Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-10
CHAPTER ~.
Silent Murphy.

CHAPTER ".
Silent Murphy.
Brant sprang forward. all doubt regarding
this young woman instantly dissipated by
those final words of mischievous mockery.
cernedly as II he were a mere toy sent for
| her amusement, and his pride was stung.
| But pursuit proved useless. Like q phan-
tom she had slipped away amid the under
| brush. leaving him to founder blindly In
the labyrinth. Once she laughed outright.
q clear burst Of girlish merriment ringing
| through the silence. and die leaped desper-
| ately forward. hoping to intercept her
the steep edge Of the shelving bank and he
| went down. half stumbling, half sliding, I'M
| til he came to a sudden pause on the brink
OF the little stream The chase was ended,
| and he sat up, confused for the moment,
| and half questioning the evidence of his
| own eyes.
! A small tent, dirty and patched, stood
| with its back against the slope of earth
| down which he had plunged Its flap hung
aside revealed within pile of disarranged
blankets. together with some scattered ar
| ticles of wearing apparel, while just before
| the opening his back pressed against the
| supporting pole, inverted pipe between
| his yellow, irregular teeth, sat a hideous
| looking man. He was withered, dried-up
fellow. whose age was not to be guessed,
having skin as yellow as parchment,
mummy, his eyes deep sunken like wells,
| and his head totally devoid of hair, although
about his lean throat there was a copious
| fringe of iron-gray beard, untrimmed and
scraggy. Down the entire side of one
cheek ran livid scar, while his nose was
| turned awry.
He sat staring at the newcomer, unwink-
! Ing, his facial expression devoid of interest,
but his-fingers opening and closing in ap-
! parent nervousness. Twice his lips opened,
but nothing except peculiar gurgling
sound issued from the throat and Brant,
who by this time had attained his feet and
his self-possessfon, ventured to address
him.
mice quiet spot for camp" he re-
marked. pleasantly, but bad place for a
tumble"
The sunken eyes expressed nothing, but
| the throat gurgled again painfully, and
finally the parted lips dropped detached
| word or two "Blame.pretty giri-that"
their conversation this old mummy had
overheard, but he hesitated to question
| him. One inquiry, however, sprang to his
| surprised lips. DO you know her?'
Cd Standardization any one around
here-know her-real name"
Brant stared incredulously. do you
mean to insinuate that that young woman
| il living in this community under an as
| sumed one? Why, she Is scarcely more
than a child! What do you mean MANI"
The soldiers hat still rested on the grass
| where it had fallen, its military insignia
hidden.
IT guess-I know-what I-know." the
fellow muttered. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Seventh Cavalry"
The man stinened up as II an electric
shock had swept through his limp frame
| 1.-THE -!-and-did-she-ca you-Brant?"
The young officers face exhibited his dis
gust Beyond doubt that sequestered nook
was favorite lounging spot for the girl
and this disreputable creature had been
watching her for some sinister purpose.
$50 you have been eavesdropping. have
your" said Brant. gravely. And now you
want to try turn at defaming a woman?
Well. you have come to poor marke. ior
| the sale of such goods. l am half in
clined to throw you bodily Into the creek.
believe you nothing but common
liar. but I'll give you one chance-you say
The eyes of the mummy had become
spiteful. "It's-none of-your d BUSH
ness. Tm-not under-your orders"
'Under my orders! OF course not; but
are you?"
The fellow stood up slightly hump-backed
but broad of shoulders, his arms long, his
legs short and somewhat bowed. his chin
protruding impudently, and Brant noticed
an oddly shaped black scar, as If burned
there by powder. on the back of his right
hand.
"Who-am II" he said, angrily. I'm
An expression of bewilderment swept
across the lieutenant's face. Silent Muir
ply! Do you claim to be Clusters scout?"
The fellow nodded. "Heard-of me
maybe"
Brant stood staring at him.. his mind oc-
cupied with vague garrison rumors con-
nected with this odd personality. The name
had long been a familiar one. and he had
often had the man pictured out before him.
Just such wizened face and hunched-up
figure half crazed, at times malicious yet
keen and absolutely devoid of fear; &C
knowledged as the best scout in all the In
dian country, daring rider, an inc m
parable trailer, tireless, patient, and as
tricky and treacherous as the willy sav-
ages he was employed to spy upon. Ihere
could remain no reasonable doubt of his
identity, but what was he doing there?
What purpose underlay his fnsinuations
against that young girl? If this was indeed
Silent Murphy. he assuredly had some OBJ
feet in being there, and however hastily he
may have spoken, It was not altogether
probable that he deliberately lied. All this
flashed across his mind in that single In
slant of hesitation.
eyes, I've heard of you"-and his crisp
tone instinctively became that of terse mill
tary command-"although we have never
met, for I have been upon detached serv-
ice ever since my assignment to the regi-
ment. 1 have troop in camp below" he
pointed down the stream, 'and am in COM
mand here
The scout nodded carelessly.
why did you not come down there, and
report your presence in this neighborhood
to me?'
Murphy grinned unpleasantly. Rather
be - alone no report = been over-Black
observation-disclosures orders"
''Do you mean you are in direct commune
cation with headquarters, with CUSTER"
The man answered with wide sweep Of
his long arm toward the northwest. Coin
to-be b out there-d- soon."
How? Are things developing into a truly
serious affair-a real campaign
Every buck-in the-Sioux nation-is
makin'-fer the-bad lands" and he laughed
noiselessly, his nervous fingers gesticulat-
ing "I-guess that-means-b business"
Brant hesitated. Should he attempt to
learn more about the young girl? Instinct
lively he appreciated the futility of endeav-
oring to extract information from Murphy
and he experienced degree Of shame at
thus seeking to penetrate her secret. Be-
sides, 1t was none of his affair, and If ever
it should chance to become SO, surely there
were more respectable means by which he
could obtain information. He glanced
about seeking some way of recrossing the
stream.
IF you require any new equipment" he
said tersely, I'VE can probably supply you
at the camp. How do you manage to get
across here?
Murphy, walking stifiiy, led the way down
the steep slope, and silently pointed oL- a