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

l kept his counsel and thereafter mado
practice of riding out to his jacale
once or twice Il week.
He always welcomed mo as if glad to
sec me, and l think ho really camo to
like mc. But mado no advance in his
confidence. The smallest allusion to tho
past turned him cold and stern in al i'll
stant gathered from his talk that he
had once been we'll to do, had occupied
some station in tho world and was not
ignorant of the customs of good society.
But beyond that could not lead him by
my most cautious and skillful diplo-
macy.
Once indeed caught n glimpse Of his
secret. though so Vague that it revealed
nothing, through an outbreak Of passion
which really dccpcncd the mystery
| had been pressing him to givo up
his unsocial habits and to visit tho post
We had II small contingent Of ladies
there, told him, wives and relatives Of
the officers, who would be pleased to
add hin. 20 tho number of their friends.
He smiled, but shook his head in his
obstinate way.
Como, now" l said pcrsuasvoly
"You will find yourself favoritc, as.
sure you. Besides, we have just insti-
tutcd IL tennis club, and you would be
exactly the man'-
stopped short, literally appalled, by
the change in his features His face be.
came livid, he started to his feet and
stared at me with un expression Of min
gled rage and misery.
"Tennis!' he rather shriekcd than
said. lyon invite mo to talko part in
that Internal pastimo, which has mado
mo what l am, an OutcaSt, u homeless
wanderer on tho face of tho earth, which
has deprived mo Of everything held
dear on carth!'
"But tcnnisp' 1 replied in utter
| amaZcmcnt. "Suroly SO innocent and
| harmless an amuscmcnt''--
Innocent! Harmlcssl" ho repeated.
"Man, it has made mo q criminal worse
| than murderer. 1t has devoted mo
while live to endless, hopeless re-
morso.''
could do nothing but gazo at him
| in helpless wonder. Ho saw tho effect
of his raving upon mo, for ho controlled
| himself with great effort and sank
| back into his seat, wiping tho drops OF
sweat from his forehead.
"Pardon me-" he said family. II
must seem madman to you, but
| have associations Of tho most painful
| kind with that amusement" 1 saw
that he could not bring himself to utter
the namo. "Pleaso forget what havo
said and do not mention that--that sub
jcct again"
promised and left him, considerably
upset by my experience.
On my return to tho fort I found tho
garrison in state Of unwonted excite
mcnt. A runner had brought III the
news that Chief Colorado and his
Apaches had again broken out from
their mountain fastncssos and were
burning, destroying and numbering III
their customary fashion. Within tho
hour another courier had arrived from
tho eastward with tho information that
our colonel, with his wifo and daugh-
ter, was on his way to tho post.
A messenger on tho back OF fleet
mustang had been dispatched to warn
him of the danger, so that he might not
undertake tA.o journey from tho station
at Guadalupe over region sure TO DO
infested by the Indians before he coul"
reach tho fort. But those or us VINO
knew Colonel Montgomery had little
expectation that our warning "oulo
affoct him, except indeed to confirm nm
in his determination to make tho trip
for in plain truth there was not a moro
obstinate, pigheaded old fellow Ill tho
service. Ho had but to receive "ora
of advice, howsoovor respectfully word
ed, from All inferior to decide him I'M
movably against 1t. Moreover, no kne"
nothing Of Indian warfare, his now ap.
pointmont to our post being his hrst
7 command beyond tho Mississippi, but
for that very reason he would be the
moro certain to resent suggestions from
those whose experience might have
! taught him something.