The Irish standard., 1907-11-09

uoa AaaA 1Ato 4uulaH clutches. ! didn't
feel any special interest in her at the
time, supposing she belonged to Old
Gillis. but she somehow grew on me
she's that kind, you know: and
when / discovered, purely by sccident,
that she was Capt. Nolan's girl, but
that 1t all had been kept from her,
just naturally made up my mind I'd
dig out the truth If possibly could,
for her sake. The fact is, began to
think lot about her-not the way
you do, you understand; I'm getting
too old for that, and have known too
much about women,-but maybe some.
what as father might feel. Anyhow,
1 wanted to give her a chance. a
square deal, so that she wouldn't be
ashamed of her own name if ever she
found out what it was.
About that time fell foul of Muir
ply and Slavin there in Glencaid. 1
never got my eyes on Murphy, you
know. and Slavin was so changed by
that big red beard that failed to rec.
ogntze him. But their actions aroused
my suspicious, and went after them
good and hard. wanted to find out
what they knew, and why those lies
were told on Nolan at the trial. had
an idea they could tell me. So, for a
starter I tackled Slavin, supposing we
were alone, and was pumping the
facts out of him successfully by hold
ing q gun under his nose, and occa-
sionally Jogging his memory, when
this fellow Murphy got excited, and
chasseed into the game, but happened
to nip his partner instead Of me. In
the course of our little scuffle
CHANGED to, catch glimpse of the fel-
low s right hand, and it had scar on
the back Of 1t that looked mighty IA
mtltar. l had seen it before, and l
wanted to see 1t again. So, when
got out Of that scrape, and the doctor
had dug a stray bullet out of my
anatomy, there didn't seem to be any
one left for me to chase excepting
Murphy, fof Slavin vas dead. wasn't
exactly sure he. was the owner Of that
scar, but ! had my suspicious and
wanted to verify them. Having struck
his trail, reached Cheyenne Just
about four hours after he left there
with these dispatches for the Big Horn.
i caught up with the fellow on the
south bank of the Belle Fourche, and
being wen aware that no threat or
gun play would ever force him to con-
fess the truth, undertook to frighten
him by trickery. I brought along
some drawing-paper and drew your fa-
Tiers picture in phosphorus and gave
him the benefit in the dark. That
caught Murphy all right, and every
thing was coming my way. He threw
up his hands and even agreed to come
in here with me and tell the whole
story, but the poor fellows brain
couldn't stand the strain of the scare
had given him. He went raving mad
on the Powder; he jumped on me
while I was asleep, and since then
every mile has been a little hell.
That's the whole of it to date" ,.
They were up with the pack-train
by now, and the cavalrymen gazed
with interest at the new arrivals.
Several among them seemed to recog.
nize Murphy, and crowded about his
horse with rough expressions OF sym.
pathy. Brant scarcely glanced at
them, his grave eyes on Hampton's
stern face.
"And what Is 1t you wish me to do?"
take care of Murphy. Don't let
him remain alone for minute. If he
has any return of reason, compel him
to talk He knows you, and will be as
greatly frightened at your presence
and knowledge as at mine. Besides,
you have fully as much at stake as
an yone, for in no other way can the
existing barrier between Nadia and
yourself be broken down."
Insisting that now he felt perfectly
1T for any service, the impatient
Hampton was quickly supplied with
the necessary food and clothing, while
Murphy, grown violently abusive, was
strapped on litter between two
mules, guard on either side. Brant
rode with the civilian on sharp trot
Is far as the head Of the pack-train,
endeavoring to the very last to per-
euade the wearied man to relinquish
<his work to another.
Foster" he said to the sergeant in
command Of the advance. did you
chance to notice Just what coulee Gus
ter turned into when his column
swung to the right?"
Il think it must have been the Sec
ond yonder, sir; where you see that
bunch of trees. We was long ways
back, but l could see the boys plain
enough as they come out on the bluff
ND there. Some of 'em waved their
hats back at us. Is this man goin'
after them. sir?"
"Yes, he has dispatches from Chey'
0nne"
"Well he ought ter have no trouble
dndin the trail. 1t ought ter be bout
plain as a road back in Gods country.
sir, fer there were more than 2oo
horses. and they'd leave good mark
even on hard ground"
Brant held out his hand. "1'll GER
tainly do all in my power, Hampton
TO bring this out right You can rely