The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1895-03-22
ERaAA-
COPYRIGHT. 1894. sY THE :. >. urpfHeoTr &c.
CHAPTER XYIlI-Continned.


officer from the rank and file, he never
imagined that the colonel would have
been the first to welcome him had he
known the truth. He believed that now
his last chance Of seeing his mother was
gone until that coveted commission was
won. Then came another blow. The
doctor told him that with his heart
trouble'he could never pass the physical
examination. He could not hope for
preferment, then, and must see her as
he vas and see her secretly and alone.
Then came blow after blow. His shoot
ing had failed, so had that of others Of
his regiment, and he was ordered to re-
turn in charge Of the party early On the
morrow The order reached him late in
the evening, and before breakfast time
on the following day he was directed to
start with his party for town, thence by
Eail to his distant post. That night, in
desperation, he made his plan. Twice
before he had strolled down to the post,
and with yearning eyes had studied ev.
cry feature Of the coIonels house. He
dared ask no questions Of servants or Of
the men in garrison, but he learned
enough to know which rooms were
theirs, and he had noted that the win.
dows were always open. If he could
only see their loved faces, kneel and
kiss his mothers hand, pray God to for
give him, he could go away believing
that ne had undone the spell and re-
yoked the malediction Of his early
youth. It was hazardous, but worth
the danger. He could go in peace and
sin no more toward mother, at least,
and then if she mourned and missed
him could ne not find it out some day
and make himself known to her after his
discharged He slipped out of camp,
leaving his boots behind and wearing
his light Apache moccssins and flannel
shirt and trousers Danger to himself
he had no great fear of. If by any
chance mother or sister should wake, he
had but to stretch forth his hand and
say, 1T is only Fired. " Danger to
them he never dreamed of.
Strong and athletic, despite his slen-
der frame, he easily lifted the ladder
from Jerrold's fence, and lodging the
sentry when he spied him at the gate
finally took it down back of the colo
nell and raised it to a rear window. By
the strangest chance the window was
closed, and he could not bulge it. Then
he heard the challenge of a sentry
around on the east front and had lust
time to slip down and lower the ladder
when he heard the rattle of a sword and
knew it must be the officer of the day.
There was no time to carry off the lad
der. He left it lying where it was and
sprang down the steps toward the sta
ton Soon he heard No. 3 challenge
and knew the officer had passed on;
waited some time, but nothing oc-
cured to indicate that the ladder was
discovered, and then, plucking up cour-
age and with a muttered prayer for
guidance and protection, he stole up
hill again, raised the ladder to the west
wall, noiselessly assembled, peered in
Aioe's window and could see a faint
night light burning in the hall beyond,
but that all was darkness there, stole
around on the roof Of the piazza to the
hall window, stepped noiselessly upon
the sill, climbed over the lowered sash
and found himself midway between the
rooms He could hear the eolonel's
placid snoring and the regular breath
ing Of the other sleepers. No time was
to be lost Shading the little night lamp
with one hand, he entered the open door,
stole to the bedside. took one long look
at his mothers face, lnelt, breathed
upon, but barely brushed with his trem.
bling lips, the queenly white hand that
lay upon the Coyerlet, poured forth one
brief prayer to God for protection and
blessing for her and forgiveness for him,
retraoed his steps and canght sight of
the lovely picture of Alice in the direc.
toire costume He longed for it and
could not resist, She had grown so beau
tiful, so exquisite. He took it. frame
and all, carried it into her room, slip
ped the card from its place and hid it
inside the breast of his shirt, slowed the
frame away behind her sofa pillow, then
looked long at the lovely picture she
herself made, lying there sleeping sweet
y and peacefully amid the white drap-
ings Of her dainty bed. Then twas time
to go. He put the lamp back in the hall,
passed through her room, out at her
window and down the ladder and had
it we'll on the way back to the hooks on
JeTold's fence when seized and chal-
lenged by the officer of the day. Mad
terror possessed him then. He struck
biindiy, dashed OFF in panicky flight,
paid no heed to sentrys' cry or whis-
ting missile, but tore like a racer up
the path and never slaokened speed till
Sibley was far behind.
When morning came, the order that
they should go was temporarily sus-
pended Some prisoners were sent to a
neighboring military prison, and he was
placed in charge, and on his return
from this duty learned that the eoloners
family had gone TO Sablon. The next
thing there was some strange talk thst
worried him-a story that one of the
men who had a sweetheart who was sec
ono girl at Mrs Hoyt's brought cut to
casap--a story that there vas an officer
who was too pueh In love with Alice
70 keep away from the house even after
the colonel so ordered, and that he was
psoWling around the other night, and
e colonel ordered I4eary to shoot him
.---sssaTy, who was on post on No. 3.
Pc sait sure that something was wrong
ksls sure that it was due to his night
s''-.and his first impulse was to ind
sasoEher and conside the tTnth to her.
laageq g see her again. aud if harm
s szsn done . make hinseif known
zp.alp everything Having no.