where a LIES account of serv.
Ices had been credited and closed, much
as q handbook is ruled when a state
ment is rendered from a balance struck.
The words died" or deserted" placed
in red ink in the small space below
showed the cause Of closing for service
abruptly terminated. The usual remarh
was Discharged by expiration term OF
service" In black ink.
Sergeant, and whose Svxeill be the
next bloody DIP" asked Leighton.
without q ring of feeling.
"There'll5 be plenty Of 'em If this
blooming heat continues and we remain
In this camp" ] replied.
And do you suppose the devil will
aver want a transcript from Murray
court martial record?" Murray had
been an excellent troop blacksmith, but
q most constant drunkard, so his record
was a full one. :,
IF he does, Murray won't draw
birthstone liquor for q year, " / replied.
1.-THE lad will be none the worst fol-
that, for surely here he had q most CON.
Stunning thirst"
We were working at this official fu,
neral i'm the sultry summer night by thu
unsteady light of lantern candles and
were not feeling impressed or reyerent
Leighton was in his undershirt, open Al
his handsome brown throat. AS b.
leaned over the books at work a locke
from his bosom fell the slack of its goli
chain and struck the desk.
noticed it, and he took it of, hand
ing IL TO me with Indifference. He had
opened the locket, revealing the por
trait, which was that of a fresh younf
girl-one OF those sweet English face
whose charm is complexion and expires
sion of confidence complete. The eyes
arrested you-pathetic, soft brown eyes,
80 tender they seemed to reproach, and
az you changed your point of view q
the miniature followed you with Their
full. warm light. | have seen such af
fectionate light only in the brown eye
OF faithful dogs watching those the.
love.
Seeing my more than casual notice o
the portrait, Leighton added: Its al
old story, not worth the telling. don
know why ! keep it."
He spoke with the same absent inter
est we were feeling over this work fol
the dead. It struck me as peculiar tina
in romance accomplished there shoul,
be no trace either OF bitterness or re
morse, only weary indifference. / wa
go quickly fascinated by the face tina
Leighton's manner annoyed me, and
did not ask him for the story. Possibl,
overhead makes men irritable, for some
how / resented this careless felloy
wearing about him q face like that wit
less interest than he wore his spurs.
did not then notice the resemblance o
the face to Leighton's.
/ stopped abruptly and thought of dc
sertion, changing the conversation I
this the subject of my days musing.
Leighton, something's got to b
done to relieve the pressure. / kno,
the lieutenant would like to do go. Fl
feels the pulse of this camp and know
the symptoms. But what al he do
his orders to remain here are impera
tive, and he can't pass as cross tn
line"
Hunting leave, laughed Leighton
Hunting leave, then, let 1t be,
replied, with no questions asked az I
game or preserve, though ! a tel
what yours will be, you Young devil
Tomorrow make out a hunting pass TO
six" leighton was humming q catch
service ballad that had appeared in Lon
don music halls the year before and di,
NOT ranIv