The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1904-06-22

IsSN
man. the second pistol snot, which hit
him in the forehead. his fall across the
path. Faithful unto death at the post
Of duty. Tie little drama was perfect
~ plain to him. But who were these
raiders? WHO could they be? And
Katharine?
'.Oh. my God" he exclaimed. stung
into quick action III the thought of a
possible peril to his love. Come. Dick.
to tie house. Size may be IN danger"
Put dis l;be one. Mars Hil'ry?''
quick. quick. Leave him. we will
see about him later"
With no further attempt at caution.
they sprang reckiessly up the steep
ratll and. gaining tie brow Of the hill.
ran ut full speed toward the house.
He noticed that there were no lights
In the negro quarters. no sounds Of the
merrymaking USUALLY going on there
in tie early evening. Through the
open windows on the side of the house
lie had a hasty glimpse of the disorder
ed dining room. The great doors of the
hall were open. They were on the
porch now-How at the door of the
hall. It was emDty. He paused Il
second. "kathasine, Katharine" he
called aloud. q noe of fear in his voice
"Where are You? Colonel Wilton
In the silence which his voice had
broken he heard n weak and feeble
moan, which struck terror into his
heart.
He ran hastily down the hall and
stopped at TIE dining room door aghast.
The smoking candles in the II
were throwing Il somewhat uncertain
light over q scene Of devastation and
ruin. Tic furniture of the table and
the accessories of the neal lay in a
broken heap at the foot of it. the chairs
were overturned. the curtains torn: the
great sideboard had been swept bare
Of its usual load Of glittering silver.
.At his feet lay the body of a man in
tEe now familiar red uniform, blood
from a CHASTITY sword thrust clotted
about his throat. the floor about his
head being covered with ominous
stains. A little farther away on the
floor neal tie table there was the body
of another man in another uniform. a
naked sword lying by his side. He had
q frightful looking wound or his fore
head. and the blood was slowly oozing
out of his coal sleeve. staining the lace
at his left wrist. Even as he looked
the man turned a little on the door,
and the same low moan broke from his
lips. Talbot stepped over the first body
to tie side of tie other.
My God. it's Seymour" he said. He
knelt beside him, as Katharine had
done. seymour" he called. "Sey-
mourn The man opened his eyes slow
~ and looked vacantly at him.
"Katliarine." lie murmured.
What OF her? Is she safer" asked
Talbot in nj agony of fear.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS." continued Sey-
moUr brokeuly in a whisper. ana then
feebly murmured. Water. water!''
Here. Dick. get some water quick
". First hand me that Gecanter Of
wine pointing to one which had for
tunately escaped tie eyes of the ma
raiders. He lifted Seymour's head
gently and with Il napkin which he had
picked up from the door wiped tire
bloody face. washing ii with the water
the groom quickly brought from the
well outside.
Then lie poured n little of the wine
down the lvtaundel mans throat, next
slit tie sleeve OF Ills coat and SAN that
the scarcely Eealed wound in the arm
had broken out again. lie bandaged
it up with no small SIKH with some Of
the other neglected table linen, and
the effect upcn Seymour of the stimu-
liant and of these illustrations was at
once apparent. With q stronger voice
he said slowly:
"Dunmore men-Captain johnson
colonel a Observation-Disclosures also
God grant-no harm intended!'
FLUSH. hush! | understand. But
wlere are the ~slaves?'
Terrified. | suppose-in hiding
"Dick, see if you can find any Of
them. Hurry up. We must take Mir.
Seymour back TO Fairview tonight and
report this outrage to the military COM
mander at Alexandria. Oh. that | bad
a boat and a few men!' lie murmured.
Katharine was gone. He would not
tell his story tonight. She WAS in the
hands of a gang Of rufiians. He knew
the reputation of Johnson and the mo-
tives which might actuate him. There
had been a struggle it vas evident:
perhaps she had been wounded. killed.
Agony. lie knew now how he loved
h<r. and ii was too late.
Presently the groom returned. fol-
lowed by a mob OF frightened. terror
stricken negroes, who had fed at the
first advent Of the party. Talbot s.
sued his orders rapidly. some of you
get the carriage ready. We must take
Lieutenant Seymour to Fairvlew HAL.
Some of you so down to tie landing
and bring up the bodies of three men
there. You so with that party, DitS.