Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1913-05-01

emptied haversack, and she turned 1t
carelessly over, where 1t lay beside
her on the sand. Why, this is an
old Confederate sack, isn't 1t? hadn't
noticed before; see. C. S. A is on
the flap"
$50 it is: perhaps Moylan served in
the south"
Il think not. / am sure this was
never his, for he bought it at Dodge.
remember he told me he would have
to find something to carry our lunch
in" She pushed the flap farther back
then held 1t up to the sunlight. There
are some other letters, but they are
hardly decipherable. l cannot read
the first line at all. but the second is
somewhat plainer-'Fourth Texas In
fantry."
Hamlin reached out his hand swift
ly, and grasped the haversack, forget
ting everything else in suddenly
aroused interest. The girl, surprised,
stared up into his face, as he closely
studied the faded inscription, his face
expressing unconcealed amazement.
Good God!" he calculated breath
lessly. 1T was Genes. What can this
mean?".
"You-you knew the soldier?"
Knew him? Yes" speaking almost
unconsciously, his incredulous eyes
still on the inscription, as though fear
full it might vanish. That man was
either my best friend. or my worst
enemy; under heaven, know not
which. Why, 1t is like miracle, the
finding of this bag out here in the des-
ert. 1t is the clue l have been search
ing after for nearly five years" He
seemed to pull himself together with
an effort. realizing her presence. "Ex-
cuse me. Miss Mcdonald, but this
thing knocked me silly. hardly knew
what l was saying"
1T means much to you? To your
life?"
Everything. II can only trace it
back, and thus discover the present
whereabouts of the original owner"
WAS that your regimenn then-the
Fourth Texas Infantry"
He bowed his head, now looking
frankly at her.
Would you mind telling me your
rank?"
81 became Captain of b Company
after the fight at Charlottesville; we
served In Virginia under Massa
Robert. and lost every commissioned
officer In that affair" He hesitated
to go on. but she prompted him by a
question:
And then what? What was 1t
that happened? Don't be afraid to
tell me-"
Nothing until the day we fought at
Fishers HILL" he said slowly. Then
was dismissed from the service
for cowardice."
"Cowardice!" repeating the word in
quick protest why, how could that
be? Surely your courage had been
sufficiently tested before?"
"Cowardice, and disobedience of or
ders." he repeated DULY, after l had
been under fire almost night and day
for three years; after had risen from
the ranks and commanded the regi-
ment"
And you had no defence?"
mo; at least, none | could use;
this man might have saved me, but
ne did not, and never knew why"
who was he?"
"My senior captain, detailed on
Early's staff; he brought me the or
ders verbally was afterwards ac-
cused of disobeying. was temporari-
ly in command of the regiment that
day with rank as major. There was
a mistake somewhere, and we we're
horribly cut up. and number taken
prisoners. 1t was my word against
his. and-and he lied"
She took the haversack from him,
studying the scarcely legible inscrip-
tion.'
e. L. F. Are those the letters?"
Yes; they stand for Eugene LIE
Fevre; he was of French descent, his
home in New Orleans"
you knew him well?"
II thought so; we were at school to-
gether and afterwards in the army"
She looked across at him again,
touched by the tender echo of his
voice; then leaned forward and placed
one hand upon his.
"You have not spoken about this for
long while, have your"
NO." his eyes lighting up pleasant
ly, hardly thought of it, except some
times alone at night. The memory
made me savage. and all my efforts to
ascertain the truth have proven use
less"
That is why you enlisted?"
Largely; there is no better place
to hide ones past than in the ranks