The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1897-09-17
6hPT:AIN CLOSE
BY CAPTAIN CHARLES KING.
Copyright. 1894, by ]. B. Lppincott Col
VIII.

As he rushed around to the southern
III this uproar proceeded-Lambert
anne suddenly upon two dim, swaying
igures. The one nearest him-that of
/ man-was clutching, throttling, APP
,arently, slighter form in white,
woman. The butt of his revolver
Enlightened out the dark fgurewith one
rack, and then for a moment every
hing was darkness and confusion.
amp, held by some screaming female
1t neighboring window, was dropped
With a crash The screams subsidized to
curry and chatter and Ethiopian pro-
estations and furious demands: you
.linor. you black nigguh-you let me
,ut this room instantly" Then rush OF
footsteps to the window again, and
ragic appeals: 'Mamma-ma-amma!
Nhut's happened? Do answer? Do make
Elinor let me go to you. or At1l jump
tut this window. Aim comm now"
And, indeed, a dim, slender form could
De deserted, arrayed in white, benuiEg
ow from the easement, when Burns
With his lantern came tearing around
he corner. Then a majestic voice, i'm
,erious even though well-nigh breath
ess, was heard: katherine, return to
your bed instantly. Do you hear? In
,tantly! And send Elinor to me-"
That Katherine shot back within the
sheltering blinds was possibly due not
% much to the impetus given her by
hose imperative orders as to that i'm
parted by the sight of a pair of Shout
ierstraps asd the face of the young Off
:er gazing in bewilderment above him.
Well might he look amazed! AT his feet
. On the pathway Private Riggs was
sprawling, half stunned by the blow he
mad received. On his back amidst the
wreck of glass hot-bed, Private Muir
ply was clutching at empty air and
Ealing ON all the saints in the Hibern: IAN
calendar to rescue him from the hands
Of that old bedlam. On the pathway, in
loose wrapper, her bosom heaving
With mingled wrath and exhaustion,
one hand firmly clutching a stout cane,
the other clasping together at ier white
aeck the shreds of her torn and dishev-
lied garb, her dark eyes flashing fire,
aer lips quivering, stood woman GER
silver in the beautiful hair streaming
down upon her shoulders and the deep
ines of grief and care in her clear-cut
md thoroughbred face. She leaned
heavily on the stick an instant, but
raised it threateningly as the luckless
Murphy strove to sit up and stanch the
blood trickling from his lacerated hands
and face.
Don't you dare to move, subj" she
painted, "unless-" And the uplifteh
nane supplied, most suggestively, the
.llipsis.
''Oh, fur the luv O. God, ma-am, don't
hit me ag'in! Sure, I'd niver prezhoome,
ma'am-"
Shut up, Murphy" growled Burns.
Its easy to see what brought you
here. Shall 1 let Riggs up, lieutenant?
He's bleeding a good deal"
But Riggs didn't want to get up. He
Topped helplessly back upon the grass
plot. Burns bent over and held his Ian
tern close. THE mans drunk, sir" he
said-"and cut"
II did that, I presume" said Lam
bert, still little out of breath alter
him daring to lay hands on this
lady. Madame, 1 sincerely hope you are
not injured. 1t is impossible for me to
say how deplore this outrage. These
men shall suffer for it, I assure you"
With rapid step the corporal of the
guard, bringing with him a couple of
men and another lantern, came iiur-
riedly to the scene and stood silent and
alert, CHANGING eagerly from face to
face. Two or three frightened negroes
had crept around the rear portico and
hung trembling behind their mistress.
With a shawl thrown over her head
and shoulders, a quadroon girl halted
half way down the steps from the side
door, her eyes dilated, and her i1ps
iwitching in terror, until a low voice
from within babe her go on, and iall.
dark-haired, pale-faced girl in long,
loose wrapper fairly pushed her for
ward and then stepped quickly to the
elder woman's side.
go back to the house at once, my
child. This is no place for you. Go to
not leave her bed. Col" And, silent
ly as she came, but with an infinite and
evident reluctance, the tall girl turned
and obeyed. Mrs. Walton had spoken
slowly and with effort. Of Mr.. Lambert
and his party she had as yet taken no
notice whatever. Again Murphy began
to squirm in his uncomfortable couch
of mingled mud and broken glass and
head lettuce, and the cracking ac-
commandment to his moaning once more
made him the object of the lady's atten-
ton.
Lie still, suh," she said, low and
sternly. You have broken mob glass
now, sub, than youth captain can re
place. Lie still whuh you are until my
suhvants lift you out-Henry!" she
called.
"Ye-assum," was the answer. as one
of the negroes came reluctantly for
ward, humbly twirling a battered hat
in his hands.
go fetch your barrow"
Indeed, Mrs. Walton" interposcd
Lambert, You need not trouble your
self. The guard shall carry these two
scoundrels to camp, and prison life at
Ship island or Tortugas will put stop
to their prowling. 1t is on your ac-
count I am distressed. We have no
surgeon at hand, I will send at once for
a doctor in town"
She raised slender white hand, re
linQuiShing her grasp upon the cane