Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-11-17

an set fair etwee us. But you need
not fight me for II. The love Is yours
not mine"
Don't say that, Jack; I'm selfish
enough to wish II were true; 9s II Is
not. / know whereof ] speak.
mo" / denied. struggling to my feet;
1T has been yours from the first, DICK,
7 am but a sorry ~interloper.
For a moment he was all s~olicltude 10
know If my head would let me stand; but
when | showed him l was no more than
clums,ly dizzy from the effects or the
blow, he went on.
II say / know, and I do, Jack. she has
refused me again."
groaned In spirit. / knew it must have
come to that. Yet / would ask when ana
where.
Twas on our last days riding he
went on; after we had had your note
saying you would undertake a mission
for Colone! Dayie,'
/ took two steps and CROPPED for the
horses bride rein.
Did she tell you why she must refuse
you2"
He help me find the rein for my hand
and the stirrup for my foot.
There was no WY but the one--she
does not love me-
but i say she does, Dick; and !, too,
know whereof speak"
He flung me into the saddle as a strong
man might toss a boy, and l understood
how that saying of nine had gone into his
blood.
Then there must be some barrier that
I know not Of" he said. Whereupon he
put han to head as one who tries to re-
member. Stay; did you not say there
was q barrier, Jack when we were
wrestling with death in the Indian fires?
Or did / dream it?"
You did not dream it. But you were
telling me what she said
"Oh, yes; twas little enough, She cut
me off at the first word as if my speaking
were a mortal sin. And when l would
have tried again, she gave me a look to
make me vince and broke out crying as
if her heart would burst"
1 steadied myself as l could by the sad
die horn and waited till he was up and we
were moving on, Then / would say:
Truly, there is a barrier, Richard: if /
promise you that I am going to Charlotte
to remove it once for all, will you trust
me and go about your affair with General
Gates?"
Trust you. Jack? Who am 1 that l
should do aught else? When / am cool
and sane, I'm lone so cursed selfish; l
could even give her over TO you with a
free hand, could I but hear her say she
loves you as l would nave her love. me.
when l am mad. All. God only
knows the black blood there is in the
heart at such times"
We rode on together in silence after
that, and were come to the bank of the
river before we spoke again. But here
Dick went back to my warning. saying,
whilst we let the horses drink: "'Tis pa
trolled on the other bank, you say?'
1T was when l passed it a few days
agone."
Then / will turn back and cross at
Beattie's. Twill make you a risk you
need not take-to have me with you"
But / thought now that the upper ford
might be guarded as Well; and If there
must be a cutting of a road through the
enemy's outpost line for Dick, two could
do 1t better and one. So l said:
mo; we are here now. and If need be 1
can lend you the weight Of a second
blade TO see you safe through"
And you with your head humming like
a basket of bees, as l make no doubt it
will"
/ laughed. 81 should be but a sorry
soldier and a sorrier friend if should let
a ~love-tap with the fiat of a blade make
me fail you at the pinch"
He reached across the little sap that
parted us and grasped my hand.
by Cod he swore, most feelingly,
you are as true as the steel you carry,
Jack IretonH"
NAY" said l.. in honest shame: at do
confess | was thinking less of my friend
than of the Importance of the errand he
rides on"
But If there should be a fight, you will
spoil your chance of coming peaceably to
Charlotte and my lords headquarters"
IF ! am recosnized-yes. But the night
l.. Rapk nd a hrt1Gb rritb 80, $500.
need not betray me-"
Al this he consented grudgingly, and we
pushed on TO tho crossing. Now since this
fording place of Master Macgowan's has
marched into our history, you will like
70 know what the historians do not tell
YOU: namely how it was but a make
shift wading place, armpit deep over a
muddy bottom from the western bank to
the bar above an island mid stream,
and DETECTING thence through rocky
shadows TO q point on the eastern bank
some distance below the island. Twas
here that Lord CORVALLIS got entangled
some months later-but l must not an
ticipate.
We made the crossing of the main cur
rent in safety and were a-splash in the
rocky shadows beyond the, island when
we sighteAd the camp fires Of the outpost.
To ride straight upon the patrol was to
Invite disaster, and though Jennifer was
for a charging DASH. a hurly-burly with
the steel, and so on TO freedom beyond,
he listened when ! pointed out that our
beasts were too nearly outworn TO charge.
and that the noise we must make would
rouse the camp and draw the fire Of every
piece In it long before we could reach the
bank and come TO blade work.
What for 1t, them he asked, impa-
tiently. MY courage Is freezing whilst
We wait"
There Is nothing for IT but to hold
straight Oh across" / said.
Continued Next Week.l