The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-11-19
FoTFruyue
BY Capt. CHARLES KING, u. S. "A.
(Copynght, 1896, by F. Tennyson Neey.
CHAErliR VII.

Twas the day before Christmas, and
Erayno was merry with tho music of
Christmas preparation. Ever since rc-
Velllo tho mon had been busily at work,
| and While most Of them wcro engaged
| III tho decoration Of their barracks
mcssrooms and tho littlo chapel, Terry
Rorkc, with u good sized squad, was
still putting tho finishing touches on
the assembly hall. An odd thing had
happened that morning. No ono had
ever known that fellow Graicc to offer
to do Il stroke of work of any kind, csnr-
clally where Rorllc mad anything to do
with the matter, yet here he came, right
| after rcvcillc, to tell that very man that
il it was all the same to him he'd take
tho place of Higgins, who had been put
Oh guard, and would help at tho assem-
bly, room.
There's no whisky to be had there,
Graicc, if that's what You want, and
yc look more II liko it. Answer mo this,
now. Whcro'd 80 been whin yc came
runnin in at O'Clock this mornin?'
'On still hunt, corporal" answer
cd Graicc, with a lcer "It's to keep
away from whisky this day I'm ready
to work with you. Pm supcrnumcrary
of the guard.
'Iou were drinliin last night and
you've had yer eye opener and brain
cloudicr this mornin, bad scran 10 We.
There's an internal revenue tax on tho
breath Of yo that would make an cx-
clscman jealous. But, God be good to
us, av it's to kapo mischief away from
the garrison this day I'll go yc. G'wan
now, but whist, yo'vo 10 liquor about
yc, Graico?'
Devil drop outside Of my skin,
corporal" "
'Thcn kapo out of reach Of il and
out OF tho way Of the ladies, lest tho
sight Of yer ugly mug would throw
them into fits. G'wan," and Graice
went WAS 1t yc, ye black throatcd
devil, that gave that sweet lady her
fright last night?" he continued reflect
lvcly. 'Thcrc's no prOvin it beyond the
boot tracks, and they'd fit worse look
III feet than yours. It's the wan mari;
or the gentleman that's left to yc Yes,
sergeant, l'll kapo mo ego Oh him. hc
continued, i'll response to u suggestion
from the senior rnoncommissioncd Officer
or the troop, who camo forth from the
hot about that business of last night
and hk" as not there's tho bluck:suard
| NOW, what on earth docs he wan, to b,
playln Pcepin Tom about tho officers
quartcrs?'
'Nogood. of course, but We can prov,
nothing, as you say, except that no WA
out of quarters and wasn't at Bunk,
Jlm's after ! o'clock. Ho was hero ant
in bed when Inspected
very httlo was known about thi
episode Mrs. Daunton had quickly re
Vlvod under the ministralion of Eli.
and Mr.. Ormsby, and, half laughing
half crying, had declared that just as
she reached tho window the blind
swung slowly back and tho moonlight
| 1cll full on the head and shoulders of 1,
| man with fur cap. black beard and
soldiers overcoat. Sho could describe
no other features. Iio saw her at the
same instant Each rccoilctl, but in her
excited, nervous state it was too much of
shock. Ellis, who at first had been
prone to attribute Hclcn's prostration to
tho interview with Ormsby, recalled the
prowlcr she herself had seen and could
not but cOrroborato Mrs. Daunton' 3
story. Jack had rushed out, only to find
boot tracks in tho snow and an un-
fastened blind, but no other sign of a
man. Mrs. FarTar was kept in total ig-
noranco OF tho affair, and only Lcalo
and Will at first wcro taken into the Sc
c1ct, though tho captain at Onco went
10 consult his trusty nOncOmmissioned
officers. All tho samo, though Helen
laughed at hcr weakness when morning
came, she and Ellis, parting for tho
night with but few words and each feel.
ing conscious Of the gulf between them,
passed restless and diSquiGting night
Just what mischief that fellow Graicc
was mcditating puzzled not Il little the
honest pate of Terry Eorkc For time
the man worked buSily, silently, lug
glng bundles of greens into the hall and
bare, stripped branches out. O.rrc or
twice, in answer to chatting remarks of
the otEcr men, he had IctHliatcd. Once
again, coiliding wiih Crow nniic at thi
door, he had muttcrcd an angry curse
and bade the rcdskin keep out Of his
way unless he coveted trouble Tho In
dim's eyes flashed vcngcfully, but he
spoke no word
1t was just after guard mounting that
Graicc had offered his services, when,
rs upcrnumcrary, he really did not
have to work at all and was not proper
ly dctailablo for any such fatigue duty
BY 10 o'clock, however, it was apparent
to moro than ono present that no was
drinking moro liquor and had it con.
ccalcd probably somewhere about the
premises or in his ovcrcoat R0rkc
warned him and got IL sullcn reply. Not
minute after, although strict orders
had been given against smoking, be-
! cause OF the flimSy nature OF the struc.
turc and the large quantity Of inflam.
mablc material scattered about, he pre-
| cipitatcd an excitement. Right in the
entrance Of the hall big sQu,.rr 'or
had just been placed by two Of the men,
/ and Crow Knife was care ully removing
! the lid, when Gr"iCc, MrchInS in from
! the dressing room with bundle OF
/ greens, st,Elhlcd against the cdgn Of
| the cas-. und, dropping his lArucn with
| o savage cuyc, be drew lack his hcav-
! lily booted foot az through TO let drive a
! furious KICK.
Instantly the Indian intcrposcd.
"Don't kickn' he sad. "liu,d your
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