The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-12-03

when | would lay my whole life open
before you, must not yet tell you this.
But, Ellis, | givo you my honor I am
hiding nothing shameful to that poor
woman nor to me. 1t is only for a
time | must be silent. When I can
speak, you'll forgive me, dear. You will
thank mo that | do keep silence now.
Trust me, Ellis Can you not look up
at mo and say you trust mc?''
All, how pleading WAS his tono, how
full of lovo and fro and tenderness his
manly face, as in that still winter night
he looked down into her eycs Over ut
tho barracks thcro was sudden stop to
all tho music, but mems voices could bo
heard in excited talk. Along officers
| row many u door was opened and wOm-
ell and children wcro pcering out in
search Of explanation of tho unusual
summons. Over at tho adjutant's Office
q dark throng had gathered, the officers
of the garrison and other knots as Of sol
dlcrs or Indians could be seen, but Jack
and Ellis saw, heard, nothing Of this
! Her voice had tho ring of steel to it as
! she nnSwCrcd:
eff it were just question of my own
happiness, might trust you, but it is
my mothers happincss-pcrhaps her
life. 1 must know all there is to know
about that woman whom my mother
trusts SO blindly. I must know for my
self. IN the nuno Of tho love you offer
me will you tell me tho truth about
hcr?''
"Ellis, / cannot tonight. l have
| given my word.
"Thcn kccpit," said she with sudden
| passion. "kccp it and keep your love. "
! Then she turned and fed within the
chaplain's gate, leaving him standing
on the snowy walk without, sorrowing,
! yet determined.
For q moment hc stood there follow.
| ing her with his eyes Never stopping
| to knock or ring, she turned tho knob
and let herself into the brightly lighted
hall. He caught n glimpse Of the gray
! haired chaplain bending over q wOmunly
form. He caught ono fiecting Wow Of
Helen DanntOn's anxious face. Evi-
IDENTIFY tho call had been heard there,
too, and, coming as it did in the still
ness Of the holiday evening, it bodcd no
| good. Only on raro occasions or some
sudden emergency was Fcnton known
| to call every duty officer to his presence,
| even by day, and he would bo almost
| the last man to break in upon tho fcs-
| tiviticS of tho season with a stern call
| to arms unless arms and men both were
| needed somewhere. The day had been
! one long trial to Mrs. Farrar, and since
noon one long torture to hcr cherished
| friend. And SO, as they were seated
! about the claplain's fire and the trum-
| pct notes wcro heard, and q servant
| fastening in said, ITS officers call,
sir,' just as Ellis feared her mother
was seized with sudden faintness "My
boy, Willy! They won't take him." she
faltcrcd, and then sank back norveless
into her chair
| OrmSby turned and sped away for the
Office. at least he could ascertain the
cause Of the summons and bring them
| tdings if 1t meant no movc, but tho
first glance through tho window at his
| unclo's face, as Lo stood surrounded by
his officers, told tho New Yorker, al
ready experienced III frontier garrison
life, that something imminont was in
the wind. Fcnton was talking rapidly,
as was his wont when reused, and the
only faces in tho group that did not
seem to kindlo i'll response to tho light
IN his keen, sparkling eyes were those
of two heavily blankctcd Indians stand
ing sullcn and impcrturbable beside
him. Out in the snow half dozen non
commissioned officers wero gathered in
q group by tho littlo knot Of Indian
ponies and cowboy bronchos. An Indian
boy, lolling in his saddle, replied in
monosyllablcs to their eager questions.
A brace of cowboys, ono Of them obvi-
ously III liquor, sought to impress upon
all within hearing their version Of somo
row that had evidently taken place.
Among tho bystandcrs was Ormsby's
old friend, tho sergeant major, and to
him he appealed.
"What's up scrgcant?"
"Bccn fight, sir--cowboys and In
dians. Christmas drunk, | reckon. Tho
cowboys wcro having some fun with
their lariats, and they roped old Big
| Road or his pony and shot at him when
he showed fight. Then his two SONS shot
| Laramie Pete. and it looks liko gem
cral scrimmag". Big Roads whole vii
lagc is canpch only ten miles down
stream, and they're war dancing al
ready There's q lot Of drunken boys
over at town, and they swear thcy'l
rouse the county and clean out tho
whole Indian outfit.
Thanking the staff sergeant for his
information, OrmSby pressed on to tho
crowded room and stood in tho outslirt
Of tho throng Of officers. Fcnton was
speaking as nc entered tho hall, and his
voice had no uncertain ring. Hc had
been questioning ono Of tho cowboy
leaders, scowling, scmidcflant, but
splcndidly built specimen of frontier
chivalry, and it was evident that the
verdict Of the commander was against
these turbulent gentry and in favor of
tho Indians.
"By your own admission, Thorpe,
your fellows arc OH tear, and whether
they meant 1T as fun or not it was
rough fun at bees and nothing loss, than