The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1897-02-18

boy to her rejoicing arms, forgetful for
the moment of Fenton, of Kitty, of all
else in the world.
And then, in few days more, came
the major back with his squadron and
his recaptured village and more than
half the recalcitrant braves, tired Of
their midwinter spree and quite ready
to be taken back to Abraham's bosom,
to be forgiven, and, what was more to
the purpose, Toasted. And by this time
Will was well enough to be out again
and to ride to meet them and to vel
come Wayne with especial enthusiasm,
for the major had re- enforced his ragged
line Just in time to save him from an
other rush such as had burst it and
downed him on the slopes mile to the
east, and Kitty, no longer imperious
sweetheart, but devoted love, had found
it high time to take no further chances
and SO had named the day and had
amazed the dreamy major by her decla-
ration that she would be married only
| where Uncle Fenton could give her
| away and Major Wayne, who had
''saved her Willy could be best man.
There was one hlissful episode, therefore.
In that sad and somber winter.
| But SO far as our friends the Farrars
were concerned it was about the only
one Not until the Gay after honest
Fenton had gone did it occur to Mrs.
Farrar to inquire how and why it was
the colonel left the command and spent
| L,& ;.l+ - fba,,
as the story was unfolded by Will her
sympathy and Indignation knew no
| bounds. Even at such time, when
wounded and maligned, when robbed
of his command at the very moment
when it was dearest to him and when
he must have been burning with eager
ness to face and confound his accusers,
truth about the fight at Elk canyon and
wire to her-to her-the glad news of
her boys safety. the proud news of his
spirited and soldierly behavior. If Fen
| ton could have seen her emotion when
rom Wayne and Will she learned the
whole story, he would have found his
trials easier to bear.
headquarters, and there his accusers
were missing. Not one remained to face
him, and when called upon to substan-
tiate their statements, as they had ca
gerly declared their readiness to do, one
and all, they had business elsewhere.
The chief conspirators had achieved in
| part at least the ends for which they
were striving, a row with Big Roads
band that would enable them to get
square with White Wolf, Pretty Bear
and the other alleged assailants of Pete
Boland, replenish their stock of ponies
and other spells of Indian war and
double the price of forage, and, though
the alleged murderers escaped them ano
the village in great part fell into the
hands Of the Twelfth and Fenton came
back from headquarters a vindicateC
man, still they had given him and hi:
regiment far more trouble than the reg
iment had ever caused them, SO honor:
were more than easy. We've learned
the old man not to monkey with The
cowboy again.
There was q sweet, womanly, CRATE
full note awaiting the colonel when. aft
er an absence Ct a fortnight, he return
ed to Frayne, but the Farrars wer,
gone. The doctor had said they coult
not too soon move Ellis, once she coult
be moved at all, to southern California
and, with months leave in his pocket
thither had viii escorted them, Kit,
going, too, as a matter of course. Jacl
Ormsby came west once more to nee
Malcolm Leale and TO tenderly conduc
him, sightless and suffering, to New
York, and Fenton felt that vengeanc
indeed had been wrought by Thorpe AM
that the Lord had been with the Phil
istines across the stream, for the igh
had gone out of his life, and smiles aD,
sunshine seemed to have vanished from
Fort Frayne. Will came back in Feb
ruary and threw himself enthGsiastical
~ into his duties with his troop, ant
Wayne went incoming night after nigh
to the colonel's fIeside, and Teri
Rorke, crippled with rheumatic twine
about an old bullet y lie, was limpin
and growing about the pest, and Fen
ton prayed for the coming Of spring an
sunshine and June and roses, for Kilt
had still another freak-she would b
married only from under the shadow c
the flag and Uncle Fenton's roof. Wit
Ellis better, but still not well, the Fan
rars and Kitty had taken the Sunse
route from Monterey to New Orlean
the end of March and reached Gotha1
just as the buds were opening in til
park, and Wayne, east on leave O
some mysterious mission, called to we
come them home and to say that Orms
by was to sail at once with MalcolI
Leale, who was to go to Germany
consult an eminent oculist, and ELI
lost the color which was futtering i
her cheeks when they hove in sight {
the familiar landmarks of the beautifu
harbor, and Helen Daunton strove
conquer her own disappointment tia
she might comfort the poor girl, who
since the tragic night of her brother
!, death, had neither seen nor heard fro1
the lover she had rebuffed and wronget
even though here and now she had wri