Milford chronicle., 1908-11-27

NaanwbiIa Oa- lantern ana ran.
car, thinking Zmai badly hurt did not
fire again, but flung himself upon the
fellows broad shoulders, and down
they crashed against the door Of the
nearest pen. Zmai swerved and shook
himself free, while he fercely cursed
his foe. Oscars hands slipped on the
fellows hot blood that ran from long
crease In the side of his head.
As they fell the pen door snapped
free, and out into the starry pasture
thrOnged the frightened sheep.
"The letter-give me the letterg com
manded Oscar, his face close to the
Servian's. He did not know how badly
the man was injured, but he was anx-
iOus to complete his business and be
of. Still the sheep came budding
through the broken door, across the
PROSTATE men and scampered away
into the open. Captain Claiborne. run
ming toward the fold with his lantern
and not looking for obstacles, stumbled
over their bewildered advance guard
and plunged headlOng into the gray
fieeces. Meanwhile into the pockets OF
his PROSTATE foe went Oscars hands
with no result. Then he remembered
the mans gesture in pulling the hat
close upon his ears, and off came the
hat and with 1t a blood stained envel-
Ope. The last sheep in the pen troOped
out and gallOped toward its comrades.
Oscar, making off with the letter, |
plunged into the rear guard Of the |
sheep, fell, stumbled to his feet and |
confronted Captain Claiborne as that !
gentleman in solled evening dress fun
bled for his lantern and swOre at the |
sheep in language unbecoming an OIL
Ger and a gentleman.
at is sheep-yes?" and Oscar started
to bolt.
"Haltg
The authority Of the tone rang ia
military in Oscars ears. He had after
{ considerable tribulatiOn learned to stop
short when an officer spoke to him,
and the gentleman Of the sheepfold
stood straight in the starlight and
spoke like an officer.
what are you doing here, and who
fired that shOtY
Oscar saluted and summoned his best
English
at was an accident, sir"
"Why are you running and why did
you fire? Understand you are a tres
passer here, and am going to turn
you over to the constable"
There was a sheep stealer-yes?
He is yonder by the pens, and we had
some little fighting, but be is not dead
mop
At that moment Claiborne's eyes
caught sight Of a burIy figure rising
and thrashing about by the broken
pen door.
THAT is the sheep stealer." said o.
ear. 1--WE shall catch him-yes?"
Zmai peered toward them uncertain
y for moment, then turned abruptly
and ran toward the road. Oscar start
ID to cut of his retreat. but Claiborne
caught the sergeant by the shoulder
Ind flung him back.
zone Of you at a timel They can
urn the hounds on the other rascal.
that you have therel Give it
o me-quickw
''It's a piece of WOOL
But Claiborne snatched the paper
rom Oscars hand and commanded
he man to march ahead of him to the
louse. So over the meadow and
through the pergola they went, across
he veranda and into the library. The
,Ower Of army discipline was upon
oscar. If Claiborne had not been an ,
ficer he would have run for It in the |
arden. AS 1t was, he was taxing his
Vits to find some way out Of his pre-
icament He had not the slightest (
lea as to what the paper might be. !
lie had risked his life to secure it, and
ow the crumpled, blood stained paper '
ad been taken away from him by a 0
ersOn whom it could not interest In
ny way whatever. t
He blinked under ClaibOrne's sharp '
crutiny as they faced each other in S
lie library. b
you are the man who brought a '
orse back to our stable an hour ago"
''Yes, sir" t.
''You have been a soldier"
'Tn the cavalry, sir. have my dis
larRe at home"