The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-14


some years before leaving her to strug-
gle for herself. DIR. Morgan vouched for
her integrity, and that. was enough. BY
the time Ellis was to return to her
mothers roof Helen Daunton was so
thoroughly established there. so neces-
sary TO her mother, SO devoted to her in
every way that for the first time in her
life, even while glad to mark the steps
of Improvement in the beloved invalid's
health and appearance, Ellis Farrar felt
the Dangs of jealousy.
And this was Wits graduation sum-
mer, and they had lovely time at the
sea shore. Kitty was there, and Kitty
was an accepted fact and more so now
Will would be content nowhere without
her, and would have married her then
and there but for his mothers gentle
admonition and Kitty's positive re-
fusal. She had been reared from girl
hood by doting aunt, had been petted
and spoiled at home and at school, and
yet had not a little fund of shrewd good
sense in her Overwhelmingly pretty head.
She wouldn't wear an engagement ring,
wouldn't consent to call it an engage
ment. She owned, under pressure, that
she meant to- marry Will some day, but
not in any hurry, and, therefore, but
for one thing the mothers gentle heart
would have been content
And that one thing was that Will had
applied for and would hear OF no other
regiment in all the army than that at
the head of which his father had died
y
understand and Mrs. Farrar couldn't ex-
plain how it was-why it was that that
of all others was the one she had vainly
hoped he would not choose. He was
wild with joy and enthusiasm when at
last the order came, and with beaming
eyes and ringing voice he read aloud,
Twelfth Regiment of Cavalry, cadet
Will Duncan sFarrar. to be second lieu.
tenant, vice Watson, promoted, Troop
c. Leales troop, Queen Mother
blessed old Malcolm Leale. What more
could / ask or you ask? What captain
in all the line can match him? And
kitty'S uncle in command OF the regi-
ment and post. Just think of it, madre
dear, and you'll all come out and we'll
have grand Christmas times at Frayne's,
and We'll hang fathers picture over the
mantel and fathers sword I'll wire
Leale this very minute and write my
respects to Fenton. What's he like, any
way, mother? i can't remember him at
all-nor can Kitty
But Mrs. Farrar could not tell. 1t was
years, too, since she had seen him, but
he was always faithful friend of your
father, Will, and he wrote me a beauti-
full, beautiful letter When we came
away
And so. late in September the boy
lieutenant left his mothers arms and,
followed by her prayers and tears and
blessings, was borne away westward to
revisit scenes that We're once familiar as
the old barraek walls at West Point
over rough mountain roads to reach the
railway far south of the Medicine Bow.
Now the swift express train landed him
at the station of the frontier town that
had grown UP on the site of the prairie
dog village he and his pony had often
stampeded in the old days. Here at the
station, come to meet and welcome the
son of their old commander, ignoring
the fact that the newcomer was but the
plebe lieutenant of the Twelfth, were
the ruddy-faced old Colonel and WHIPS
own troop leader, Captain Leale, both
heartily, cordially bidding him welcome
and commenting not little on his stall
wart build and trying hard not to refer
to the very downy mustache that
adorned his boyish lip. And other and
younger officers were there to welcome
the lad to his new station, and huge
was Wills comfort when he caught
sight of Sergeant Stein, the veteran
standard bearer Of the regiment, and
that superbly punctilious old soldier
Strengthened up like Norway pine and
saluted with rigid precision and hoped
the lieutenant was well and his lady
mother and Miss Farrar. There's moth
ing" thought Will. like the discipline
of the old regiment, after ALL" as the
orderly came to ask for the checks for
the Lieutenant's baggage, and all went
well until the lucklesS moment, when
the Colonel and Leale, with some of the
elders, turned aside TO look at batch
of recruits sent by the same train, and
Farrar, chatting with some of his fell
low-youngsters, was slowing his bags in
the waiting ambulance and there in the
driver Will recognized saddler Dono-
vans freckle-faced Mickey, with whom
he had had many a hunt for rabbits
in the old, old days, and then an
unctuous, caressing Irish voice fairly
blubbered out, 'fIivin save us if it isn't
really Masther WILL" and there, cor
porals chevrons his brawny arms,
was old Terry Rorke, looking wild to en-
brace him, and even as Will, half
ashamed of his own shyness, was shak-
ing hands with this faithful old retainer
of his fathers household in years gone
by the squad. of recruits came marching
past. The third man from the front,
heavily bearded, with a bloated, i'll
groomed face and restlessly glancing
eyes, gave a quick. furtive look at the
new lieutenant as he passed, then STUN
bled and plunged forward against his
file leader. The squad was thrown into
momentary disarray. The sergeant,
angered at the mishap at such a time,
strobe quickly uD to the offender and
savagely muttered: Keep your eyes to
the front, Graice, and you won't be
stumbling up decent mems backs" and
the little detachment went briskly on.
Il thought I'd seen that man before
said Leale an instant later, land now 1
know it-and / know where.
CHAPTER V.
The winter came on early at old Fort
Frayne Even AS early as mid-October
the ice was forming in the shallow pools
along the Platte and that eccentric
Streayr itself had dwjpd1ed awav