The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-12-05

alton and pain of the raw recruit, who
learns for the first time to bestride q
bare-backed horse. Saunders was an
old hand at steeplechase, and had lit
tie to learn, save few technicalities.
He did not even see Madge for three
days, but was induced to overcome his
predetermination to call upon her. He
saw within an hour after he had
stepped upon the reservation that he
would hardly be welcome. It was bad
enough not to be able to see his di,
vinity it was infinitely worse when,
at last, he met her. She gave q great
gasp and start, blushed, and returned
the bow, with just the slightest nod
misunderstanding smile. He saw With
dismay that he was to her simply
menial-tha he could not dare tC
overstep the line which divided them
He got over his desire to shoot him.
self every time he was given an order
in her hearing after awhile. He
watched her firtations with gorge.
GUS first lieutenant in bitterness OF
spirit, and the thought dawned on him
that she was not true; but he hoped
she would leave the first lieutenant
when he (Saunders) should have won
his spurs But even the spurs seemed
far away; he had come to understand
that the Jump from the uniform of on
enlisted man into that of an officer is
difficult feat, or was in those days,
and no chance for physical prowest
presented itself. Morally he was as
brave as only man in love can be.
He would have killed himself had he
not been.
More courage than to carry stand
ard to the cannon's mouth did it take
for him to obey the first order to ''po.
lice," with fatigue party, the back
yards of the officers quarters. To
''police" is army for cleaning up, and
it is left, as a general thing, to the
prisoners who happen to be in the
guard-house. But at this time there
we're very few prisoners, not more
than one or two, for the men had been
upon their good behavior, it being al.
most two months since the paymas
ter's last visit, and no cash left to be
expended upon whisky at the suffers
So Saunders sailed forth in fatigue
suit-overslls and coat of canvas
and he helped the others to sweep
with stable brooms and to shovel up
the back yards.
In the Colonels yard he was merci-
fully spared meeting Madge-it would
have been, he thought, the last straw
and he did not know that from be-
hind her filmy curtain she was watch
ing him with amusement and pity, the
while she turned about on the third
finger of her left hand large solitaire
ring, and wondered what he would
say when he heard of her approaching
marriage TO the dashing young lieu.
tenant.
Then the police party went on its
way and came at last TO the yard OF
that very lieutenant. There was o
half sheet of note paper in one of the
piles of dust and rubbish which had
been swept up. Saunders noticed this
noticed, though it was crumpled,
that the writing upon it was Madge's
pointed scrawl. He picked it up and
slipped it into his pocket. 1t was not
stop to think--he only wondered what
q note of hers was doing in this mans
back yard and what was in it.
When he got back to the barracks
he read the note. There was enough
therein to make him understand that
Madge-his Madge-for whom he had
given up everything, for whom he had
endured so much humiliation, was ia
be married in one week to that first
lieutenant; that she was in love-des-
perately in love--with him, and did
not hesitate to say so. Was the man
in love with her? If he was, why did
he crumple up and throw away note
for which Saunders would have given
his very soul?
Then Saunders looked about him
with eyes opened by despair. He saw
at last the barrier of caste in all its
height and strength; he saw what he
had done, and he shuddered. There
we're but two ways out of this unless
he waited until his enlistment were up
-four and half more years-atid
that he could not do. He could kill
himself, but he was young, remember
it was not to be lightly done. And
he could desert. To his mind de.
serter was not what it is TO asman who
has been long in the service-all the
disgrace of it did not occur to him. II
it had been explained to him he could
not have grasped the full horror of it.
So he waited his chance for four
days, and then "bolted," as his com
rades termed it. He went away from
the railway, thinking that he would
put those who we're sent after him of
the scent, and after day or two circle
round to reach the iron road, which
would lead him far from all this.
On the third day, as he trudged on
ward TO the railroad, dodging like a
hunted criminal behind every clump
of mesquite or greesewood, he was
oVertaken, his hands tied behind him,
and marched back to the post under
guard.
At a turn OF the road the party
drew aside and waited for an ambu.
lance to pass. The soldiers saluted
the officer inside.
Saunders could not salute; his
hands were tied. He knew the officer
1t was the first lieutenant; he was
going to the station with his bride.
Madge looked out and saw the de-
serter-saw him and turned her head.
San Francisco Argonaut.