The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-12-17

many friends at court if things 20
wroDg.'
You shall not stay hero if have to
buy you to CO." she cried, but sho
shrank even as she spoke, as though
dreading blow, for with upliftcd
hand he Sprang to her sidc then rough
ly, savagolyr seized her slender wrist
'Who arc you to pose as guardian
angel of tho Farrars? Who arc You to
say 'shall' to me? Do you realize, my
love, that your place in the army is not
Ill officers quarters, but down yonder
i'll laundresses' alley? By tho Lord, I'vo
q mind'--
But here dark shadow fell between
him and tho slender writhing object Of
his brutal rage, an iron grasp was laid
III turn Oh tho hand that 20 cruolly
crushed tho white wrist. A deep voice.
eloquent with wrath, controlled, vet
boiling, seemed to ring in his cars tho
two words, "Lct gol'' and thrn rolcas-
ing pcrforce his hold OH the shrinking,
startled woman, Graice writhcd in fu-
rious effort to free himself from tho
cllnch Of Malcolm Loa1e, and writbed
in vain.
"You've tho DEVILS own grip" he
savngely hissed through his grinding
teeth
"I'vo grip, my man, that won't
loosen till you arc past doing further
mischief here" was the storm, relcnt-
less answer. Thon, uplifting his voice,
Loalo shouted for tho corporal of the
guard, and at tho instant the cry went
cchoing over the posts Of 6 and z. The
sentry still writhcd in impotcnt rage.
Finding his struggles futile, ho onco
moro lashcd with his tongue.
Don't be too surc of that, captain.
There aro some kinds Of hold even
your grip can't loosen.
"No insolence. You 60 from hero to
tho guardhouso rs il is
"D-n tho guardhouse, and you,
toe" ragged tho soldier hurting down
tho carbine. IF I'm to spoDd Christ
mas in limbo, I'm cursed if you shall
spend 1T making lovo to N.Y. And
here, with q tigerlilze bound, his free
hand brandishing glistening lnife, ho
lungcd at tho officers throat Il lithe
form had come lcaping like panther
up tho path, and even before Helen s cry
had died away Crow Knifo had hurled
|
ing blado was buried out Of sight.
There was moment Of furious strug-
glo, and then the sontry lay, felled like
IN OK i'll his tracks, and Lcalo's foot was
at his throat. Tho knife, blood stained,
had dropped in tho snow. Tho Indian,
his hand pressed to his sido, was sway
ing slowly back rs the sergeant of tho
guard, with a brace Of men, oamo run
ming to tho spot.
"Tai>u this man to tho guardhousc, "
was tho brief, stern Ordcr, as they lift
cd Graicc, stunned and sodden, to his
foot. Then tho captain turned to Grow
Knife "Did that crazy bruto strike
you! Are you hurt?" ho asked, in deep
! concern.
| "Captain," said tho Indian slowly.
Il believe I'm killed. -
Lealo sprang to support him. Other
| men, running to tho scene, linked thcir
| hands and mado chair and raised the
poor fellow from the ground. Garry
him gently to the hospital, lads. I'll be
with you in moment" said Lcalc, and
then no turned to where, trembling,
terrified, Helen Daunton still stood ns
though powcrlcss to move.
'Hclen-N1rs. Dauntonl First let nc
sec you home. ask no confidence, no
explanation, but this is something in
which | must help you. I havo guessed
the truth, havo I not2 That man is your
brother?''
"My brother, Captain Lcalc? God
pity me, that man is my husbandr
For mOmcnt not another word was
spoken. Lcalc had recoilcd-staggorcd
AS though struck mortal blow.
Then, in hoarso whisper, SO chokcd and
broken seemed his voice:
Your husband! Your husband, Hell
on? Oh, my Godl And I had thought
you free to be loved, as 1 have learned
AS you have taught mc--to love you. "
captain Lcalc," she cried, "in pity
say You do not believe that. Oh, hear
mo! DO not turn from NO." she implor-
ed, for in his misery ho had averted his
face. "You shall not think mo so vile"
she went on desperately. 81 never knew
until today that you had learned to-
care for me. | thought all that had gono
with my youth--oh, SO long agol Ionly
asked OF life II place where L could be
useful and safe and where, by and by,
perhaps | could forget. / havo scomc'
,
different from tho women men love that
| never dreamed it my duty to say | was
not free. Oh, | thought you wcro my
friend. My heart has boon so heavy and
so nnmbcd | have thought it dead since
that Christmas evo four years ago. All,
let me tell it to you, and you will under
stand. -Four years ago this night my lit
| tic sick baby woke and walled with
| pain. That man, my husband, was in
drunken sleep Oh the floor. The baby's
! cry woke him. IIo sworc dreadful oath
| at tho littlo weak. white thing in my
arms and struck it hard across the
mouth. ] don't know what wild words
l said to my husband, but told him I
would never SEQ his face again. Then I
caught my baby to my breast, and / ran
and ran through tho cold Christmas
streets, and tho stars went out, and tho
| lights went out in the houses, and the
| little baby on my breast grew heavier
and heavier, and by and by it was dawn,
and, oh, so cruelty cold and II npci-
cd the shawl and saw Here, over
| como ly thC rccOl lpctjOn fho pOnr woman