Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-04-17
x0 THE A
 
BY REX BEACH
osyRlonraoos BY HARPER a sRorxrss

aCu pnfllcuiafiy DecaufS iIc q baU government contract for long while ran big gang of men and critters and had made a lot of money. Likewise hc had girl. who lived at the fort and was mighty nice to look at and restfu to the eye after year or so of cactus trees and mesquite and buffalo grass She was twice as nice md twice, as pretty as the women at the post, and as for moncy-well. her dad could have bought and sold all the officers in Q lu.ip, but they and their wives looked down on Der, and she didn't mix with them none wiateYer. To make il shcrt. the captain married her Seem. cd like hc got disregardful of every. thing. and the hunger 10 have n wom. all just overpowered him. She'd been courted by every single man for 40( miles around. She was pretty and full of fire. md they was both of an age to love hard. so Jefferson swcre he'd make the other women take her, but solGlerin' Is a heap different from any other profession. and the army has got it's own traditions. The plan wouldn't wcrG.
 By and Ky the captain got tired of tryin' and gave up the attempt just devoted himself to hsr-ard then we was transferred. all but him. We shift. cd to q better post. but Captain Jcffcr- son was changed to another company ard had to stay at Supply. Gee, it was rotten hole. Influence had been used, ard there he stuck, while the new officers cut him out completely, just like the others had done, so was told. ard 1t drifted on that way for a long time. him forever maxim an Gp. hill fight to get his wife reco'nized and cast was scandalized and froze him cold. .callin' him squaw man. and the story went all through the army, till his brother officers had 10 treat him cold in order to keep enough warmth at home to live by. one thing leadin to another till he finally resented il openly. After that he didn't last long They made 1t so unpleasant that he quit the service-crowded him out, that's all. He was born soldier, too 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 rattlesnake couldn't .bave 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 knew of him. The last time l seen him was down on the border, and he had sure grown cultus. He had quit the squaw, who was livin' with n greaser in Tue son"-
 And do you think I'm like that wo- man?' said Necia in q queer, strained voice. She had listened iatently to the corporafs story, but he had purposely avoided her eyes and could not tell how she was taking it.
 No! You're different, but the army is just the same. told you this to show you how 1t is out in the States. It don't apply to you, of course"-
 "Of coursew 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-lilie me-"
 She did not flush now as before. h. stead her cheeks were pale.
 'It would go heap worse with him than it did with Captain Jefferson" said the corporal. flor he's got more ahead of him. and he comes from bet ter stock. Why. his family is way up"
 T never thought of myself as an In dian." said Necia duly. Tn this coun- try it's persons heart that counts"
 'Thats how it ought to be-" said the corporal heartily. "and I'm mighty sor- ry if I've hurt you. little girl. I'm 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"
 "rm glad I'm what I am." cried the girl. There's nothing in my blood to be ashamed of, and I'm white fin here" She struck her bosom fiercely. If a man loves me he'll take me, no matter what it means to him."
 The corpora. 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 can stake claim and sell it.
 The moment he was gone the girls vanished. and she gave vent to her feelings.
 Its lie! It's Her she cried aloud, and with her fists she beat the boards in front of her. He loves me! I know he doesr' Then she began to tremble and sobbed. I'm just like other girls"
 She was still wrestling with herself when Gale returned, ard he started at the look in her face as she approached him.
 "Whv did vou marry my mothar9''