, 1908-09-03
XVII.
The verqe Of q Quarrel.

Brant's mind was o chaos OF con-
ficting emotions, but a single abiding
conviction never ono left him-he re-
tanned implicit faith in her, and he
purposed to fight this matter out with
Hampton. Even II that crucial hour,
had any one ventured to suggest that
he was in love with MAZDA, he would
merely have laughed, serenely conf
dent that nothing more than gentle
manly interest swayed his conduct.
Nevertheless. he manifested an I'M
reasonable dislike for Hampton. He
had never before felt thus toward his
person; indeed, he had possessed a
strong mans natural admiration Tor
the others physical power and cool,
determined courage. He now sincere
~ feared Hampton's power over the
innocent mind of the girl, imagining
his influence to be much stronger
h It really was, and he sought after
some suitable means for overcoming
it. He alone, among those who might
be considered as lei trne friends,
knew OF her secret infatuation, and
upon him, alone. therefore, rested the
burden of her release. 1t was his
heart that drove him into such a de-
cision, although he conceived It then
to be the reasoning of the brain.
And so she was MAZDA ellis, poor
old ellis little girl! He stopped sud
denly in the road, striving to realize
the thought. He had never dreamed
Of such a consummation. and it stag
gered him. What was there in COM
mon between that outcast. and this
well-groomed, frankly spoken young
woman? Yet, whoever she was or had
been. the remembrance of her could
not be conjured out Of his brain. He
might look back with repugnance upon
those others. those misty phantoms of
the past, but the vision of his mind,
his Interchangeable divinity of the
vine shadows. would not become OBJ
scured, nor grow less fascinating.
Suddenly there occurred to him a rec
objection of Silent Murphy, and his
strange, unguarded remark, What
could the fellow have meant? Was
there indeed some secret in the life
history of this young girl?-some
story of shame, perhaps? II so. did
Hampton know about it?
Already daylight rested white and
solemn over the silent valley, and only
a short distance away lay the spot
where the crippled scout had made
his solitary camp. Almost without vo-
lition the young officer turned that
way, crossed the stream by means of
the log, and ~clambered up the bank.
But it was clear at a glance that Muir
nhu had inSartnd tho Cn0t Cpnv{nnaI
of this. Brant retraced his steps to-
Yard the camp of his own troop, now
already astir with the duties Of early
morning. Just in front of his tent
he encountered his first sergeant.
Watson" he questioned, as the lat.
ter saluted and stood at attention.
do you know q nan called Silent
Murphy"
THE scout? Yes, sir; knew him a.
long g as when he was corporal in
your fathers troop. He RAJ reduced
to the ranks for striking an officer"
Brant wheeled in establishment.
"Was he evsr . soldier in the Sew
enth?"
HE was that, for two enlistments,
and a mighty tough one; but he was
always quick enough for . fight In
field or garrison"
HAS he shown himself here At the
eamp?"
mo, sir; didn't know he was any
where around. He and I were never
very good friends, sir"
The lieutenant remained silent for
several moments, endeavoring to per
feet some feasible plan.
Dispatch an order to the telegraph
Office" he finally commanded. ito in
quire If this man Murphy receives
any messages there, and If they know
where he is stopping. Send an intel
Hgent man and have him discover all
the facts he al When he returns
bring him in to me-"
He had enjoyed q bath and . shave.
and was yet lingering owe his cof-
fee, when the two soldiers entered
with their report. The sergeant step
ped aside, and the orderly, a tall, boy
fish looking fellow with . p~ugnacious
chin, saluted stif1N
well Bane," and the oficer eyed
his trim appearance with manifest ap-
proval, what did you succeed in learn
tng?"
THE operator said this yere Muir
ply had eve bin thar himself, sir,
but there wus several messages come
fer him. One got here this mornin'."
What becomes Of them?"
They're called fer by another fell
Ter, sir"
"oh, they srel who?"
Red Slavin wus the name he give
me of tibet other buck"
When the two had disappeared.
Brant sat back thinking rapidly. There
was a mystery here, and such actions
must have a cause. Something eth
er in or about Glencaid was COM
polling Murphy to keep out Of sight