Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1913-07-31

"Of course; why. I hadn't mentioned
her name! How did you guessi"
Because l am not entirely ignoran,
OF conditions" he answered soberly
Although | have onDv been at the
post a short time. l haze managed tc
see and hear a good deal. You know
j CHANGED to become involved In the
shooting of Lieutenant Gaskins. and
then l saw you riding with Mrs Du
pont. and recognized her"
I Recognized" In surprise. DO you
actually mean you knew her before p
Not as Mrs. Dupont. but as Vera
Carson. years ago. She knew me a,
once. and sent your driver over to the
barracks with q note"
why. how strange. She asked me
80 many questions. l wondered at the
interest shown. Do you mind tellins
me what the note was about?"
Not In the least. She referred to
the past. and asked me to meet her
Were you-very intimatsf Grea,
friends?"
We were engaged to be married. >
he acknowledged frankly, his eyes
upon her face. THAT was at the
breaking out Of the war, and was In
my senior college year. We met q,
school. and l was supposed to be the
heir to large property. She is beau
tiful woman now. and she was q beau.
tiful girl then. l thought her as good
and true as she was charming. Since
then ! have learned her selfshness
and deceit. that 1t was my money
which attracted her, and that she real
ly loved another man. . classmate."
She glanced up at him a. he paused
but he resumed the story without be.
ing interrupted.
The war came. and I enlisted al
once. and received 4 commission. Al
most oRr entire class went, and the
man she really loved was next below
me In rank"
Eugene lie Fevre!"
Yes; how did you knowf Oh, |
told you Of him out there In the sand.
hills. Well. ] urged her to marry me
be iore ! went to the front. but she
made excuses. Later. l understood
the reason. She was uncertain a. to
my !nher,ting the property Of IN
uncle. We were ordered to the Army
Of Northern Virginia. Once l went
home on furlough. severely wounded
We were to be married then. but had
| not sufficiently recovered when I was
suddenly ordered back to the front.
/ ha
that she was glad Of the respite.
afterwards discovered that during all
this time she was In correspondence
with lie Fevre. who had been detailed
on Early's staff. 1t was his influence
which brought about my sudden, un.
expected recall to duty. A few months
later l was promoted major, and, al
Fishers Hill. found myself command.
ing the regiment. Early In the action
lie Fevre brought me an order; It was
delivered verbally. the only other par.
ty present a corporal named Shultz,
a German knowing little English.
Early's exact words we're: Advance
at once across the creek, and engage
the enemy fiercely: a supporting col
umn will move Immediately Desper.
ate AZ the duty involved appeared,
there was nothing In the order as Civ.
en- to arouse suspicion. In obedience
| flung my command forward, leading
them on foot. We charged into trap,
and were nearly annihilated, and
Shultz was either killed, or made pris.
oner. Two days later l was arrested
under charges. was tried by court mar.
iial, and dismissed from the service
In disgrace. Early produced a copy
OF his written order; It read cautious.
ly feel the enemys position and lie
Fevre went on the stand. and swore
the original had been delivered to
me. had no witnesses"
She watched him with wideopen
eyes. her lips parted.
And she--this Vera Carsonf"
The man laughed bitterly.
Wrote him letter. which the man
actually had the nerve to show me
when | was helpless. proving her
falsity. would not believe, and went
back seeking her But she had de.
parted--no one knew where-but had
first convinced herself that my name
had been erased from my uncle's will
Two months later I heard that she
married lie Fevre In Richmond" =
And she-that woman-actually
asked you to meet her again tonigh ?"
/ "Yes."
Did you?"
II must plead guilty"
"Where?"