Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-12-24
7URONT Frederick County, Maryland Thursday December "a 1896
7ill was reviving and pulling himself

Will was reviving and pulling himself
together again, and by the time Wayne
and his fellows came riding in TO their
support through the fire splitting clumps
Of evergreen the boy was shouting his
orders and cheering his men as though
no blow had ever downcd him. But
Wayne's coming relieved him Of all re-
sponsibility OH that side, secured Far
we'll in his grasp on tho village, and
when at last Big Roads sullen, beaten
braves skunk away through the timber,
leaving the greater part of the village
women, children, old folks and few
disguised warriors-in the hands of the
troops, Wills frantically aching head
reminded him that he was i'll need Of
attention, and then it was discovered
that he was literally bathed in blood
and it was time for him to faint from
tho loss of it.
Heavens, what a to do there was at
Frayne when that boy was brought
home with the setting Of the second sun
thereafter his head bandaged and his
shoulder sore and his hurts severe, and
yet with the record that, despite it all,
he had fought his troop like veteran
-"like Farrar." Fenton handed him
over to his mother, after their long ride
in the ambu lance sent out to meet them,
and went OH by first train to comply
with his orders, and Marjorie took her
boy to her rejoicing arms, forgetful for
the moment Of Fenton, of Kitty, of all
else in the world.
And then, in q few days more. came
the major back with his squadron and
his recaptured village and more than
half tho recalcitrant braves, tired Of
their midwinter spree and quite ready
to be taken back to Abraham's bosom,
to be forgiven. and, what was more to
the purpose, feasted. And by this time
Will was we'll enough to be out again
and to ride to meet them and to well
come Wayne with especial enthusiasm.
for the major had re-enforced his ragged
line Just in time to save him from an
other rush such as had burst it and
downed him Oh the slopes a mile to the
east, and Kitty, no longer imperious
sweetheart, but devoted love. had found
It high time to take no further chances
and 10 had named the day and had
amazed the dreamy major by her decla-
ration that she would be married only
where Uncle Fenton could give her
away and Major Wayne, who had
"saved her Willy" could be best man.
There was one blissful episode, therefore.
h that sad and somber winter.
But SO far as our friends the Farrars
were concerned it was about the only
one. Not until the day after honest
Fenton had gone did it occur to Mrs.
Farrar to inquire how and why it was
the colonel left the command and spent
that night at Allison's ranch, and then
as the story was unfolded by Will her
sympathy and indignation knew no
bounds. Even Mt such time, when
wounded and maligned, when robbed
of his command at the very moment
when it was dearest to him and when
he must have been burning with eager
ness to face and confound his accuscrs,
Fenton had turned back to learn the
truth about the fight at Elk canyon and
wire to her-to her-the glad news Of
her boys safety, the proud news of his
spirited and soldicrly behavior. If Fen
ton could have seen her emotion when
from Wayne and Will she learned the
whole story, he would have found his
trials easier to bear.
He had gone, however. to department
headquarters, and there his accusers
were missing. Not one remained to face
him, and when called upon to substan-
tiate their statements. as they had ca
gerly declared their readiness to do, one
and all, they had business elsewhere.
The chief conspirators had achieved in
part at least tho ends for which they
were striving row with Big Roads
band that would enable them to get
square with White Wolf, Pretty Bear
aud the other alleged assailants of Pete
Boland, replenish their stock of ponies
and other spoils Of Indian war and
double the price of forage, and, though
the alleged murdcrers escaped them and
the village in great part fell into the
hands Of the Twelfth and Fenton came
back from headquarters vindicated
man, still they had given him and his
regiment far more trouble than the reg
iment had ever caused them, SO honors
were more than easy. "We've learned
tho old man not to monkey with the
cowboy again.
There was a sweet, wOmanly, CRATE
ful note awaiting the colonel when, aft
er all absence of fortnight, he return
ed to Frayne, but the Farrars were
gone. The doctor had said they could
not too soon move Ellis, once she could
be moved at all, to southern California,
and, with months leave in his pocket,
thither had Will escorted them, Kitty
going, too, as q matter Of course Jack
| Ormsby came west once more to meet
| Malcolm Leale and to tenderly conduct
him, sightless and suffering, to New
York, and Fenton felt that vengeance
indeed had been wrought by Thorpe and
that the Lord had been with the Phil
istines across the stream, for the light
had gone out of his life, and smiles and
sunshine seemed to have vanished from
Fort Frayne. Will came back in Feb
ruary and threw himself enthusiastical-
" into his duties with his troop, and
Wayne went incoming night after night
to the colonel's fireside, and Terry
Rorke, crippled with rheumatic twinge
about an old bullet hole, was limping
and growing about the post. and Fen
ton prayed for the coming Of spring and
sunshine and June and roses, for Kitty
had still another freak-she would be
married only from under the shadow OF
the flag and Uncle Fenton's roof. With
Ellis better, but still not we'll, tho Far
rars and Kitty had taken the Sunset
a~ r~o.., Nou&o~ay +o Now Or1eaNa