The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-06-26
POLLY AT THE POST.

Good family, and rich" sighed Mrs.
Captain Wales. looking despairingly at
The irrepressible Pauline.
While I am pretty and poor" pout-
Etsd Polly.
She went to the window and stood
gazing over hi mesa. down upon tho
aat-topped adobe houses and out to
The brown, stoggish Rio Grande. II
love that dusty, half-Mexican town
where I was born, Aunt Marie. Often
Jack Marley and I have ridden over
FRANKLIN mountain, urging out little
burrows up the steep sides. I have not
seen Jack for five years. He went to
Princeton and I to Vassar. A year ago
I'VE planned to meet in New York, but
the day he graduated. came the terrible
news of the failure OF the firm Of Mar
ley & Willis and the suicide Of his faith
er. No one has seen Jack since the
news was told him.
THE disgrace brought on YOU fatn-
sr by his senior partner caused his
heath and left rot alone. in. the world
remarked Mrs. Wales indignantly.
Here q servant announced the adj
Vent OF Lieutenant Bradley. Pauline
put a pink nose in her golden-brown.
tresses and Wen smilingly to greet.
him.
Jack Mason LIS company clerk.
could not sleep. A year g he had.
been swallowed up in the. darkness Of a.
New York recruiting station. That act;
had brought i'm back to Ell Paso to.
meet daily the lovely companion OF his:
childhood on terms Of such inequality
hat she, the niece Of his captain,
u not acknowledge a recognition, if
t were possible. to know him after FIVE
years. Handsome Jack Marley was
we'll hidden by a name and a uniform.
The gray hight Of dawn was streak
ng the sky when drowsiness overlook
the tired soul OF Jack Marley. He was.
awakened by the firing Of a rum. Then
the bugle rang out loudly. Sergeant
Cassidy shouted Fire .call!' Jack was.
out the back door Of the office In q.
minute.
Company Z had charge of the horse
art. Some one shouted Captain,
Wales housel" The horsecart was
Itarted in that direction at breakneck
speed. AS soon as the ladder arrived
Ind was placed against the burning
aouse, Jack mounted. The fire was
burning fercely on the top floor. The
blinds were shut, and the windows also.
surely every n was out,of the doomed.
aouse.
What was the crowd below shouting?
The captains niece!" Save Miss
Whilst" Hurriedly Jack turned to the
window. Twice he wasebeaten back by
the rush Of lame and smoke, but he
hna1ly entered.
. The dense clouds OF smoke that had
pnveloped the building parted for an
instant and the figure of a soldier was
seen at the window holding a limp. girl
Ssh form A wild shout went up from
the assembled crowd. Soldiers on the
ladder tenderly received the uncon-
sctous girl and her rescuer was lost to
view in the smoke. Afterward efforts
were maAe In vain to find tho brave
soldier who had risked his life to save
the captains niece.
Polly knew her escuer. In a brief
nteryal Of consciousness, when she
had awakened to find herself in a sea
Df flame. she had recognized her boy
lover, and cried u Save me Jack!"
Lieutenant Bradley wondered why his
Eutt was SO suddenly frowned upon Z
Polly took a s1ddens fancy to solitary
rambfes over Rranklin mountain. In
spite Of her allnt.a pr~otestations, willful
Polly had her way.
Pauline sat On. q rock. near the top of
the mountain. Below her on a ledge
Of rock e tina, yawning chasm OF an
Did mining shaft steed a young SOL
der.
Il cannot permit. It. Polly. You are
running a risk of social ostracism by
meeing an enlisted man."
II have waived the Consequences
Pauline smiled, rougtshly.
MY ear has been IN fire ever
AN ASSSASS0 y0044 11OL0N 70 Inset yOA
by the Mexican mine. I vow eachs
melting shall be the Last. Our regiment.
will soon go to the philippines, and II.
shall win my way to sufficient rank to-,
claim you"
"Ah, Polly! Are you aloneg" IN
Needed. UP the slope, had come Lieu.
tenant Bradley.
Without a word the man standing on
the ledge, Of rock plunged into the un-
known depths OF the disused shaft be-
fore the officers head appeared above
the crest Of the hill. White and hor-
rihsd, Polly sprang to her feet.
Pardon me, IL I frightened you, Miss !:
Willis" said the young lieutenant.
With an effort h mastered herself
Jacks sacrifice should be in vain.
"Harkt" She seized his arm. "Didn,t
you hear something groan? Run for
help. Some one is In that shaft!"
Your uncle is half way up the hill
them, but I think you are mis-
taken"
Pauline stood on the rock and
watched the strikers. AS they raised.
q limp and bloody form from. the.
mouth Of the shaft. she tainted
Two years later found Pauline pref
ter than aver and more Of a care to.
her indulgent aunt, who could not eetz
Polly married off," Mrs. Wales andl
her niece had been In Manila only a
few days. The captain and several
officers had been doing the honors OF
great city Of the Orient. Pauline's
flirting eyes" captured carts by tine
SCORE when h drove on the Lunetas.
IN the afternoon.
NY dear" said Captain Wales to,
Polly, WHO was viewing the beautirun
aarbor from Fort Santiago, Il wish
20 present my favorite officer, Lieuten-
Mason, prominent for magnificent
courage on the field Of battle. Lieu
.enant. my niece. Miss Willis,
Jack, she cried. and held out her
hands impulsively to the b-onzed Of.
lcer.
Polly" He seized her hands ana
her flushed cheek.
Polly.
@so it would SEEM" said the can