Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-11-16

expectations 81 hc..g set np in bush
hess hy hls father. She adj aitted that
she had adored soldiers and that she
had caused him 10 enter the army for
her sake. nut she had omitted TO state
that the soldicrs she adored were sol
dieis who possessed the queens com
mission and who wore stars instead Of
a worstcd stripe.
III poor White Feather was n physical
coward. he was a moral hero. There IL
no chance OF a display Of feeling IN a
barrack fUbtn; so. like the S%trirtnn boy
or old. he Rugged his trouble 10 him.
slipping the cheap little engagement
ring with which he had scaled his
troth into his pocket without a sign be-
yond the t%witchiHg Of hia white lips.
Then lie III his pipe with the letter, not
ont OF contempt. hut because there Is
little privacy accorded IN the CORE
spoudence that comes TO the harrack
room. and n private soldier Is not pro
vided with Il desk wherein to keep his
faded flowers and other sentimental to
kens Of the past.
~ wv a. Wy Nhhf w
White Feather was without the world
~ knowledge that Should have told
him long since thu he had fixed his nf
fections upon n vulgar. selfish and
brainless Rirt. and he stu believed iD
her.
For her sake ne had learned ~ over
come his physical rUwardlce. lie had
dreamed Of n possible commission Ia
the dim future and had rejoiccd In the
recently acquired promotion as a step
toward her.
For her sake. too. nc received tho
news checrfully when the word passed
through the barracks that the regiment
was ordered to South Africa to meet
the Beers. He knew that he was by
nature n coward. but for the memoir
of her lc swOrc an oath to himself To
do his duty without sparlng himself in
the coming light.
Look ere. old chap. we amt going
to call you White Feather no morcT'
said Trumpctcr Pipes as they lny to
gether behind the shelter of a large
bowldcr, against the face Of which the
Door bullets were patterlng like u
heavy rain.
In full sight OF the whole army their
squadron had crossed the Roer front
amid II hall of bullets which had
brought 20 mon TO earth.
White Feathers horse had been shot
under him. and. Mt the risk Of his life.
he had carried the wounded trumpeter
into the shelter Of the powders. He
wns unhurt, but tremhled In every
limb from fear and great cxertion.
From between two powders he peep
ed out and saw, amid the bodies OF men
and horses that filtered the plain, n
wounded man crawling on his hands
aud knees amid n spattcr Of bullets
that were kicking purs of dust from
the dry earth all around him.
1t was his captain.
White Feather watched him for n
moment; then he saw him stop and lie
down OF his side despalringly. Tie
could crawl no more.
81 will. for her sakcl" he muraured
between his clinched teeth. and, rising
from the shelter of the rock. lie faced
~ hhll VI hthA Niiu liAAtlth ~ NIt
earth around Him.
AS he walked into the open n faint
cheer reached his ears from the Brit
lsh troops bali II mile behind him The
Royal artillery backed him with n
shrieking flight Of %shrapnel. which
whistlcd for n moment overhead. then
burst over the Boer lines a quarter of
a mile away In n shower OF bullets that
for n moment quelled the storm around
Lin.
He reached the wounded man, lifted
him on his back and returned step by
step TO where Trumpeter Pipes lay hid
den.
The trumpeter gave him n faint
"BravoI' rs he staggered and fel with
his burden into the kindly shell -er of
the rock.
That was White Feathers reward.
On n distant hill the British com.
mander shut his ieldglasses with n
snap.
Tell the general 10 keep down the
fire on the right there and TO get those
men In from behind those powders"
he said TO his aid. ''and bring me that
mans name. II he IL alive, tell him
that ! snw 1t all and TINT I'm going TO
recommend him for the cross.
"Never saw n finer show OF fire disci-
pline In my lIfer" added the command
er TO himself as his aid galloped of.
White Feathers eyes glistened al he
received the message and heard the
cheer that swept along the lines ms he
was carried In.
Perhaps | shall get that commission
after ALL" he said TO himself; then
she viii think more Of mel"
Perhaps II was Just as well that be
died Ave minutes later-this faithful
worshipcr Of a goddess of clay.-Penny
Pictorial Magazine.
An Interrupted Feast.
There dwell In one of the handsome