The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-12-29
CHAPTER XIII.

had been his purpose, but he saw no
more Of the lady of his love. Late that
dreadful night, rousing for few mo-
mcnts from the stupor into which she
had been thrown by tho announcement
that it was her own brother who lay
there downstricken in the midst Of his
career Of crime and shame, Ellis Far
rar, littlo by little, realized the whole
miserable truth, that he, her brother,
was the man who had wrecked Helen
Daunton's life-Helen, who, to spare
that invalid mother an added sorrow,
had hidden from her the name Of the
man whose brutal blows and curses had
rewarded her love.
More than all did Ellis realize that
the lover, whose loyalty and devotion
she hersolf had repaid with scorn and
contempt, had suffered her words in
silence rather than betray another wo-
mans confidence and thereby divulge
truth that would overwhelm with shame
all who bore the name of Farrar. Then
1t was that, Historically weeping, she
broke down utterly, and before the set-
ting Of another sun the mother and all
the household learned from her lips that
1t WAS oil that was left Of Royle Farrar
hat now lay there, cold and stiff and
ltill in that bare, echoing ward Of the
old hospital, awaiting the last volleys
and the solemn trumpet salutation to
tho soldier dead.
Only corporal's guard formed the
firing party when, just before sundown,
the 1emains Of Private Graice were laid
IN the bleak, snow covered cemetery out
on the rolling prairie, but moro than
dozen men in tho crowded garrison
knew by that time that the folds Of the
flag were draped over the mortal re.
mains Of colonel's son.
It was an awestrickcn group that
gathered about the hospital when the
bearers came forth with their burden
and placed 1t in tho waiting ambulance
and the firing squad presented arms.
The idea Of the recrCant tho would be
murderer, Tom Graico. being buried
with military honors had not occurred
to the garrison as possibility. Yet
here was tho little escort; hero were the
trumpeters--the band had been merci-
fully excused; here were pallbcarers
from his troop instead of from among
tho garrison prisoners, as might have
been ruled when one of their number
died; here We're old Terry Rorke and
some Of the senior sergeant, of the regi-
ment; here indeed, with pallid face was
young Lieutenant Farrar, with him Mr.
OrmEby, the adjutant, quartermaster,
tho surgeon and one or two veteran cap
tains, Major Wayne and even Colonel
Fenton himself! Whoever heard Of such
an array as that attending the obesequies
Of criminal? Fort Frayne was mysti-
fed md talked of it for hours, but the
story told itself before tattoo, and tho
mystery was done,
They had buried the frstborn of the
colonel whom all men loved and honored
and, mourned, and old Fenton himself
decided that, as Graice had never yet
been tried and convicted and could new
er appear before an earthly tribunal,
he must bo considered as innocent and
so issued the order that no military
honor should bo denied except the band.
1T Isas too bitterly cold for them to at
tempt to play, for the valves of tho in
Btrutnents would freeze at once, and it
was deemed best that no sound of the
dirge music should reach the ears Of
Marjorie Farrar. Neither she nor Ellis
knew when tho funeral took place,
Mrs. Farrar learning only OH tho fol-
lowing day, Ellis not until weeks there
after, for, as q result of all tho long,
gradual strain, eliminating III the shock
Of that tragic night and the realization
OF tho wrong sho had done the honest
man who had SO loved her, her strength
gave way, and brain fever and delirium
supervened. In the week that followed
that hapless holiday Ellis hoverod on
the borderland 'twixt life and death,
and no man could say that tho fatal
Christmastide might not claim still an
other of tho Farrars
And that week was one Of woe to poor
Jack Ormsby. He haunted the neighbor-
hood Of the Farrars; he hung about the
gateway, importuning tho doctor, the
colonel, Kitty, Will, anybody, for It'd
ings Of the girl he loved. His fine, alert,
intelligent face was clonded with the
dread and sorrow that overcame him.
He could not see Mrs. Forrar-she rare
ly moved from her stricken daughters
side-but twice he saw and talked with
aelen, and once, with her, walked out
to vib,b the new made grave. All that
week the shadows cast by the glare Of
the guardhouse flames seemed to wrap
Fort Frayne in gloom, and people gazed
upon the black ruins only with shud.
der.
The Indians, ever superstitious, had
professed to see the hand Of the Great
Spirit in the clouds, pointing remorse-
lessly at the spot and warning them Of
further wrath to come as consequence
Of the unavenged murder of chief.
tain's son. Cowboys and hustlers, an
gerod against the garrison because it
had interposcd between them and their
prrposed punishment Of Big Road's
band, saw here q capital opportunity OF
embroiling tho red men with their
white defenders. BY dozens, in shiver-
ing silence, wrapped in their blankets
and seated on their scraggy ponies, the
warriors had looked on at the solemn
slttIo ceremony, ana within another day
by SCORES the cowboys and settlers were
spreading the story that the white
chief had buried Tom Graioe with all
the honors OF war, despite his crimes and
misdemeanors, simply because he had
killed the son OF an Indian chief---the
SON OF tho chief whose people killed the
colonel OF tho Twelfth when no attack
ed tho fleeing village on tho Mini Pusa
three long years before. 1t was the
white soldiers way Of taunting the red
man, 1t was proof Of his real feeling
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