The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-09-09

'hr"ss tnere' mysolf III the heart of 10
all working away. doubtless with seni
oo,nmendable in young oftloor
| 1ho skirmish was n matter of less
| than tom minutes. Whom wo hud sent
those Of the Apaohos who wero not LOFT
drad or wounded upon tho fold sornm.
bling up tho heights for thoir misornhIo
lives. wo pullod ourselves togother md
began to take note Of our own oondi'
tiOn.
Ono or my troopers was badly hurt I'm
tho side with N lance thrust, auothor's
leg had boon broken by u ball, and two
or throo were gruMhling over flosh
wounds moro painful than dnnrerous
Altogether wo had como or very woll.
Tho colonel had behaved liko tho OH
st'natr, narrow minded. hut horoio old
soldier that ho was, and now stood
leaning upon his sabcr, waiting to ro-
cctvo my respects. which l paid him in
duo form.
''fou have dono we'll, SIR" no con-
descended to remark, ivory wcll i'll
deed. Not that needed your hulp. No,
sir. we should have thrashcd thom all
tho samc'.-which was not truo--"hut
l thank you. lieutenant"
~ woman's roico crying out in mn
nnguishcd tonc: "Father! Fathcrl Ho
is dead! Como hcrol" interrupted our
conference.
Wo hurried to where a number Of
troopers, somo bearing torches ignitod
ut the smoldering campfire, had gath
cred about promo figure, whose head
was supported upon a girls knco. Tho
man s face was SO covered with blood
from wound that l did not recognize
him at first. Ho woro civilians dress
and his rigid hand still clutchcd a ro-
volvcr.
"Hcllo" cried tho colonel, his gcner-
Gus feelings in the ascendant for once
'That IS tho brave follow who gave us
warming of tho attack! Ho fought liko n
paladln. l never saw such utter reck less
gallantry, and have sco.. somo pretty
rough fighting i'll my timo too. a civil
ian at thatl l sincerely hopo he is not
badly hurt"
"Dcadl DcadP' sobbcd the girl heart
brokcnly. "Ho saved mo ut tho sacrifice
of his own life. -
"No, miss" said Sergeant jennings,
figure; "badly wounded, but still
alive"
"Oh, thank and bless you for those
words!' cried tho girl, raising her white
face and pushing back her looscncd hair.
Then, by the laro of tho torches,
saw that sho was one of tho lovelicst
beings had ever bchcld; that she would
havo been well nigh perfect in face, as
she was in figure, but for ono sad defect
-sho was blind Of ono eye.
'"Tho ball struck him just hero Oh the
temple" said jennings. Its an ugly
wound, but there is good chance for
him to pull through"
Murmuring again, "Blcss and thank
you, tho girl bent over him and wiped
tho blood from his face with her hand
| korchicf
1T is odd, " said tho colonel. 81 seem
to know that young man, but cannot
place him. There was something famil-
lar in his voice, too, rs he camo rushing
in before the skirmish."
"LoolS, father, replied his daughter,
turning tho unconscious face more to
tho light of tho torches.
| Henry Omorp calculated the colo
mel. And at tho samo instant I rccog-
nizcd my mysterious friend.
'What does it mcan?" continued tho
colonel, with an expression of mingled
trouble and pcrplcxity in his grizzled
features. "Ho was thought to be dead"
"And dead he will be-" intcrposcd
Sergeant Jennings bluntly, "if we don't
got him to tho fort as soon as possible "
Tho necessary orders were issued,
and half an hour later, with our wound
ed bestowed upon improviscd strctchers
wo took up our march for tho post
Agnes Montgomery rode close beside tho
litter upon which Omcr. still inscnsible
was borne. at every halt shc dsmount-
ed and hung over him until tho journey
was resumed.
Wo reached tho fort without annoy
anco from tho ApaChcs, and Omcr was
installed In tho coloncl's quarters, un-
der tho surgeons care, with Agnes for
nnrsa, For week he lay lowering be-
tween life and death, then was pro-
nounced out Of danger.
Ono day was sent for to tho coloncl's
dwelling. Proppcd upon pillows, look
ing wocfully haggard and weak with
bandago covering ono eye, | found
Omer. Standing at his bedside clasp
ing ono of his thin hands in both of
ucrS, WAS Agnes montgomery, looking
wan and worn, too, but thought thcro
was something Of quiet happiness
mingled with tho divine pity of her cx-
preston. 1 noted that sho wore glasses,
SO that tho defective eye was scarcely
observable.
Omcr smiled family az 1 approached
him and held out his other hand. ut
tered somo words of sympathy for his
misfortune and congratulated him upon
his escape from q worse fate.
"You may we'll congratulate me-" ho
said, "for l an tho happiost man on
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