Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-24
PART iii.
On the Little Big Horn.
CHAPTER I.
Mr.. Hampton Resolves.

Mr.. Hampton Resolves.
Mr. Bob Hampton stood in the bright
sunshine on the steps of the hotel his ap-
preciative gaze wandering up the long.
dusty. unoccupied street. and finally rising
| to the sweet face Of the young girl who &C.
cupied the step above. As their eyes met
| both smiled as IL they understood each
other. Except for being somewhat pale. the
result Of long, inactive weeks passed In
doors. Mr.. Hampton's appearance was that
of perfect health. while the expression of
his face evidenced the JOY of living.
There is nothing quite equal to feeling
well. little girl" he said. genially, patting
her hand where IL rested on the railing.
and I really believe I am in as fine fettle
now as ever have been. Do you know, 1
believe I'm perfectly fit to undertake that
little detective operation casually mentioned
to you few days ago. It's got to be zone.
and the sooner l get at 1t the easier I'll
feel. Fact is. put In large portion Of the
night thinking out my pians.'
II wish you would give 1t up all together.
Bob" she said. anxiously. II shall be so
dull and lonely here while you are cone"
II reckon you WILL for fact. as it's my
private impression that lovely Miss Spencer
doesn't exert herself over much to be en-
PERTAINING unless there happens to be a man
In sight. Great guns! how she did fling Ian
guage the last time she blew In to see me!
Out, NdlOd, II ISL itheiy liiS httiS
will require very long. and things are lots
happier between us since my late shooting
scrape. For one thing. you and l under
stand each other better; then Mrs, Herndon
has been quite decently civil. When fall
comes mean to take you east and put you
in some good finishing school. Don't care
quite as much about it as you did. do your"
Eyes. I think I do. Bob" She strove
bravely to express enthusiasm. 1.-The trou-
BILE Is. am SO worried over your going off
alone hunting after that man."
He laughed. his eyes searching her face
for the truth. well, hltle girl. he won't
exactly be the first I've had call to go after.
Besides. this Is particular case and APP
peals to me in a sort of personal way. If
you only knew 1t. you're about as deeply
concerned in the result as am. and as for
me, l can never rest easy again until the
matter is over with"
Its that awful Murphy. isn't I'll
|, Hes the one I'm starting after first, and
one sight at his right hand will decide
whether he Is to be the last as WE'LL
II never supposed you would seek re-
venge, like savage" she remarked. quietly.
you never used to be that way"
Good Lord. Nadia, do you think I'm low
cuss merely to get even with him for trying
to stick me with a knife? Why, there are
twenty others who have done as much. and
we have been the best of friends afterward.
Oh, no. lassie. it means more than that.
and harks back many long year. told
you I saw a mark on his hand / would
never forget-but l saw that mark first If
teen years ago. I'm not taking my life in
my hand to revenge the I.,fling Of Slavtn.
or in any memory Of that httle misunder-
standing between the citizens of Glencaid
and myself. I should say not. 1 have
been slashed at and shot at somewhat pro-
miscuously during the last five years. but
never permitted such little affairs to inter-
| fere with either business. pleasure or friend
ship II this fellow Murphy. or whoever
| the man I am after may prove to be. bad
contented himself with endeavoring play
| fully to carve me. the account would be con-
! sidered closed. But this Is duty owe 9
friend, dead friend. to run to earth this
| murderer. Do you understand now? The
| fellow who did that shooting up at Bethune
| fifteen years ago had the same sort of a
mark on his right hand as this one who
! ana when catch up he'll either squeal or
die. He won't be very likely to look on
the matter as a joke"
But how do you known
ct never told you the whole story. and I
don't mean to now until come back and
can make everything perfectly clear. 1t
wouldn't do you any good the way things
stand now. and would only, make you un-
my girl, pray good and hard that may dis
cover some means for making that fellow
sQueaL"
She made no response. He had told her
SO little. that it left her blindly cropping,
yet fearful to ask for more. She stood
gazing thoughtfully past him.
Have you heard anything lately. Bob.
about the 7th?'' she asked. finally. Since
since Troop left heref"
He answered with well-simulated careless
ness. mo; but 1t is most likely they are
well into the game by this time. It's bound
to prove hard campaign. to Judge from all
been Matching long enough to get all the
hostiles into a bunch. I know most of
them, and they are bad lot of savages
Crooks column. I have just heard. was
vI,n1r ,frxrrI tn lA1 ah.,I
and forced to fall back. That leaves the
7th to take the brunt of it. and there is
going to be - up north presently. or We
forgotten all ever knew about Indians.
Sitting Bull is the arch-devil for q plot.
and he has found able assistants to lead
the fighting. I only wish 1t were my luck
to be in it. But come. little girl, as said,
Tn quite likely to be off before night, pro-
vided / am fortunate enough to strike
fresh trail Under such conditions you
won't mind my kissing you out .ere. will
your
She held up her lips and he touched them
softly with his own. Her eyes were tear
dimmed. ooh. Bob. 1 hate to let you
co." she sobbed, clinging to him. mo one
could have been more to me than you have
been. and you are all / have left in the
world Everything l care for goes away
from me. Life is SO hard, so hard!'
Yes. little girl. 1 know and the man
stroked her hair tenderly his own voice
faltering. Its all hard; learned that sad
little bit easier for you since we first came
together. Still. don't see how 1 can pos
sibly help this. I've been hunting after
that fellow a long while now. matter of
fifteen years over a mighty dim trail. and
1t would be mortal sin to permit him TO
get away scot-free. Besides. If is affair
only manages to turn out right, can prom
Use to make you the happiest girl in Amer
lea. But. Nadia, dear, don't cling to me so;
1t is not at all like you to break down In
this fashion," and he gently unclasped her
hands. holding her away from him. while
he continued to gaze hungriy into her
troubled face ut only weakens me at a
time when I require all my strength of
will"
Sometimes 1 feel just like, a coward
Bob. It's the woman of it; yet truly
wish to do whatever you believe to be best
But. Bob need you so much. and you will
come back won't yonr I shall be so lonely
here. for-for you are truly all I have in
the world"
With one quick, impulsive motion he
pressed her to him, passionately kissing the
tears from her lowered lashes. unable longer
to conceal the tremor that shook his own
voice. Never. never doubt it, lassie II
truytI1 nat toll vx.a lrx,r