The San Francisco call., 1895-05-19

! oerer though he was, he, Private Tom
| Graice. born Royle Farrar. was legal owner
| of all that his captain held fa1rest, dearest,
most precious in all the world. Leale's
love for Helen Daunton was sometnlng !ne
whole garrison had seen, and seen with
hearty Sympathy. 1t would be something
| to teach this proud and honored officer
| that he, the despised and criminal tough,
was, after all, man to be envled as the
husband of the woman his captain couid
now only vainly and hopelessiy IoVe. II
was his plan to bargain with him, to IN
woke his aid, to tempt the honor OF
soldier and gentleman, but for moment
at sight of that stern, sad face, he STOOD
abashed.
"You wished to see me-, said Leale, "and
/ will hear you now"
'1've got that to say | want no other
man to know" was the reply, after an
interval of few seconds, land want
your word of honor that you will hold it
sacred.'
81 decline any promise whatever. What
do you wish to say?
swell, what l have to tell you interests
you more than any man on earth, Captain
Leale. I'm in hell here-I'm at your
mercy, perhaps. Ny life is threatened by
these hounds, because by accident that
knife went into that blind fools vitals. 1t
hurt him."
'No: was the object, clearly under
stand" said Leale: Ego on
"Well, it's as man to man 1 want to
speak. You know I never meant to harm
him. You can give me chance for JUS
tice, for life, and II can make it worth
your while.'
"That'n do" was the stern response,
mo more on that head. What else have
you to ask or say?'
s'Listen one minute" pleaded the pris-
oner.s ''They'd kill me here if they could
get me, quick enough-Indians or troop
ers, either. L must be helped away. know
your secret-you love my wife. Help me
out of this-here-this night, and neither
she nor you will ever"
.sSilence, you hound Sink back to
your blanket where you belong. i thank
God, my friend, your father never lived to
know the depths of your disgrace! Not a
word! !" he forbade with uplifted hand, as
the miserable fellow strove once more to
make himself heard.
"For the sake of the name to which you
have brought shame you shall be protect
ed against Indian vengeance, but who
shall defend you against yourself? l will
hear no more from you. Tomorrow you
may see yoar colonel, if that will do you
any good; but, if you have one atom of
are Royle Farrar,' and with that, raging
at heart, yet cold and stern, the officer,
needless of further frantic pleas, turned
and left the spot.
But at the porch the captain turned him
back. Wind and snow were driving across
his path The sentries are at the front and
flank of the guardhouse, muffied to their
very eyes, staggered against the force of
the gale. 1t seemed cruelty to keep hon
est men on post night so wild as that,
for no other reason than to protect the
life of a man so criminal. The members
of the guard who had resumed their lounge
about the red-hot stove the moment the
captain disappeared, once more sprang to
attention as he re-entered and called the
sergeant to him.
81 am tempted to ask the officer of the
day to relieve those sentries, and let No.
come up into the hallway" said he. "I
believe that with the watch we have on
the Indians there is no possibility of an
outbreak on their part"
'There isn't SIR was the sergeant's
prompt reply. "But every man in the gar
rison knows by this time that it was the
captain that blackguard aimed to kill, and
| 1t is not the Indians alone that would do
| him If they could. / find that, whenever
have had to leave the guardhouse, some
of the men have talked loud, for him to
hear, swearing that he would be taken out
and hanged at day break. Others want to
tempt him to try to escape, SO that they
can pursue him over to town and hammer
him into jelly there. The tower is the
only place where he can be unmolested,
| sir. couldn't guarantee his safety from
right here in the guardroom''
And Just then corporal came from the
little office, Sergeant, it's 1925. Shall
form my relef?'
The sergeant nodded assent. 'tI'n in
spect it in the guardroom," said he, and,
as Leale turned shortly away, intending to
go in search of the officer of the day, and
the sergeant opened the door to let him
out, Graice could be heard on the upper
floor savagely kicking again at his bars.
"That man has more gall than any one
ever met, sir" said Grafton. Hes kick
ing because we refused to send to the bar
racks for his share of the Christmas CIGARS
"Did you search him before he was sent
up there?" asked Leale. "Has he matches
| or tobacco?"
''Nothing could find, sir, but other and
sharper men have been confined there, and
I'm told that somewhere under the floor or
inside the walls they've hidden things and
he's hand in. glove with all the toughs of
the garrison"
! To be continued.
| Copyright, 1885,