Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-05-13


Hoped past on the river trail. l could
just see them from No. G. They were
going B-Bar ranch way, and thought
they'd maybe been visiting in officers
row."
Holmes raised his head-a man?
That was all right. A woman? Who
could they be? He sat up on the edge |
Of his cot. A terrible thought filled his
mind. 1t could not be. Yet, yet
dared she play that trick? For min
ute he sat still, and then without a
word of excuse he left the guardhouse.
He went straight TO Mother Malone's. |
The angry woman was still sitting
there, awaiting her husband and
daughter.
"Where is Katy?" the sergeant ask
ed, and his face was SO white that the
cheeks in scarlet.
Where indeed?" cried Mrs. Malone.
"The baggage! She's not been in to-
night! She'll leave my house! Holmes,
Holmes! What is it? What has she
done now?"
With loud curse the sergeant turned
on his heel and rushed off. He made
for the stables of his troop and reused
the stable sergeant by furious blows
on the gate.
"NIy horse, by order of the officer Of
the day!' he hoarsely yelled. "a pris-
oner has escaped!
II he had been capable Of thought,
capable of planning Il sure revenge, he
! would first have reused the guard and
sent half a troop after the fugitives.
Perhaps indeed he did think, but felt
that this was matter which con-
cerned him alone. Therefore he went
swiftly at gallop in pursuit, and the
sleepy stable sergeant went back to
bed, and the guard remained on watch,
wondering where their sergeant had
gone, but all unaware 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; on his left the
land rose in ripping bluffs, gray
black mass in the starlight. In front
Of him he knew the long and lonely
trail stretched drearily without house,
without town, for a hundred miles and
at last 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 expecting 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
should catch up soon. That settled, he
urged his horse to the utmost and gave
himself up to the mad rage of jealousy
Z and disappointment. He had known
her from child to be willful and pas
| sionate and mischievous, but he had
never in his alteration believed her ca
pable of such deceit He did not stop
to think that love had forced him to
break his OATH to neglect his duty, to
assist prisoner under his charge to
escape, to forfeit, If the truth became
: known, the trust of his officers and the
name he had won in years of hard
campaigning; he did not stop to think
Of what love might have forced her
also to do. His mood was entirely self
ish. he was wounded sorely, and he
wished for nothing but revenge.
The dust scattered in clouds about
him. The horse. in that hot night,
soon was streaming sweat. He never
slacEened pace. Now and again there
was creek to cross, and through them
he dashed, needless of mudhole or rock
or stump. Once belated Indian
freighter met him and grunted an as
tonished "How?" Holmes hardly saw
him nor answered his greeting. In ar
. instant he was out of sight and hear
ing So he rode, blind to all he passed
his eyes glazing ahead, his teeth graf
ing, seeking revenge for the slight, an(
the scorn and the lie
They had Travelled more quickly thai
= he had reckoned they would. and thu
Sky of the midsummer morning was
turning slowly from gray to yiole
when he saw them and drew the re
= volvcr he carried as being on guart
7 duty. He hailed them, and through
the misty dimness Of the dawn the.
!, saw him and spurrcd ahead with CT.
= of fear and surprise. His horse, til,
feetest in the troop, drew up upol
them, but, urged by terror, they pushed
> on to the utmost. The sergeant wa
. within 200 yards of them when he lev
: eled his revolver and fired. They were
too far off for pistol shooting, but TIL,
q shot resulted in bringing them to /,
: standstill. lie rode slowly up ant
|. refined in, facing them. The girl So
erect IN her saddle, her bosom heayinH
r her eyes defying him. The musician
looked at him with his big, brown, sor
l. rowful eyes, despairing. Holmes look
|, ed only on the girl, and even as he di,
|. 80 that which had caused all his mis-
d cry in the last few years, his great Low
e for her, came back, sweeping in on hin
o MS food, washing away his wratl
and disappointment and longing 70
d revenge. 1t was Katy Malone VIII
faced him, his pet In her schooldaYs
4 the one thing he had ever loved. A
u he looked on her, flushed with exercis
and indignation, he put, his pistol .bac
- In: tha apd. tie. rejpssf ell. offi11