The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-04-18

offered her my arm, and silently led
the way TO the room designated the
others following as best they might.
The apartment was unoccupied. exhib.
iting no signs OF the late struggle, and
| found comfortable resting places for
all. Miss Minor was yet sobblng soft.
~, her face hidden upon her moth
er's shoulder. and ! felt constrained
TO speak with her
II shall go at once" ! said kindly,
ito ascertain ali can regarding Lieu.
tenant Cation, and will bring you
word"
She thanked mo with glance OF
her dark eyes clouded with tears, but
as | turned hastily away to execute
this errand. Mrs. Brennan laid re.
straining hand upon my arm.
Captain Wayne" she said with
much seriousness, you are very un.
selfish. but you must not go until
your own wounds have boon attended
to; they may DO far more serious
than you apprehend."
As gazed AT her. surprised by tho
anxiety she so openly displayed, |
CHANGED to behold myself reflected
within a large mirror directly across
the room, One glance was sufficient
to convince mo her words were fully
justified. My remains OF uniform 1T.
orally chung to mo In rags, my bare
shoulder looked a confused mass OF
battered flesh, my hair was matted
and my face blackened by powder
stains and streaked with blood.
u certainly do appear disreputable
enough" ! admitted; but can as,
sure you 1t ia nothing sufficiently SO,
rious to require immediate attention
AS | stepped without and closed the
door behind me. was at once start.
led by tho rapid firing OF shot from
the rear Of the house, and the next
moment ! encountered the young, red.
faced officer hurrying along the hall.
way at the head n squad of Federal
cavalrymen. Recognizing me in tho
gloom OF tho passage he paused sud.
denly.
Il owe you n belated apology, Cap.
tain" he exclaimed cordially, for hay.
Ing mistaken you for one Of those mis-.
creants. but really your appearance
waB not fattering."
Having viewed myself since within
n mirror" replied. Il am prepared to
acknowledge tho mistake a most nat.
ural one, However. am grateful to
be out Of the scrape. and can scarcely
find fault with my rescuers. Five min.
utes more would have witnessed the
end"
I'VE rode hard" he said "and were
in saddle within fifteen minutes after
the arrival of your courier. You evi.
IDENTIFY made hard fight OF It; the
house bears testimony to terrible
struggle. We arc rejoiced to learn
that Lieutenant Cation was merely
stunned; We believed him dead at
first. and he Is far too fine n fellow
to go In that way"
"lIe Ia truly living them" ex.
claimed. greatly relieved. Miss MI.
nor. to whom he is engaged, Ia sor.
rowing over his possible fate in the II.
brary yonder. Could not two OF your
men assist him TO her? She would
do more to hasten his recovery than
any one"
Certainly" was the instant re-
Spouse. "Haines, you and Mcdonald
get the officer out of tho front room;
carry him in there where the ladies
are, and then reJoin us"
left. remembering then my own
need BY using tho back stairway
avoided unpleasant contact with the
traces Of conflict yet visible Mt the
front OF the house. and finally dscoy.
cred bathroom which afforded facill-
ties for cleansing my flesh wounds
and making my general appearance
more presentable. found could de
little to improve the condition OF my
clothing. but after making such
changes Cor the better as were DOS.
sible, soaking the clotted blood from
out my hair. and washing the powder
stains from my face, felt should
no longer prove an object OF aversion
even to the critical eyes of the women,
who would fully realize the cause for
my torn and begrimed uniform.
A glance from the window told me
the Federal cayalrymen were bearing
out the dead and deFosting them be.
yond view of the house In the desert
ed negro cabins Ebers and one or
two OF my own men were standing
near. carefully scanning the uncovered
faces rs they were borne past, while
scraps of conversation overheard
brought the information that the long
dining room where | had passed the
night on guard had been converted in
to temporary hospital
Irresolute Us to my next action, I |
passed ont into the upper hall. II was |
deserted and strangely silent, seem. |
ingly far removed from all those ter. |
rlhle scenes so lately enacted In the
rooms beneath. My head by this time
throbbed with pain; ! desired TO be |
alone, to think. to map out my future |
course before proceeding down the /
stairs to meet the others With this
In view sank down in complete I
WEAKNESS upon convenient set.
tee My heavy head sank hack |
upnp III, orrp NJ tha eattaa - I