Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-25

about all am willing to say about myself
AS for this hero of mine. he was the hand
soonest, liveliest rascal you would expect
to meet in a days ride. By handsome 90
not mean perfect features. red cheeks, BY
ronic eyes, and so forth. That style or
beauty belongs to the department or iaoy
novelists. 1 mean that peculiar manly
beauty which attracts men almost as pow
erfully as it does women. For the sake or
name l shall call him Warburton. HIS
given name in actual life is Robert. But
1 am afraid that nobody but his mother ana
one other woman eve. called MIN ROBERT:
The world at large dubbed him Bob, ana
such he will remain up to that DAY taho
may 1t be many years henceD "nen re-
course will be had to Robert, because
Bob would certainly look very silly on
a marble shaft.
What friendly sign is nickname! II
is always a good fellow who is called BOP
or Bill, Jack or Jim, Tom, Dick or HarIy.
Even out of Theodore there comes a Ieaoy,
l know in my own case the boys USED "
call me Chuck, simply because ! was
named Charles. Il haven't the silghtest
doubt that / was named Charles because
my good mother thought looked SOME
thing like Vandyke's Charles l. though d.
the time of my baptism l wore no pearo
whatever). And how 1 hated boy with a
high-s sounding, understandable given ntnie'
with his round white collar and ms io NJ,
glossy curls! / dare say he hated the
name, the collar and the curls even more
than l did. Whenever you run across d
name carded in this stilted fasnion, a.
Thingumy Soandso," you may make up
your mind at once that the owner Is asham-
ed of his first name and is trying manfuiiy
to live it down and eventually forgive MS
parents. ,,..
Warburton was graduated from west
Point ticketed to a desoate frontler
most and would have worn out his exist
ence there but for his guiding star, when
was always making frantic EFFORTS TO oolt
its established orbit. One DAY ne
nc
in advance of the pay train, as they called
the picturesque caravan which, consisting
of a canopied wagon and small troop ol
cavalry in dngy blue made progress across
the desert-like plains of Arizona Inc troop
was some ten miles from the post, and as
there had been no sign of Red Eagle all
that day, they concluded that the rumor OF
his being on drunken rampage with nan
a dozen braves was only a rumor. war
burton had just passed over roll OF earth'
and for a moment the pay train had drop
ped out Of sight. 1t was twilight; opaiescent
waves of heat rolled above the bllstereo
sands A pale yellow sky, like an inverted
bowl trimmed with delicate blue and Grim
son hues, encompassed the world. The bliss
of solitude fell on him. and, being some
thing Of a poet he rose to the stars. 1 ne
smoke of his corncob pipe trailed lazily be-
hind him. The horse under him was looping
along easily. Suddenly the animal lifted
his head. and his brown ears went for
ward
At WarburtOn'S left, some hundred yaTdS
distant, was a clump Of Usage brush. Even
as he looked there came pun of smoke,
followed by the evil song of bullet MY
heros hat was carried away. He wheeled,
dug his heels into his horse and cut back
over the trail. There came a second flash,
a shock and then a terrible pain in the calf
of his left leg He fell over the neck of
his horse to escape the third bullet. he
could see the Apache as he stood out from
behind the bush. Warburton yanked out
His Colt and let fly He heard a yell. 1t
was very comforting. That was all he re-
membered Of the skirmish.
For five weeks he languished in the hos
pital During that time he came to the
conclusion that he had had enough of mill
tary life in the west. He applied for his
discharge as the compulsory term of serv-
ice was at an end. When his papers came
he was able to get about with the aid of
a crutch. One morning his colonel entered
his subaltern's bachelor quarters.
Wouldn't you rather have years leave
of absence, than quit altogether, Warbur-
TONI
"a years leave of absence?" cried the
invalid. II am likely to get that, am"
IF you held a responsible position l dare
say it would be difficult. AS 1t is, l may
say that l can obtain it for you. 1t will
be months before you can ride horse with
that leg"
Il thank you Colonel Raleigh but think
I'll resign. In fact, l have resigned
I'VE can withdraw that, If you but say