The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-07-07

then called the far west, was once q
ranch house In those days the Amer
lean Indian was not kept in continued
subsection, and the rancher built his
house near enough to the fort to go
there with those OF his household for
protection in case of necessity The
fort, now that the Indian has been
eliminated, has sunk to nothingness in
Importance. and the ranch house is
bu: charred spot. having been burn
ed by the redskins years ago
Not an hour before its destruction q
couple, young officer from the fort
and a girl. the rancher's daughter
were sitting on the broad veranda in
the light of full moon Allen Kim
ball had enlisted in the United States
army because he could neither be con
trolled nor control himself. He had
/ given in to almost every kind of dis
sipation, and at the end of spree,
not having the hardihood to meet his
father and being out of money, in a
/ fit of desperation be had enrolled him
self in cavalry regiment, choosing
/ that arm Of the service since it would
send him farthest from his home
/ He had not been long at his station
when trouble with the Indians came
on, and Kimbal showed himself so
brave that he was rapidly promoted
through the noncOmmissloned grades
and before the lighting was over was
made a lieutenant This gave him
heart, and ne determined to redeem
himself with his family. But q pas
sion for gambling stood in his way
AT those remote posts there was little
or nothing for the men to do except
drink and gamble, and Lieutenant
Kimball found the temptation to gam
BILE too strong for him. Once be had
begun to play all caution deserted him,
ana he bet wildly. The result was
that he became indebted to his broth
err officers In large amounts One OF
two of his creditors In order to gel
what they considered to be their just
dues formed a clique against him, and
he found himself cut man, which
is the army expression for one whose
brother officers will not speak to him,
though some dissented from the rest
on the ground that Kimball did not de
serve what was inflicted upon him.
Kimball had formed the acquaint.
ance of Winifred Armour, the ranch.
mans daughter at the height Of the
reputation he had made for bravery
and efficiency. He loved her, and his
/ loved was returned. He confessed his
/ previous life to her and announced his
/ intention thereafter to be a credit In.
stead of disgrace to his family. She
sympathized with him deeply and
promised him that if he adhered to
his resolution for a given time she
/ would marry him.
But" she said, Il will confess that
there is In the east man of sterling
worth who has asked me to be his
wife. He Is much older than |, and
thus far respect him only. My love
former condition when return to the
east 7 shall accept his proposition"
Doubtless she put the matter thus to
furnish an incentive to him to conquer
himself.
He had ridden over to, the ranch
house on This moonlight night to bid
her goodby. He had failed to conquer
himself and had lost her. The inter
view was painful to both.
"Well," he said. sin one thing | re.
joice-you in time will be happy Thank
heaven, I am not to drag you down
with me! You will be member of a
family. while IL am every day ex-
pecting an invitation to resign"
Winifred made no reply. What could
she say? She could not End It In her
heart to upbraid him And there was
nothing she could say to relieve the
mental torture both suffered. She sim
ply put out her hand in a mute fare
well.
They were both recalled from the
melancholy status existing between
them by hearing distant sounds of a
galloping horse, evidently coming at
full speed. Both listened. The ami
NAL was not coming from the direc.
ton of the fort. but toward 1t. Kim
ball knew that the Indians on the
nearby reservation had been unruly.
and something told him the conner
was messenger bringing a warn
ing. His fear was realized A horse
man, reaching point In the road op
, posite the ranch gate, pulled his horse
back on his launches and cried out:
1.-THE Indians are coming! They're
right Oh u.s.
without word Kimball ran for the
stable near the house and in few
minutes returned leading Winifred's
mare saddled and brided Her father
was away from the ranch, and there
was no one in the house but employ
> ees and servants. They. too, prepared
for fight. Kimball put his companion
on her horse. mounted himself. and
they tore through the open gate and
away toward the, fort They had