The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-12-12

Nolan, and l knew your father, and l
mad reason to doubt the guilt of the
captain, in spite Of the verdict Of the
Jury that condemned him. In fact. 1
kac" at the tine, although it was not
in my power to prove It, that the two
principal witnesses against Nolan lied.
1 thought I could guess why, but We
arifted apart, and finally | lost all
track of every one connected with the
affair. Then I happened to pick up
that girl down in the canyon beyond
the Bear Water, and pulled her out
alive just because she CHANGED to be
of that sex, and l couldn't stand to see
her fall into Indian clutches. | didn't
feel any special interest in her at the
time, supposing she belonged to Ola
ellis, but she somehow grew on NE
she's that kind, you know; and
when l discovered, purely by accident.
that she was Capt. Nolan's girl, but
that it all had been kept from her, |
Just naturally made up my mind I'd
| dig out the truth if l possibly could,
for her sake. The fact is, l began to
! think a 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.
| wanted to give her a chance. q
squS-e deal, so that she wouldn't be
| ashamed of her own name if ever she
found out what it was.
About that time l fell foul of Muir
ply and Slavin there in Glencaid. /
never got my eyes on Murphy, YOU
/ know, and Slavin was so changed by
that big red beard that failed to rec
| ognize him. But their actions aroused
my suspicious, and l went after them
good and hard. | wanted to find out
what they knew, and why those lies
were told on Nolan ct the trial. | had
an idea they could tell me. So for
starter l tackled Slavin, supposing we
were alone, and l was pumping the
facts out of him successfully by hold
ing 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 scufle I
| CHANGED to catch a glimpse of the fell
lows right hand. and it had a scar on
/ the back of it that looked mighty ia
i miliar. | had seen it before, and
wanted to see it again. So, when
! got out of that scrape, and the doctor
| had dug a stray bullet out of nv
anatomy, there didn't seem to be any
one left for me to chase excepting
| Murphy, for Slavin was dead. | wasn't
| exactly sure he was the owner of that
! scar, but l had my suspicious and
wanted to verify them. Having struck
/ his trail, | reached Cheyenne Just
1 about four hours after he left there
with these dispatches for the Big Horn.
| ! caught up with the fellow on the
south bank of the Belle Fourche. and
/ being well aware that no threat or
! gun play would ever force him to CON
| TESS the truth | undertook to brighten
| him by trickery. | brought along
some drawing paper and drew your IA
| 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
l had given him. He went raving mad
on the Powder he jumped on me
while | was asleep. and since then
/ every mile has been a little he'll.
That's the whole of it to date"
They were up with the pack-tra
/ 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 it 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
anyone. for in no other way can the
existing barrier between Mazda and
| yourself be broken down
Insisting that now he felt perfectly
| fit for any service, the impatient
| Hampton was quickly supplied with
the necessary food and clothing, while
! Murphy, grown violently abusive, was
| strapped on a litter between two
mules, guard on either side. Brant
rode with the civilian on sharp trot
as far as the head OF the pack-train,
endeavoring to the very last to per-
suade the wearied man to relinquish
this 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 a long ways
back, but could see the boys plain
enough as they come out on the bluff
up there. Some of 'em waved their
hats back at us. Is this man goin'
after them sir2"