The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-01-07
CHAPTER XIII.

uioIo Va tlS VI JilS lONC. LuIC UQaC
dreadful night, rousing for fow mo-
mcnts from tho stupor into which she
had been thrown by the announcement
that it was her own brother who lay
there downstrickcn in tho midst Of his
career Of = cri>ae and shame. Ellis Far
rar, littlo by little, realized tho whole
miserable trutIl, that he, hor brother,
was the ms! who had wrecked Helen
Daunton's lifc--Hclcn, who, to spare
that invalid mother al added sorrow,
he'd hidden from her tho name Of the
man whose brutal blows and curses had
rewarded her love.
More than oil did Ellis realize that
the lovor, whose loyalty and devotion
she herself had spaid with scorn and
contempt, had ',vIllrcd her words in
silence rather than botray another wo-
mans confidence and thereby divulge q
truth that would overwhelm with shame
all who bore the name of Farrar. Then
1T was that, hysterically weeping, she
broke down utterly,and before the set
ting Of another sun 3the another and all
the household learned from her lips that
It WAS all that was left Of Roylo Tarrar
hat now lay there, cold and stiff and
old hospital, awaiting the last volleys
and tho solemn trumpet salutation to
the soldier dead.
Only corporal's guard formed the
firing party when, just before sundown,
the remains Of Private Graico were laid
In the bleak. snow covered cemetery out
on the rolling prairie, but moro than n
dozen 1nen in the crowded garrison
knew by that timc that the folds of the
-aasisg~ asigg were draped over the mortal 10.
mains Of q colonel's son. ~-~-- -----
1t was an awestrckcn group that
gathered about the hospital when the
bearers came forth wa their burden
and placed it i'll the waiting ambulance
and tho firing squad presented arms
The iccG CT the %ccroaMt, the would be
murderer, Tom Graice, being buried
with military honors had not occurred
to the garrison as a possibility. Yet
here was the little escort; hero were the
trumpeters'-the band had been mcrci-
fully excused; hero were pallbcarers
from his troop instead Of from among
the garrison prisoners, as might have
been ruled when one Of their number
died; here were old Terry Rorkc and
Rome Of the senior scrgeants Of tho regi.
ment; hero indeed, with pallid face, was
young Lieutenant Farrar, with him Mr..
Ormsby, tho adjutant, quartormaster,
the surgeon and one or two veteran cap
ta1ns, Major Wayne And even Colonel
Fenton himselfl Whoever heard of such
an array as that attending the obcscquies
Of criminal? Fort Frayno was mysti-
fed and talked of it for hours, but the
story told itself before tattoo, and tho
mystery was done.
They had buried the flrstborn Of the
colonel whom all men loved and honorcd
and mourned, and old Fcnton himself
decided that. as Graico had never yet
been tried and convicted and could new
or appear before an earthly tribunal,
he must bo considered as innocent and
SO issued the order that no military
honor should be denied except the band.
1t was too bitterly cold for them to at
3tempt to play, for tho valves Of tho in
Estruments would freeze ut once, and it
Ewas deumed best that no sound Of tho
dirge music should reach the ears Of
Marjorie Farrar. NeiiRcr sho nor Ellis
knew when tho funeral took place,
Mrs. Farrar learning only Oh tho fol-
| lowing day, Ellis not until weeks there
| after, for. as q result Of all tho long,
| gradual rstt!;iiil, eliminating in tho shock
| Of that 't$agio night and tho realization
Of the wrGng sho had done tho honest
man who had so loved her, her strength
gave way, and brain fever and dclirium
supervened. In tho week that followed
that hapless holiday Ellis hovcrcd on
the borderland 'twixt life and death,
and no man could say that tho fatal
Ohristmastide might not claim still an
other of tho Farrars.
And that week was ono Of woe to Door
jack Ormshy. Flo haunted tho neighbor-
hood Of the Farrars; no hung about the
gateway, importuniMg tho doctor, the
colonel, Kitty, Will, anybody, for It'd
fngs Of tho girl ho loved. His fine, alert,
Intelligent face was clouded with the
dread and SORROW that overcamo him.
He could not SEQ Mrs Farrar--sho raro.
ly moved from hor stricken daughtcr's
side--but twico he saw and talked with
Helen, and once, with hor, walked out
to visit tho new made gravee All that
week tho shadows cast by tho glaro OF
the guardhouso flames seemed TO wrap
Fort Frayno in gloom. and people gazed
upon tho black ruins only with shud
der.
The Indians, ever superstitious, had
professed to see tho hand Of the Groa
Spirit In tho clouds, pointing romorsc
lessly ut the spot and warning them oi
further wrath to como as q consequence
Of tho unavengcd murder Of chief
tslin's son. Cowboys and hustlers, an
gered against the garrison because j
had interposed bc&weon them and Their
purroscd punishment Of Big Road.
band, saw here capital opportunity O
embroiling the red mon with theil
white defenders. BY dozens, in shivor
ing silence, wrapped in thoir blankets
and seated on their acraggy ponies, thr
warriors had looked on at the solemn