The Red Cloud chief., 1895-02-15
PIER XII.
A CHANGED ENEMY.

mp TO such q FEVER OF excitement by tho
chase and his complicated feelings TO.
ward the object OF it that when he shot
over tho rise In tho ground that hid the
fugitive from his view his visage was
distorted from tho expression OF good
nature usually stamped upon IL to II
which can only DO called dcmoniac.
His eyes were wild, that portion of his
hair which extended below his forage
cap seemed to glow with unusual red.
ness. his body leaned forward like q
jockey in a race, the whole forming "a
picture Of eager fcrocity. In short. Cor.
poral Ratigan rosembled an escaped
lunatic chasing a flying ficnd who had
been %torturing him.
On tho crest Of the second rise he
strained his eyes after Miss Baggs.
Nothing appeared to denote her presence
Oh the landscape except q horse IN har.
ness, which he dragged in the dust,
trotting back toward u heap of rubbish
on the roal. A sudden dread took pos.
session OF the corporal. 1t was plainly
evident there had been nh accident. He
had boon CHASING Il Confederate tole.
graph stcaicr that ho might turn her
over to tho military authorities Of his
" army 10 h. banged, and now ho
was suddenly plunged into terror for
fear she had been killed. Ho went on,
but with u new object distinct in his
mind. IL was not to injuro Miss Baggs,
brt to succor her.
Ho o o came to the heap of spIinters
aud iron which marked the point Of
collapse of Miss Bags buggy. Miss
Baggs was not visible. Had she taken
to tho wood beyond the fork of the road?
For q moment there was a delightful
sense Of relief, but ii was soon followed
by the animal instinct of tho savage
chasing an object Of prey. Stimulated
by this, or u return Of q sense of duty,
or both, no was about to ride into tho
wood, when, looking down on the long
grass by tho roadside, he deserted the
unconscious body, the face apparently
white in death, Of the woman he sought.
In q moment the corporal was of his
horse and on his knees beside her. The
chase in which he had been 80 eager and
the cause were both forgotten OH seeing
Miss Baggs lying apparently cold in
death at his feet.
"Darlin, are ye hurt?"
There was agony in tho c~orporal's
voice. He put an arm under her head to
raise it. With the other he grasped her
hands.
ITO the divil's " keepin with the
war anyway. What's it good for ex-
cept to injure innocent women and chill.
dren?"
In that nonresistance Of unconscious.
ness he forgot that this woman had been
engaged in what the world condemns
openly, II not secretly, rs illegitimate
warfare. To him she was innocent, not
that he reasoned upon her acts. but bs.
cause q mysterious something's breath
from spirit land-had made her more TO
him than all the world beside. He laid
his head down upon her breast to listen
II the heart beat; he chafed her hands
n arms; no took of his cap and fan.
ned her. Still she lay limp in his arms
without u sign OF life.
"Darlin. darlin, come back TO life.
Como back, IL it's only long enough to
tell mo 20 forgive mo for me cowardly
chasin ye. Oi'vo killed yc. Oh know IL.
VI wish SOM II would run % bayonet
through me own rotten heart"
A slight murmur, something like o
groan, escaped her.
Praise God, there's lifei II it'd only
grow stronger! All, thank heaven, |
there's waterv"
Laying her head down in tho grass,
he went TO tho side of the road where |
there was n runnel OF clear water. |
Soooping some Of IL in his two hands. he |
threw IL in her face.
She opened her eyes.
Corporal Ratigan never forgot the
look with which his prisoner regarded |
nm when she recognized who no was. |
There were two expressions following
other rapidly-the first, reproach;
but when she noticed the pain with
which 1t WIS received it melted into
one OF tenderness.
"Ah, Rats" she exclaimed family, |
show could you do it,"
He put his great hands-brown from
exposure-before his eyes to shut out
the face which ut every glance kindled
some new emotion to rack him. Now
that she had come to life another terror
came TO him TO administer an added
torture. Ho knew that mounted men
were following; that they would soon
appear over the crest just behind them;
that his prisoner would DO taken, tried
and condemned.
They're COMMIT They'll be here in
q jitfyV' he cried wildly. "Tell me
that ye forgive me. Tell mo that 70
don't hate me as ! hate meself."
For doing your duty. Ratsi"
DUTY! Is it q mans duty to run
down a woman like a hare? Don't talk
to mo OF duty. II ye suffer for this,
OH desert and 60 back to Oireland, and
DO praised il he'll send a storm to
sink the ship and me in 1t. There's o
drop in me c%anteen-a drop Of whisky.
VIII 20 take it, darlin-I mean-I
don't know what I'm talkin about. Let
me put 1t to yer lipa Take q swallow.
It'll revive We. Noop Che ac,o.,oa A.