Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-03-10

prison with tnOSe Wretcnes, lie VIII nave
no music, nothing. 1t is horrible! You
have killed him. killed that boy"
"Do you love him SO much?'
The girl flushed in the starlight.
"What is that to you? l pity him."
A fash of renewed hope sprang from
his heart to his eyes. Pity need not be
love. For a moment his sight grew
dim, and the next he was at her feet,
clutching her dress.
Katy" he cried, lit is done! 1t was
his own fault. Forget him. He can
not have learned to love you as have
loved you for years. Listen. listen!
Don't so away"
The girl was in vain struggling to re-
lease her dress, frightened now.
81 ANAL the men say l am, per-
haps," he cried, "surly and all that,
but-listen-you are the cause. For
love of you and thinking Of you keep
alone. From the horror Of losing you
l am sometimes half mad. Listen to
me now and tell me: Will ever any
| lONt yOu us iONC' WIN any OhS
do for you what would doT"
Leave me, leave me" she cried, but
he clung to her.
81 cannot charm you and bewitch
you with pretty face and music, like
Faval," he went on, unheeding her.
But l am man and a true man.
claim that. Try me. Tell me what
to do to prove how much l love you.
Whatever it is I shall do it."
The girls thoughts all the evening
had dwelt on one thing alone-her be-
wildered, anxious, wild thoughts. They
were yet in her mind, and now they
formed themselves, as at word Of
command, into a resolve. She whis-
pered to the man at her feet:
"Do you love me so much"
II cannot tell how much"
"And you would do all you say for
me, for love of me-"
"Anythingr he cried, rising in pas.
sion of hope and seizing her hands.
"Save him" she cried.
"Where's Katy" Herman demand
ed as he unceremoniously ran into
Mother Malone's house.
Don't be askin' me-" cried Mrs. Ma
lone querulously. what are ye want
in wild Katy at this time iv night?
It'll be taps in minute"
Cause | was down ut the guard
house to see Faval tonight, and he's
worrying awful He's to be taken to
Leavenworth in day or two. So l
thought I'd just ask Katy he was
stuck on Katy just like me-to go and
cheer him up bit. I'm not jealous
"Ye wee divllw howled Mother Ma
lone, welcoming a chance to discharge
her wrath upon somebody. "An' it's
mischief maxim ye're after, is it? Git
out iv this! Git out now afore | do ye
harmw
whats eating you? want some ap-
pies"
The angry woman charged upon him.
Herman grabbed an apple. upset the
barrel and fed. screeching.
"Did We ever hear the like" Mrs. Ma
lone muttered-"Katy to go an see Fa-
val? Was iver the like"
She did not know.
The guardhouse lay at the back OF
the post on the bluff overlooking the
meadow. The inner room was very full
as a result OF pay day. The slopinS
wooden platform on which the prison
era wrapped in their blankets. slept
was lined with recumbent figures. Some
Of the long sentence men, however. for
greater comfort had made hammockS
Of their blankets and slung them by
cords from hooks in the walls. The
barred windows were few, and by one
of these, in q corner, Fayal had slung
his hammock beneath another man,
who swung near the roof. Thus the
window, open for the heat, was almost
shut off from sight Of the rest Of the &C.
cupants and the wicket which separat'
ed the guard from the prisoners. An
Indian scout had been brought in from
the camp, a wild and savage sight. He
lay outstretched on his back on the
floor, bowling lugubriously and beating
on the boards with extended fists. In
his drunken muddle headedness he had
IN idea that the white men were about
10 hang him, and his hows sank to q
long, horrible, wailing death song.
Amid the noise and the heat and the
stencil Of the overcrowded room Faval
was wide awake. For half an hour
after taps SO he remained, until the
lamp at the door was removed. Soon
as the post, recovered from its period
ical outburst Of pay day riot, resumed
its regular nightly air Of repose, the
lonely sentries began their monotonous
calls. Faval's window opened on the
back of the guardhouse. and he could
not see the sentry on No. l, but very
distinctly there came to his ears the
methodical beat of the soldiers shoes
on the porch and at last his first proc
lamation to his brother sentries OF the
hour.
"Ten o'clock" Faval murmured. 1.-Two
hours yet. 1t is a year"
AS the distant calls came family
from the faraway posts and No. re-
heated "Alrs wellw the young musi
clan stealthily reached from his ham
mock and grasped one Of the window
bars 1t shook beneath the pressure OF
his slender fingers. Easily" he NUT
tered and then huddled in his ham
mock as he heard the sentry challenge
and quickly shout to the sergeant IN
side:
"Officer Of the day, turn out the
guard"
Had they suspected? Had they dis
covered?
"Never mind the guard"
The trembling lad heard the officer
step on the porch and the sergeant
make his report. Faval sweated will
fear What was it? Were they talking
about him? Would the sergeant. woult
Holmes, betray him and have him pu
In irons? 1t was likely. He had done
as Katy had told him to do, but hi
could not understand when she haf
said that Holmes was his friend. Th'
officer went away, and, trembling, Fa
val crept from his hammock and slip
ped on shoes and clothes and stiyed a
the bars, peering out anxiously.
"He won't be back until early morn
ing" the corporal of the guard re
. marked, with a yawn. Daddy Dodd'
is getting old and likes his snooze ever
when he's officer of the day. Where