The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1901-05-31

noble-hls DEEDS or mercy and gentle
ness proved that; innately noble he
must have been when she met him, for
in the face OF great temptation he
had kept his promise to his friend, even
to the extent Of shutting his eyes
against the girl whose arms had been
about him, whose lips brsnthed love for
him. And somewhere, despite all the
trickery, there was still nobility, for
silently he had ridden away, faithful
TO his friend. He had lain under her
hands wounded by the pistol shot, and
no woman ever hated a helpless, suffer
ing man. As for his dsceptions, his
plots, some fearful necessity must have
compelled him. The other woman?
She had been too base for him-she had
been at heart mur6eIesS. She il was
who had dragged him down. And was
he not caring for the child2 Frances
would not have admitted it to herself
had she realized it, but in the depths
of that heart She had forgiven Richard
SomsrS. Her heart was big enough TO
hold him and all his weakness. Was
there a loss OF SOM thing from her ma
ture? Or was there a gain?
No message had ever come to her
from Somers, no good or evil report.
None2 Yes, just scrap soon after the
war began. From some one, Brodnar,
proba bly,, since his name was upon it,
she had received northern paper Civ
ing in its war gossip Information that
Richard Somers had been reinstated in
the army and promoted to be captain
of artillery.
But one day early in the spring OF
1862, when the great federal movement
against Richmond was beginning and
when every train was bringing in a
bloody harvest, she leaned above a
wounded enemy. The question SO often
asked, ITO what command do you be-
long?" drew forth an answer that
filed her with excitement. She felt
her heart begin to beat madly and her
limbs Yielding TO q sudden excitement.
Your captain! What is his name2"
Richard Somers, miSsl" How
strangely thrilling sounded the name
that morningi II WAS the first time
che had heard IL spoken since its bear
err had said among the nieksrinE ihad-
ows Of her room; III TO carry In mem
DRY the living record Of one face will
help yoN, take mine, and with IL, right
or wrong, the love OF Richard someFs."
! The scene, never dimmsd in all tho
months that had passed, stood forth
again, illumined like some strong pic
ture under the swift magic OF the light
ming. The wounded man saw in her
face the glow Of its reelection. Tri-
umph shons in her eloquent eyes, n
sudden agitation locked the soft white
hands.
DO you know him, miss7"
"I2 Yes, yeBl Is he WELLS he safe p
The man read more than she su1pecte ed,
and turned his eyes away embarrassed.
He was singulRrly helpless from his
wounds, and she had his face at her
mercy. Her woman's instinct dis
cerned his thought; her lips moved
without sound, but her Ioul was in the
appealing look riveted upon him.
Il think-not," he said, reluctantly,
at last. I'm fact, know that he's
wounded"
"Dead!-you meant" she gasped In
the struggle to conceal her anguish.
NO, misS-not exactly that; Tut bad
ly wounded-very badly, am afraid"
Where is her" She made no effort
then to conceal the truth. She was on
her knees, her eyes close to his. I'm
Gods name, my friend, tell me-tell
me all! Can't you see? cant you see ?"
She covered her face, unable to con-
tinue.
II can only tell you what l know,
miss. He was not dead when saw him
last. Our guns were in the line when
the charge came. The line was broken
at both TANKS, and the yelling confed-
crates were swarming about us. Every
horse we had was down, when word
came for us to look out for ourselves,
and back we went to escape capture
what was left Of us. Well, miss, sons
body said then that No. 3 had bees
left loadsd--doubls-sho with can.
lister; tho man at the lanyard had fall
en- dead just as he lifted his hand to
pull. And so the gun stood, ready to
be tuYnsd upon us. Then Capt. Somsrs
halted and looked about for some one
TO sond back; but think, miss, he
must have seen that tho chance waa
desperate. 1t was only an instant, and
he wouldn't order any man to goI he
rushed forward over the so yardA.
reached the gun and seized the cord.
He was my captain, and l couldn't leave
him there, you know, so had followed
him, too. Then up in front an army Of
gray seemed to rise as from the ground,
and they fred = vollsy as he pulled on
the lanyard. l threw myself on my
face and escaped. When I looked up
the crowd ahead was disordered and
torn, but still coming on; and the cap
tain lay by his gun. craWled over
and laid my hand upon him.
Tom he said, cool as am right
now, I'm gone, but il you get out take
the papers in my pocket and my watch
to my motherl took them as he told
me. He tainted, think, and l was
afraid he was dead, but he breathsd
again. And then, misx--I hadn't tried