The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-11-14
Rex Beach
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80
and particularly because he'd had a
government contract for a long while,
a a big gang of men and critters and
had made a lot of money. Likewise
he had a girl, who lived at the fort and
was mighty nice to look at and restful
to the eye after a year or SO of cactus
trees and mesquite and buffalo grass.
She was twice as nice and twice as
pretty as the women at the post, and
as for honeywell, her dad could have
bought and sold all the officers in a
lump, but they and their wives looked
down OF her, and she didn't mix with
them o whatever. To make it
short, the captain married her. Seem
ed like he got disregardful of every
thing, and the hunger to have a wom-
an just overpowered him. She'd been
courted by every single man for 400
miles around. She was pretty and full
Of fire, and they was both of an age to
love hard, SO Jefferson swore he'd
make the other women take her, but
soldierin' is a heap different from any
other profession, and the army has got
1(S OWA IIdOloOuS. 1AC PldA WOul0h y
work.
"By and by the captain got tired of
cryln' ana gave up the attempt-Just
devoted himself to her-and then we
was transferred, all but him. We shift
ed to a better post, but Captain Jeffer-
son was changed to another company
and had to stay at Supply. Gee. it
was a rotten hole! Influence had been
used, and there he stuck, while the
new officers cut him out completely,
just like the others had done. SO I was
told, and It drifted on that way for a
long time, him forever maxim an up
hill fight to get his wife reco'nized and
always quittin' loser. His folks back
east was scandalized and froze him
cold, calm him a squaw man, and the
story went all through the army. till
his brother officers had to treat him
cold in order to keep enough warmth
at home to live by, one thing leadin'
to another till he finally resented it
| openly. After that he didn't last long.
They made it so unpleasant that he
quit the service-crowded. him out,
ludt . I'LL. liz was Il OOlh ooluiCly wv
and didn't know nothin' else nor care
for nothin' else; as fine a man as ]
ever served under, but it soured him
SO that a rattlesnake couldn't have
lived with him. He tried to go into
some kind of business after he quit the
army, but he wasn't cut out for it and
never made good as long as l knew Of
Ifpo nIx. Last ffv,oA I cnAn him rrno
down on the border, and he had sure
grown cultus. He had quit the squaw,
who was Twin with a greaser in Tue
SON
"And do you think I'm like that wo-
man?' said Necia in a queer, strained
voice. She had listened intently to the
corporaps story, but he had purposely
avoided her eyes and could not tell
how she was taking it.
mo! You're different, but the army
is just the same. l told you this to
show you how it is out in the States.
1t don't apply to you, of course
"Of course!' agreed Necia again.
"But what would happen to Lieuten-
ant Burrell if-if-well, if he should do
something like that? There are many
half breed girls, I dare say, like this
other girl, or-like me-"
She did not flush now as before. In
stead her cheeks were pale.
ut would go a heap worse with him
than 1t did with Captain Jefferson"
said the corporal, "for he's got more
ahead Of him, and he m from bet
ter stock. Why, his family is way up"
II never thought of myself as an In
dian," said Necia duly. "In this oun
try it's a persons heart that counts"
"That's how It ought to be" said the
corporal heartily, land I'm mighty sor-
ry If I've hurt you, little girl. I'm a
rough old rooster, and l never thought
but what you understood all this, Up
here folks look at it right, but outside
it's mighty different. Even yet you
don't half understand"
"Tm glad I'm what Iam," cried the
| girl. There's nothing in my blood to
be ashamed of, and I'm white in here"
She struck her bosom iercely. III a
man loves me he'll take me, no matter
what it means to him."
The corporal slid down from. the
| counter where he had been sitting.
I'm goin' to hunt up the lieutenant
and get him to let me off. Mebbe I
can stake a claim and sell it."
The moment he was gone the girls
composure vanished, and she gave vent
to her feelings.
tits a lie! It's a lie!' she cried
aloud, and with her fists she beat the
boards in front Of her. "He loves me!
I know he doesw Then she began to
tremble and sobbed. "I'm just like
other girls"
She was still wrestling with herself
when Gale returned, and he started at
the look in her face as she approached
him.
Why did you marry my motherY'
she asked. why? Why did you do
it,"
He saw that she was in a rage and
answered bluntly, II didn't"