The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-11-17
An Anti-Oklahoma Romance.

All Htitl-SNldIIOTIid nOfftdftC0.
Colonel Garrison swore loudly and raised
a terrible noise. but the company clerk
stood respectfully at attention until the
storm had spent itself. Then he spoke:
$50 1 have no hope even IL / buy out
and turn civilian again. he said quietly,
during the lull
mo, sir; no." was the answer he got.
Now goi" the old man exclaimed and the
young fellow turned and left the room.
The army is going to HI. indeed" NUT
tered the old man. when he was alone, IF
every dirty enlisted man can come in and
calmly ask for the hand Of an officers
daughter-an officers daughter, by Cd"
he exclaimed as he brought has fist down
upon the desk with a shock that made the
inkstand turn over.
That night as the new moon was Just
setting. lady and a young man in the
dress Of a cavalry private stood in the
shade of the few trees that bear the name
of willow Grove" and stand just north
of the officers quarters at Fort Reno. o. 7.
The company clerk was speaking:
You'll remember, darling, at O'Clock?
I'll have the horses here
''Pll be on time che whispered and they
parted, she going toward the command
ants quarters. while he lit cigarette and
strolled in the direction of the barracks.
The Colonel sat at breakfast next morn
ing. The mail had been scanned and the
tempting meal was growing cold. He
turned to the negro girl who waited on the
table:
GO up to your mistress room, Chloe.
and tell her 1 am waiting breakfast"
In a few moments the negress returned.
Miss Florence isn't in de room, sab;
found dis on de table," and she handed him
a note marked Papa"
The Colonel read it and swore. Then
jumping up from his chair he dashed out
Of the door, and met the officer of the
day on the parade ground.
Captain Morgan" he said. get ten Of
your best men and horses at once. Hurry"
Before Oklahoma and the Cherokee Strip
was thrown open to settlement, a road,
called the Abilene TRAIL" wound its way
through that country, starting in the
Texas Panhandle and ending at the town
in Kansas from whence il derived its
name
One summer evening a young fellow in
the uniform Of a L. S. cavalryman and a
lady, each mounted on powerful horses,
bearing the brand ~. S." rode up the
tran to the point where it crossed the Salt
Fork Of the Arkansas river, just north Of
where the town of Round Pond now
stands. AS they stopped to water their
horses the one which the young lady was
riding showed signs Of falling, and she
quickly dismounted. The steed released
from its burden, rolled over into the river
and died.
"Confound the luck" muttered the COM
oany clerk, and added to his companion:
You must ride behind me, Florence. If
we can reach E. Hewin's ranch before the
oursuers we are SAFE
She mounted behind her lover, who occa-
sionally glanced over his shoulder at
;peck of dust it seemed, moving rapidly
Onward them from the south. The horse
was tired and overloaded, and could travel
but slowly. At the crossing Of Pond Greek
he mounted men could be seen only about
mile away. Soon they were within hail
ng distance and the couple pursued heard
he halo.
stop, or we shoot"'
Shoot and be id" was the clerks an
'wer.
1t was growing dark rapidly and the girl
vas put in front of the young fellow to
guard her more completely from the bull |
cts.
A puff of smoke came from one Of the |
,ursuers' carbines-then another.
The girl clasped her hand to her side, |
While a slender, crimson stream trickled |
lown. The clerks night arm fell useless |
o his side and he grasped the reins in the |
'ther hand. 1t was now so dark that the |
'ursuers halted.
The young man whispered to his compan- |
On, whose face was white and drawn with |
ain:
''Will 1 turn back, dear? You can then /
e taken somewhere TO get medical at
And you-what would they do with |
ou?" she answered.
Il would probably try the stretching |
Qualities of rope" he said.
Then, we will go on"
And on they went. The horse was turned |
rom the road in the direction of the Ar
ansas City ford on the Chicaskia; the
IAN was growing weak from loss of blood
nd the horse stumbled at every step. The
irl had tainted and lay helpless against
err companions breast. Then the horse
tumbled 20 his knees and the riders went
rom his burden, limped off toward the
outh.
The man lay dazed, dreaming. The girl
~ senselesS a few feet from him. The
rairie dogs came tmidly from their holes
nd looked with wonder at the scene At
myth the man raised his head and looked
round. AS he did so, a faint howl, as of
dog, reached his ear. Then came another
ON an opposite direction. 1t was follow
! by chorus of the same kind from ali
oints OF the compass. Two or three dark
)rms trotted up from one side, a dozen
ON the other. When near the man they
owled again. The dazed look in his eyes
ave place to one Of terror. Drawing his
stol he fired it, one, two. three, four
mes, but without effect, as he held it in
IS left hand and was weak and trembling.
ut one load now remained. He crawled
ainfully TO where the girl lay and put
S ear TO her heart. It did not beat.
rawing his pistol again he put it to his
nipple and pulled the trigger.
Next morn.ng while Lon Norris, the
reman of Hewin's ranch, was hunting
,rses, he came upon the bones Of two per-
ms. picked clean. The coyotes had done
eir work well.
IA. REGNIER