Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-12-01
CLARENCE
BY BRET HARTE.

sHiSu SeHiy. erndpS-W
knows?"
He sat down and wrote hurriediy
This" he said. handing her a. slip o.
paper rs a pass. You will use It be.
yond your own lines. This note," he
continued, handing her a sealed envel.
ope, lis for the general. No one else
u see IL, or know or it-not ever
your lover-should you meet him."
M ~ lover!" she said, indignantly
with a flash Of her savagery, "whal
do you mean? 1 have no lover!"
Brant glanced at her flushed face
Il thought" he said, quietly, "that
there was someone you cared for In
yonder lines-someone you wrote to; Il
would have been an excuse"
lie stopped as her face paled again
and her hands dropped heavily at her
side. Good God! you thought that
too. You thought that / would sacri.
fee you for another mann
Pardon me-" said Brant, quickly
Il was foolish But whether your
lover Is a man or a cause, you have
shown a woman's devotion. An In re.
pairing wour fault you are showing
more tina a woman's courage now"
To his surprise the color had agair
mounted TO her pretty cheeks, and ever
a fash OF mischief shone In her blue
eyes. 1T would have been AN excuse
-yes-to save a man, surely. Well,
will go. / am ready"
"One moment" he said, grayely
Although his pass and an escort In.
sures your safe conduct, there Is an en-.
gagement n some danger. Are YOU
still ready to face it?"
Il am" h said, proudly. turning
back a braid Of her fallen hair. Yet
a moment she hesitated. Then she
said. in a lower voice: Are you as
ready to forgiven"
I'm either case" he SAID, touched by
her manner-"and God speed you"
He extended his hand and left q
slight pressure on her cold fingers. But
they slipped quickly from his grasp,
and she turned away with a heightened
color.
He stepped to the door. One or two
aids-de-camp, withheld by his order
against intrusion, were waiting eagerly
with reports. The horse OF O mounted
field officer was paving the garden
turf. The officer stared at the young
girl.
Take Miss Faulkner with a flag ia
some safe point OF the enemy's line.
She Is a non-combatant OF their own,
n will receive their protection"
He had scarcely exchanged a dozen
'aNAh NAN CAdS- dC-IdtHI ptIOIN
the field officer hurriedly entered
Taking Brant aside he said quickly:
Pordan me, general, but there is a
strong feeling among the men thai this
attack is the result OF some informa-
ton obtained by the enemy. The WON
an you have just given a safeguard To
Is suspected, and the men are indig-
nGnt."
The more reason why she should be
conveyed beyond any consequences OF
their folly, major" said Brant, frigid-
~, and / look to you for her safe con-
Voy. There Is nothing In this attack
to show that the enemy has received
my information regarding us. But /
would suggest that it would be better
to see that my orders are carried out
regarding the slaves and men combat
ants who are passing our lines from
division headquarters, where valuable
information may be obtained, than In
the surveillance Of a testy and out
spoken girl"
An angry flush covered the majors
cheek as he saluted and fell back, and
Grant turned to h aid-de-camp. The
news was grave. A column OF the enc
my had moved against the ridge: II
was no longer possible to hold II: and
the was cut off from its commu-
nication with the division h~eadquar-
tiers, and he could get no combined
moVement- - against n.
BrantS secret - - an In
tended impace against the center were
confirmed. Would his communications
TO the division commander pass
through the attacking column In time
One thing puzzled him. AS yet the
enemy, after facing his line. had shown
nc disposition. even with their over
whelming force, to turn aside to cover
him. He could easily have fallen back
when 1t was possible to hold the ridge
no longer, without pursuit. His flank
and rear were not threatened, as they
might have been by a division of so
large an attacking column, and his re-
treat was still secure! 1t was this
fact that seemed to show a failure or
imperfection In the enemy's plan. II
was possible that his precipitation OF
the attack by h changed signal had
been the cause of II. Doubtless some
provision had been made to attack him
In flank and rear. but In the unexpect-
ed hurry OF the outset II had to be
abandoned. He could still save HIM
self, as his officers knew, but his con-
v~iction. that he might yet be able to
support his division commander by
holding his position doggedly, but cool
ly awaiting his opportunity. was
strong. More than that, 1t was his
temperament and instinct.
Narrowing them In flank and rear,
contesting the ground inch by inch, and
holding his own against the artillery
sent to dislodge him, or the cavalry
that curled around to ride through his
open ranks, he saw his files melt away
before this steady current without
f%iinching.