The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1908-09-24

cludins fhe mine m me Bfaqh Ranger
o will, duly signed and nttssted, saHe
ing you 40 his sole hsiF, together vita
carefully prepared ieitss, addressed
70 you, gfying q full account % ths
crime OF which he was convicted, "a
well as some other matters OF q pes,
sonal nature. That iottcr you must
read alone as his last message, but
the truth of all he says haa since beea
proved"
She glanced up at him quickly. by
Murphy"
Yes. by Murphy. who Is now iyins
in the hospital at Bethune, slowly re-,
covering. his sworn deposition has
been forwarded TO the department ~
Washington, and will undoubtedly re-
suit in the honorable replacing ot
your fathers name on the army iiat,
will tell you briefly the mans con,
fession, together with the few addi'
tional facts necessary to mako IL
clear
Your father and mine were for
many years friends and army com.
ntg saw ctlNitC ltkCNutl
ing the great war. and afterward upon
the plains in Indian campaigning Tn.
fortunately a slight misunderstood.
ing arose between them. One night
they openly quarreled when heated
by wine. and exchanged blows. Tho
following evening your father chanc.
ing to be officer OF the guard and on
duty, my father. whose wife had then
been dead year. was thoughtless
enough to accompany Mrs. Nolan
home at a late hour from a post ball.
Il was merely an act of ordinary cour.
tesy; but gossips magnihed the tale,
and bore II 10 Nolan. Still smarting
from the former quarrel. in which
fear my father was in the wrong, he
left the guard house with the openly
avowed intention of seeking imme.
date satisfaction. In the meanwhile
Slavin, Murphy. and a trooper named
Flynn. who had been TO town without
passes. and were half-drunk. stole
through the guard lines and decided
TO make a midnight raid on the colo
nel's private office. Dodging along
behind the powder house. they ran
suddenly upon my father. then on the
way to his own quarters. Whether
they were recognized by him. or
whether drink made them reckless OF
consequences. is unknown, but one OF
the men instantly fred. Then they
ran. and succeeded in gaining the bar.
racks unsuspected"
She sat MS II fascinated by HIS 70
cital
Your father heard tho shot. and
sprang toward the sound. only 20 fall
headlong across my fathers EfelesS
body. As he came heavily down. his
revolver was Jared out OF its holster
and dropped unnoticed in the grass.
An instant later the guard came run.
ming up. and by morning Capt Nolan
was under arrest charged with muir.
der. The circumstantial evidence was
strengths quarrel with tho muir
dered man. his heated language a
few moments previous. the revolver
lying beside the body, having two
chambers discharged and his being
found there alone with the man he had
gone forth to seek. Slavin and Flynn
both strengthened the case by posi-.
tive testimony. AS a result. a court.
martial dismissed the prisoner in dis
grace from the army. and a civil court
sentenced him TO ten years impris-
onment"
And my mother?" The question
was a trembling whisper from culver.
fng lips.
your mother" he said regretfully.
was an exceedingly proud woman, be
longing 10 family OF social promi.
hence In the east. she felt deeply
the causeless gossip connecting her
name with the case, as well as the
open disgrace OF her husbands con
viction She refused to receive her
former friends. and even failed In
loyalty TO your father In his time OF
trial II is impossible now TO fl
the fault clearly. or TO account for her
actions. Capt. Nolan turned over all bis
property to her. and the moment she
could do so she disappeared from the
fort. taking you with her From that
hour none OF her old acquaintances
could learn anything regarding her
whereabouts. She did not return to
her family in the east. nor correspond
with anyone In the army. Probably, Ut
terry hroken-hearted, she sought Sc
clusion In some city. How ellis OBJ
tanned possession Of you remains q
mystery"
Is that all?"
Everything"
They kept silent for long time. the
SLOW tears dropping from her eyes.
her hands clasped in her lap. His
heart. heavy with sympathy. would
not permit him 10 break In upon her
deep sorrow with words OF comfort.
Nadia" he whispered at last. this
may not be the time for me TO speak
such words. but you are all alone
now. viii you go bach to Bethuns
with me-hack to the old regiment
as my wife?"
A moment she bowed her head bc-
fore him; then lifted II and held out
hqr hands 81 will