Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-06-27
CHAP TER XVIII.
The Yoke.

the foothills into a short grass country
and so finally struck the steady up
ward sweep OF valley Along which
lay the great tranScontineutal trail. /
do not know whether We Travelled two
days or three or four since all the days
seemed night to NE and all the nights
were uniform in torture. Finally we
drove down into dusty plain and So
came TO the old frontier fort. Here,
then. WAS civilization the stagecoach.
the new telegraph wire, men aud wo-
men. weekly or daily touch With the
world, that pryiug curiosity regarding
the affairs OF others which we call
news. TO me it seemed tawdry, sor-
did, worthless, after that which | had
left The noise seemed indispensable,
the food diStaSteful. | could tolerate
no roof and in my own ragged robes
slept on the ground within the old
Stockade
| was still guarded as prisoner |
was approached by none and had con
versation with none until evening of
the day after my arrival. When | ate
it was ut no genteman's taLle, but in
the barracks, | resented Judgment,
sentence and punishment, thus exc
cuted in one, Evening gun had sound,
ed, and the flag had been furled ON my
second day at Laramie, when finally
Colonel Meriwcther sent for me to
come to his office quarters.
MIR. CowleS," said he, ut is time
now that YOU and had a talk. Pres
emily you will be leaving Laramie. /
cannot try You by court martial, for
you are Il civilian. In short. all | can
say to you is to go, with the hope that
you may never again cross our lives"
looked ut him a time silently, hat
ing not him personally as much as l
hated all the world, But presently |
asked him, Have you no word for me
from herr
Miss Meriwether has no word for
you" he answered sternly, nor ever
will have You are no longer neces-
sary in her plans"
"Ah. then" said I. you have chang
ed your own mind nightly"
He set his lips together in his grim
fashion. Yes" said he, Il have
changed my mind absolutely. | have
just come from n very trying inter
view 1t is not necessary for me to
Then she has sent for mc?'
she will never send for you. have
said"
But listen. At least l have brought
her back to you safe and sound. Set
ting aside all my own acts in other
matters. why can you not remember
at least so much as that? Yet you
treat me like II dog. | tell you | shall
not leave without word from her, and
when | leave | shall make no prom
iseS as to when ! shall or shall not
come back. SO long as one chance re-
mains
II tell you that there is no longer
any chance. no longer the ghost of n
chance 1t is my duty to inform you.
sir. that a proper sutton long ago ap-
piled for my daughters and. that he
has renewed his suit and that now she
has accepted him."
For time ! sat staring stupidity at
him. You need speak nothing but the
truth with me" | said at last. Colonel
Meriwether. I have never given bonds
to be gentle when abused"
II am telling you the truth" he said.
my daughter. Miss Meriwether is en-.
gagged to Lieutenant Lawrence Bel
KNAPP of the Ninth dragons! You feel
your honor TOO deeply touched? Per
haps at later time Lieutenant Bel
KNAPP will do himself the disgrace Of
accommodating you"
"If killed him" said finally, how
would it better her case? Moreover.
before l could take any more risk
must go back to Virginia. My mother
needs me there most sadly"
Yes. and Miss Grace Sheraton needs
you there sadly as WELL" he retorted.
go back. then, and mend your prom
ises and do some of those duties which
you now begin to remember You
have proved yourself man OF no
honor. ! stigmatize you now as .
coward"
You speak freely to your prisoner,
Colonel Meriwether," | said slowly at
length. There is time yet for many
risks-chanccs for many things. But
now ! think you owe it to me to tel,
me how this matter was arranged"
Very well, then. Belknap asked me
for permission to try his chance long
ago-before | came west to Laramie
assigned him to bring her through to
me. He was distracted at his failure
TO do 50. He has been out with parties
all the summer searching for you both
and has not been back at Laramie
more than ten days. Oh. we all knew
why you did not come back to the set.
Elements. When we came in he guess
ed MI that you know He knew that
all the world would talk And. like Il
man. he asked the right to silence all
that talk forever"
And she agreed? Ellen MerIwether
accepted him on such terms"
1T Is arranged" said he. not am