Putnam patriot., 1908-12-11

Meanwhile os- '''f'' car. thinking Zmal 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 hereely cursed his foe Oscars hands slipped on the fellows hot blood that ran from a 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-giye me the letter. com handed Oscar. his face close to the Servian's He did not know how badly the man was injured. but he was anx- ious 10 complete his business and be o0 Still the sheep came huddling through the broken door. across the prostrate 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 prostrate foe went Oscars hands with no result Then he remembered the mans gesture in pulling the hat rlose upon his ears, and off came the hat and with 1t blood stained enyel- ope. The last sheep in the pen troope6 out and gallopcd toward its comrades
 Oscar, making off with the letter, plunged into the rear guard of the sheep. fell, stumbled to his feet and anfronted Captain Claiborne as that gentleman In soiled evening dress fum- bled for his lantern and swore at the sheep in language unbecoming an ofii- Ger and a gentleman.
 Tt is sheep-yes?' and Oscar started b bait.
 'Hxitr
 The authority of the tone rang fa- miliarty In Oscars ears. He had after considerable tribuiation learned to stop ahort wzhen an officer spoke to him. and the gentleman of the sheepfold stood straight in the starlight and spAke like an officer.
 -'yhat are you doing here. and who hrel that slaetf"
 Oscar salutad and summoned his best English-
 "It was an accident sir"
 "Why gre you running and why did you fre7 Understand you Afe tres passer here, and ] am going to turn you over to the constabie-"
 -There was a sheep steater-yes7 He is wonder by the pens, and re had some little lighting. but he Is not dead -nol-
 At that moment Ciaiborne's eyes caught sight of burly figure rising and thrashing about by the broken pen door
 That Is the sheep stealer." said o. ear. We shall catch him-yesr
 Zmai peered toward them uncertain- " for q moment. then turned abruptly and ran toward the road Oscar start ed to cut o6 his retreat but Claiborne caught the sergeant by the shoulder and flung him back
 "one of you at time! They can turn the hounds on the other rascal What's that you have theref Give 1t to me-quick"
 'It's a piece of woor-
 But Claiborne snatched the paper from Oscars hand and commanded the man to march ahead of him to the house. So over the meadow and through the pergoia they went across the veranda and into the library The power of army discipline was upon Oscar. If Claiborne had not been an ,ficer be would have run for 1t in the garden As fl was. he WAS taxing his wits to find some way out of his pre- 1ieament- He had rot the slightest ;dea as to what the paper might De He had risked his life 10 secure it. and now the crumpIed. blood stained paper had been taken away from him by . rerson whom fl could not interest In sny way whatever
 He blInked under Claibornes sharp serutiny as they faced each other ID the library
 .You are the man who brought horse hack ,o our stable a. hour ago
 -Yes. sir
 -You have been a soldier"
 -Iu the cavalry. sir. l have my disr charge at home"