The Red Cloud chief., 1910-11-24
CHAPTER I.
The Makers of Mans,

The gray name of Dr. Samuel Ward
waved like n fighting crest as he
made answer:
Not the sort of hope you ask" A
moment later he added John, / am
ashamed of you"
The cynical smile OF the man ]
called my chief still remained upon
his lips, the same drawn look OF suf.
fering still remained upon his gaunt
features; but in his blue eye | saw a
CLINT which proved that the answer of
his old friend had struck out some
unused spark of vitality from the
deep, cold flint of his heart.
Il never knew you for coward,
Calhoun" went on DR.. Ward; nor
any Of your family. | give you now
the benefit Of my personal acquain.
tance with this generation of the Cal
houns. | ask something more of you
than aint.heartedness.
The keen eyes turned upon him
again with the old flame of flint which
generation had known--a genera
tion. for the most part, of enemies.
Did not Saul fall upon his own
sword?" asked John Calhoun. Have
not devoted leaders from the start of
the world till now sometimes rid the
scene of the responsible figures in
lost fights, the men on whom blame
rested for fallures?"
"Cowards!" rejoined DR.. Ward.
towards, every one of them! Were
there not other swords upon which
they might have fallen-those of their
enemies?"
1T is not my own hand-my own
sword, SAM" said Calhoun. Not that.
You know as well as | that | am
already marked and doomed, even as
sit at my table tonight. A wall; of
a wet night here in Washington-a
turn along tho Heights out there when
the winter wind is keen-yes, Sam. /
see my grave before me- close enough:
but how can / rest easy in that grave?I
Man, we have not yet dreamed how
great country this may be- We
must have Texas. We must have also
Oregon. We must have"
"Free?" The old doctor shrugged
his shoulders and smiled at the arch
pro oslavery exponent
Then, since you mention 1t. yes!"
rretorted Calhoun fretfully. But /
shall not go into the old argument of
those who say that black Is white,
that south Is north. 1t is only for my
own race that l plan wider America.
But then" Calhoun raised a long.
thin hand. why" he went on slow
ly. II have just told you that I have
failed. And yet you, my old friend,
whom ought to trust, condemn me
70 live on!"
YES" he said, at length, Il condemn
you to fight on, John" and he smiled
grimly
why, look at you, mani" he broke
out fiercely, after moment. THE
type and picture OF combat! Good
bone, fine bone and hard; q hard head
and bony; little eye, set deep; strong,
wiry muscles, not too big-hghting
muscles, not dough; clean limbs;
strong fingers: good arms, legs, neck;
wide chest"
"Then you give me hope?" Calhoun
flashed smile at him.
mo. sir! If you do your duty, there
is no hope for you to live. If you do
not do your duty, there is no hope for
you to die, John Calhoun, for more
than two years to come-perhaps five
vears-six. Keep up this work-as
you must, my friend-and you die as
surely as though l shot you through
as you sit there. Now, is this any
comfort to you?"
A gray pallor overspread my mas.
ters face. That truth is welcome to
no man. morbid or sane, sound or i'll:
but brave men meet 1t as this one did.
Time to do much!" he murmured
to himself. Time to mend many
broken vessels, In those two years.
One more fight-yes, let lis have it,"
But Calhoun the man was lost once
more in Calhoun the visionary, the
fanatic statesman. He summed up, as
though to himself, something OF the
situation which then existed at Wash.
ington.
Yes. the coast Is clearer, now that
WEBSTER is out OF the cabinet, but Mr..
Upshur's death last month brings in
new complications. Had he remained
our secretary OF state, much might
have been done. 1t was only last Oc.
tober he proposed to Texas a treaty
OF annexation"
"Yes, and found Texas none so
eager" frowned Dr. Ward.
mo; and why not? You and | know
we'll enough. Sir Richard Pakenham,
the English plenipotentiary here, could
tell II he liked. England Is busy in
Texas. Texas owes large funds to
England. England want Texas as a
colony. There is fire under this smoke
talk OF Texas dividing into two gov.
ernments, one, at least under Eng
lands gentle and unselfish care!
"And now, look YOU" Calhoun con.
tinued, rising, and pacing up and
down. look what is the evidence.
Van zandt, charge daffaires in Wash.