Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-05-05
observed, easily, 7 hone nv sudde,

smiled into his hosts puzzled face.
i do feel little upset." McDougal
replied. 1.-THE truth is, | guess thii
long spell Of my own society wa,
about scattering the few wits I wa.
ever blessed with. Now, you won't
believe II, but when you came W
there, there was q woman with you
and when took my eyes off you for
q moment, she vanished. She isn't on
the mesa, for I've looked, but Just as
] passed the spot where saw her
last, l seemed to smell water-lilies
and PUSHES, and all that sort of wat.
cry thing"
Rather strange smell for these
parts,' remarked the youth, loosely,
seeing all the water you have runs
through six-inch pipe"
well, it was strange, that's fact;
but let's have supper" he added, hos.
pitably; you must be hungry after
your long tramp" He drew up q
,hair for his guest.
The table was spread with the best
the cupboard afforded, but the chief
dish-a roasted prairie chicken
caught the strangers eye.
Chicken. by Jove! Well, this ID
fine after barracks fare. There, the
cats out of the bag, SO l might as
well confess. I'm a deserter from the
regulars, and there's u good round
sum on my head by this time; but
I'm not afraid to trust myself to you;
I've proved that, haven't l, by giving
away the story. might have inven-
ted one, you know"
Il have little sympathy with de.
serters,' said McDougal, gravely,
but since you are one, it is just az
well that you should acknowledge it.
1t might be awkward to have II come
out later, and" he added, generously,
there may have been extenuating
circumstances"
THE circumstances were these:
was color-sergeant in the Eighty
Third. The colonel had q pretty niece
stopping with him. A lot Of the fell
lows were in love with her, and she
liked them all-me among the rest.
Three nights ago she disappeared,
and, unfortunately, disappeared the
same night. Her friends kept 1t quiet
from the camp until her body was &C.
cidentally found in a creek the next
afternoon. Then. when | got back
that night. one Of the fellows told me
the story and the rumor that connec.
ted my name with it. He advised me
TO skip, which ] did, and here | am,
two hundred miles from the scene Of
action, and at your service"
so far there seems to be very little
that is extenuating," said the older
man, sternly II you had nothing to
do with the girls death, you could
surely prove w.
wei, no; that was the worst Of t..
You see, there had been a party of
apaches camping near us during the
spring, and Nita-Nita was beauty.
Not such a pretty face-you know,
Apaches aren't handsome as a rule,
but arms!--and sh ulders!"
McDougal frowned and tbe bov
went on; "You see tbe Indians ,yere
going to break camn md I Ind IN
see Nito once more I did say .on
and the time passed-vou've M ldcn.
and when 7 left her. the tribe Ind nj.
ready started, and she had IN riJe
hard to catch them So vou 600 7
couldn't prove an alibi ~ T cared tn y
"Who killed tbe o;r,ou osLod Ar,
Doupnl. "'"e'
"Oh MIND killed berso,f. I'm dooa
sure Of thot In sact sha saia 's s1a
meant TO- but 7 d;dn,t holior 81" ho, ~" ~.
the time ~ w
McDonpol looked n Mic cooro,,,o,
auou, IA .h w. LIS, us on o., p'n'oa
Handsome some tbomaht ns, ,",u.
"a the narrator: "too dark 10 S Snit ,us
except nj frst 7 Thought hor Wv n n"s
we're fine-ond tbev were Too :" 10 .s sd
mitted in n penerous bnrst "as s "u
,lly when sbe was evciteJo p
This Dissertation gave McDoroo,
distinct relief Al least n w,s go
II. drowned girl,s wrath ho h', "' .n "os
IN the mesa. " -' 'ee"
That night when pesmond-n,oro
Desmond he had gwen os his nn,'' ""o
,ad retired, McDougol sat nondar,n,
over the events NJ tbe ofterpoon mo
believed the bov's story Tbat h" ,,,as
responsible for tho nir,,s
]eatb he believed too. bo had h;,,
,elf admitted Ms much. bnt tha a"a'',
With the Indian vir, seemed 10 ho ,,nl
,ermost in his mind and avon =, Nv -, ~
Doupal sat there be oou,d hoa 10 ~
y - ''''' 'Nut