Daily camera., 1897-02-02


corporal both shot in the attempt. aud
the stage abandoned and burned. And
there III that sitting hole. without wa
ter for the wounded, they had fought
off dash after dash of the Indians; but
their ammunition was almost gone,
and only two men had any fight left i'll
them, when they heard the welcoming
crack of the rescuers' rifles. Even then
the Indians hung about all the long
afternoon and night, and Lambert got
his Painful wound in heading a little
squad that ran the gauntlet TO a neigh
boring spring for water fer the fevered
wounded. Of his own conduct Floyd
had little to say. c'What else did they
expect of a Walton" was his mothers
comment. SIS bravery 50 rare an at
tribute in the federal ar1ny?'0 but he
could not say enough about YONG
Lambert. 'We were fighting for our
lives; we had to fight" he said; but
he risked his to fetch US water. | coy
that young fellows trump And he
flashed a significant glance at Katese,
for Cousin Bart, with the imbecility Of
manhood, had let that domestic cat out
Of the bag, and then, once started. had
told more Floyd Walton, under pledge
of secrecy, was held spell-bound lis
tener to Cousin Bart the second night
after his arrival, when the rest of the
family had gone to bed. Bart had
been celebrating his cousins deeds and
rejoicing over his return to the extent
of tangling his tongue, but Floyd could
not trip him on his facts. IF you
don't believe me, you can ask the doc
tor-asIl Col Scroggs--or Walton =
he'll be hyuh to-mawwo," said his in
'ormant. "That's the kind of Yank he
is, by Gawd, sub; an if l thought they
was nav like him you bet I'd recon-
struct, too. But the Lawd don't make
too many like him, nor young Lambert,
either
And when Floyd finally went to his
room that night after the low
ing visit to his mothers bedside, he sat
long at the open easement, gazing out
on the soft, still beauty of the moorlit
night, his heart touched and thrilled
as it had not been for years, and his
pride humbled. While he waywaTd
and forgetful of their needs, had left
mother and sisters to struggle for
themselves, and had lost himself in vain
dreaming of 9 sweet-faced girl who he
had early enough been warned was not
for him-while he, reckless, selfish,
weak, had abandoned himself to drink
and despair and then to the cold char
ity of the world-it was an alien and an
enemy, an uncouth soldier in the hated
blue, who had stood between the stricb-
en- and helpless ones at home and abso-
lutte want and privation. The good
angel who 1ninistered to them in their
distress, even when stipulating that
they should never know whence came
the needed aid, and who finally became
the purchaser of the Gesolate and
ruined place, thereby supplying the
means to make them so content and
comfortable row, was that creature of
strong tontEasts, Capt. Close.
Not until long after midnight did
Walton leave his seat by the open case
ment and seek his pillow; but there
was another watcher whose vigil out
lasted his. In the little batch OF let
ters brought by Cousin Bart from the
posi- office that evening was one which
bore the Austin stamp and was ad-
dressed in Lambert's hand. Reading il
hurriedly, Floyd had changed color
and thrust it in his pocket, Katesis
watching him with furtive eyes, yet
never trusting herself to a question.
1t was Esther who eagerly demanded
news of their absent friend. "Oh, yes,
he's getting better" Floyd admitted,
hut then faltered. When was he COM
ing? Oh, Lambert didn't say. The
doctors probably wouldn't let him
travel just yet. The letter was main
ly about-other matters about Col.
Sweet, who didn't seem to be doing
as well as they could wish. His wife
was on the way to join him. Didn't
Lambert send any word or message
No. He probably wrote in a hurry.
And that night Miss Katesie sat with
her dimpled chin buried in her pret-
ty round arms, gazing long out upon
the flashing waters, sad, silent and
deeply troubled girl. There was some
thing in that letter that concerned her;
and how dingreeable she had been to
Lambert! and she just knew it! and
Floyd was mean and wouldn't tell her!
AT least this was the burden of her
song when 1T two o'clock in the morn
ing she threw herself sobbing into
Esther's loving arms, and Esther,
soothing and smiling softly to her
SELF, thought she could soon find means
to comfort her.
That week brought other letters, and
a telegram to Floyd,,and he had busi-
rcss in New Orleans and must go over
for a, day Lambert was coming on
from Texas, and he'd fetch him back
with him. Everybody could see he was
feverishly impatient to get away, and
sad sn.ile fickered about the moth