The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1897-01-14

chain was peace and security before Will
reached the bottom Of the slope and be-
gan his examination Of the stables and
corrals. The last thing he saw as he
cast backward glance mort ! ard along
the snowy slope that terminated the
plateau on its eastern side was the soli-
tary figure Of Grow Knife, standing
mute, moJionless and attentive, just at
the upper end Of the post Of sentry on
No. 6.
He was delayed unexpectedly among
the stables, for one Of the orderlies, in
the absence Of his troop and officers, had
gone visiting among his associates in
the adjoining building, and one or two
spare horses were loose and roaming
about the gangway. The next thing he
heard Of his sentries there were excited
shouts for the corporal of the guard,
and, Fastening out into the night to as
certain the cause. he nearly collided
with little Meinecke, the trumpeter.
Lieutenant, !" cried the boy breath
lessly, "Crow Knife's killed, sir. Stab
bed to DEATH"
my Godn' moaned Will, as he has
tened up the slope. There's curse on
Christmastide at old Fort Frayne.''
When 10, 20 minutes had passed
away and Helen Daunton failed to re-
turn, Mrs. Farrar had become anxious
and i'll at ease. Leale, too had been
listening eagerly for her step on the
porch without, and, unable to control
his longing to see and speak with her,
despite her palpable efforts to avoid
him, he had early taken his leave and
gone forth in search. Ellis, slipping
from the parlor into the dining room,
had thence managed to go to her own
little chamber for a moment or two to
herself. Whatever doubt remained as to
the justice of her suspicious up to dinner
time that evening, it was banished now,
and her heart was hard against Ormsby
that he should have SO braved and de-
ceived her. Looking out from her win
dow she could see much of the walk in
front of Officers row, but not sign of
Helen Daunton. The clouds had thick
ened, the moonlight had grown DINNER
all Of sudden. Once more the snow
was sitting down. She could not dream
where Helen had gone.
It was a desperate woman who stole
silently out of the little army home
and intercepted Lieutenant Farrar at
the gate. In few words she made known
her errand and asked for the note Mr..
Orlnsby had placed in his hand, and
Will for the first time remembered it.
He had slowed it in the pocket of the
overcoat he was wearing as he returned
with Ormsby from the colonel S and was
compelled to run back indoors again to
find it. Absorbed though he was in his
own trouble, Will could not but remark
how strange it seemed that his mother 8
companion should be seeking and Orms-
by sending those mysterious notes at
night. He made such explanation and
excuse as he could, however, then hur-
ried away.
With nervous fingers Helen counted
over the money in the envelope. Two
hundred dollars! Ormsby was indeed
generous. Then, desperate, determined,
thoughtless of the military crime she
was about to urge upon her husband,
thinking only Of the dreadful menace
his presence was to the friends who had
harbored and sheltered her, she sped
away up the row and, turning through
the broad open space near the colonel s
quarters, came out upon the snow COW
cred brow Of the heights overhanging
the silent, icebound stream, and there,
barely 100 feet away, the dim outlines
Of the huge, hulking figure could be
seen. She knew it only too well-knew
lit at glance. Graice was standing on
post at the moment, listening apparent
~ to some faint, distant sounds of
maudlin revelry that rose from the un-
hallowed walls Of Bunko Jim's beyond
the Platte. With one brief muttered
prayer to heaven for guidance and
strength, she sped across the snowy ex.
panse and was at his side before he
could either halt or challenge. He never
had time to speak before impetuously
she began:
"Royle Farrar, must speak to you
here and now. If your being here meant
only danger and harm to me, you might
do your worst, and would bear it. YOU
are under a false name Your life has
SO changed you that as yet no one has
recognized you, but it cannot last, anc
then there will be bitter shame and per
haps death that would lie at your doo1
your mothers; your poor, gentle
mother, Royle, who holds her life only
through the belief that you are no lon
ger alive to bring further disgrace tt
your father name.''
But now he had partially recovered
himself and angrily interrupted: els j
my fault I'm here? Did I suppose of al
cursed places they'd send me to it would
be here, to be ordered about by my cul
of brother, to see my noble captain
making love to N.Y.
"You dare not say it!'' she cried.
ssYou've had some experience Of wha
I dare, my lady, and one thing dare
and mean 70 do is to stick it out RICH
here and take my chances at Frayne
| There's no other post where I'd find 81
many friends at court if things g
| wrong -