The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-29

alone. therefore, ne went SWlIty DIT a.
gallop in pursuit and the sleepy stable
sergeant went back to bed, and the guard
remained on watch, wondering where
their sergeant had gone to, but all una
ware of the prisoners escape.
The river road? He spurred his horse
down the trail furiously until the post
was far behind him. On his right the
river flowed; OH his left the land rose in
ripping bluffs. a grey black mass in the
starlight For many miles in frotn OF
him he knew the long and lonely trail
stretched drearily, without house, with
out town, for night 100 miles, when at
last it ended at the railway. He was
able with an effort. to consider that the
two would spare their horses, knowing
how far they had to go, and hardly eX-
pecting pursuit before guard mount in
the morning. when the officer of the day
would make his report. They had more
than an hours start, but if he pressed
hard after them he would catch up soon.
That settled, he urged his horse to the
utmost, and gave himself up to the mad
rage of Jealousy and disappointment. He
had known her from a child to be wilful
and passionate and mischevious, but he
had never, in his alteration, believed her
capable of such deceit He did not stop
to think that love had forced himself to
break his oath, to neglect his duty, to as
sist a prisoner under his charge to es-
cape, TO forfeit if the truth became
known, the trust of his officers and the
name he had won in years of hard cam
paigning. He did not stop to think of
what love might have forced her also to
do He was wounded sorely, and he wish
ed for nothing but revenge.
9 The dust scattered in clouds about hint
the horse in that hot night, soon was
streaming sweat. He never slaclened
pace. Now and again there was creek
to cross, and through them he dashed,
needless of mud hole or rock or stump.
Once belated Indian freighter met him
and grunted an astonished. Howl!
Holmes hardly saw him, nor answered
his greeting. In an instant he was out
of sight and hearing. So he rode, blind
to all he passed, his eyes glaring ahead.
his teeth grating. seeking revenge for the
slight and the scorn and the lie.
They had travelled more quickly than :
he had reckoned they would, and the
sky of the midsummer morning was
turning slowly from gray to violet when
he saw them, and drew the revolver he p
carried as being on guard duty. He hail
ed them, and through the misty dimness
of the dawn they saw him and spurred T.
ahead with the cry of fear and surprise
His horse the fleetest in the troop, drew
up upon them, but, urged by terror, they
pushed on to the utmost. The sergeant
was within 200 yards of them when he,
leveled his revolver and fired. They We're
too far off for pistol shooting but the
shot resulted in bringing them to a
standstilI. He rode slowly up and refined
in facing them. The girl sat erect in
her saddle, her bosom heaving, her eyes
defying him. The musician looked at him
withhis big, brown eyes-despairing.
Holmes looked only on the girl, and even
as he did so that which had caused all his
misery in the last few years, his great
love for her, came back, sweeping in on
him as a flood washing away his wrath
and disappointment and longing for re-
venge. 1t was Katy Malone who faced
him, his pet in her school days the one
thing he had ever loved AS he looked
on her, flushed with exercise and indig-
nation. he put his pistol back in the hol-
ster, and the reins fell on hiss horses
neck. and he cared nothing for the others
presence, but held out his arms in over
whelming despair, crying.
this?'
The girl paused moment in surprise,
for she had surely expected an outburst
of colossal rage, but in a moment she
regained her usual possession. She
took the musicians hand in hers, in the
protecting way she had used when she
had met him in the island wood.
Because love him." she said. simply.
The sergeant's head dropped low over
his horse, and his tall frame shook.
When he looked up his face was gray
as the morning sky. All light was gone
from his eyes even as the stars were
disappearing in the heavens. He was
calm now.
You could not trust me to make you
happy" he said, slowly. Il begin to un
derstand. ] want to know one thing. Did
you care for me at all, before-he-
cameo"
She shook her head.
Never" she said.
He sat again erect, and looked up at
the Sky. In one instant his life stood
revealed. Lonely lonely, lonely, Through
all the years from the first early ques-
tionings of himself, Of who his mother
was and who his father, through ALI the
years of ill-used. soulsouring childhood,
through all the years of unfriended. STAR
wing youth, through all the years of man
hood. solitary and avoided by his COM
rades. he saw himself, babe, child. boy,
unfriended and alone. Lonely, lonely
lonely, Friendless and unloved
He looked at the young lovers, hand
finland What good W@Ild it do to ar
rest them. They would only hate him the
more. What good would it do to force
her back? Besides the escape must be
known soon, and he, in turn, would be a
prisoner The sky was changing into
blue; the sun was almost on the horizon,
but round his soul the night grew very
dark For while they watched him,
wondering, and at last he looked at them,
and his eyes were full of tears.
Ride on he said
They did not move, hardly believing
until he waved his hands impatiently.
Go" he said, "and-and God make you
both happy"
Without parting word, they wheeled
and fed.
He watched them disappear, and mo,
ment after, the crack of pistol rang out
across the plain, and the sergeant's rider
Fns, 49, -