The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1899-01-04

10 cover his troubles, so ne ala NOT
confide in men. Heroes can hate well.
Why my eyes wandered to the op-
posite side OF one of Lander's letters
while he was holding it up, and there
fingered for q single disgraceful Sec
ond. is something more. than can ex-
plain. can only regret it. At any
rate, / saw these words:
"Oh, Charlie, do let me come to
youp
A lady-killer is my silent friend,
thought I; but didn't mean to read
part OF his letter-really, 1 didn't.
After FIVE weeks the troops we're
ordered to the barracks. No cpe was
sorry, for life on target range in Ari-
zona is tedious, putting itwith studied
mildness. And then they have mos
quito netting in the barracks.
A tragedy was enacted on those
moonlit foothills OF Old Baldy's base
the last night on range. I am not q
handy man at tragedies. 1t was this
Iway
"Say, old chap" said Lander in a
light manner the morning before, &
little favor for me, will you? I wan
you to meet q lady for me. believe
I will have another engagement to-
night'
ga lady in this countryl" I whis.
pered excitedly. Nothing but greaser
maidens and squaws had / seen for
months-it seemed.
Reluctantly he handed me a note,
part OF which is below:
81 could NOT help coming. was frantic
when learned that lie was transferred TO
your troop. You must meet me tonight.
Did you think l could forget you. oh,
Charlie, l may be acting unwomanly, but
am desperate. No one knows mo here In
the village. will be near the last adobe,
but on the north. oh, why did you go
away2 Thought - Come tonight.
ELSIE"
''It's common yarn, said Lander
neryously. "She knew me up North
as civilian. Grim and l were sta
toned there. but heelid not know me.
1 was only a private. She was lovely
to us both. The queer thing about it
is that 1 won out. Then it occurred
to me that / was only common SOL
dier, who had funked at everything
else he tried, and hardly fit to marry,
SO I applied for transfer and chased
out, She wouldn't have Grim any
how.
NOW Grim turns up again in the
attitude of my superior officer, which
is very dramatic, and the little wom-
an is here, Which is also very dramat-
| ic; and as / can't see them both, /
want you to go to her. l must keep
the other engagement. Tell her I'm a
deserter or dead or any old thing"
For the second time heard Lam
der laugh low and melodiously. I can
hear it yet.
"There'll be show down to- night,
he said.
After retreat, the lieutenant called for
his horse aud loped slowly downward.
The sun was red and low, and the
silkep flag over headquarters was
cased for the night. A little later
Lander entered the tent, threw his
cartridge belt about him and saun-
tered carelessly out.
Don't keep the little woman wait
ing long," he whispered to me. I
watched his form grow dim in the
shadows toward the village. Then
stepped into my cartridge belt, looked
at my six shooter and became one of
the mysterious downward procession,
Something is going to drop on the vii
lage road this night, 1 thought.
Lander was sitting by the road side
mile from camp. He smiled, but
did not speak to me. While I waited,
I wondered why Ihad aforementioned
to shake hands with Lander that
night.
1t seemed long time before the
lieutenant's horse was heard down
the road. hoped that Lander would
not pick off his man from ambush. I
hated to think he would do it.
"Dismount, lieutenant" sang out
the man who had been kicked, and he
did not salute his superior officer.
What Grim said as he obeyed is
rather important but not necessary to
this narrative. But Grim knew then
that he was only common human
man, like the being before him, whom
he had kicked. He saw in the faded
twilight private in the regular army
who in the presence Of other men was
his slave but, who alone, in the foot
hills of Arizona, was q cool, deter
mined, smiling foe. He saw before
him the handsome Charlie Howard,
who was loved by woman he loved.
He saw the reckless light in Howard's
eyes which boded no good. And in
spite of all these things, Lieutenant
Mat Grim was game.
The moon was looking over old
Baldy's icy crown now and,the great
dome above and the sand below were
filed with its whitenesss.
'You acted the coward once, little
officer-try to be a. man tonight" II
heard Lander say. "It was imprac-
tible to procure seconds, SO you will
have to rely upon the honor of COM
mon soldier. Perhaps you never as
sociated such sentiments with an en-
listed man. see that you have your