Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1913-06-12

e013tod havorSaek. and she turned Il
eafeesesly over. whore Il lay beside
her on the sand. why. this 10 IN
old Confederate sack. isn't ~ hadn't
noSiosd bsSors: -. @. 8. A. u on
1.-THE nap.'
80 It y: psrhaps MoylAn served In
the SOUTH
7 think not am sure this wss
never his. for he bought It at Dodge.
remember he told me he would have
to nnd something TO carry our lunch
In" She pushed the Dap farther back.
then held It up 70 the sunlight There
are some other lsttsrs. but they are
hardly decipherabls. cannot read
the nrst line At I'll. but the second 10
somewhat plainsr-'Tourth TEXAS In
hntry.'"
Hanlin reached out his hand swift
y, and grasped the haversaok. forget
ting svogythlng else In suddenly
asoassd intarsst The girl. surprised.
stared up Into his faoe. aS he close'r
studied The faded Inscription. his fice
expresains unoonosaled amusement
0ood 0o1i" he calculated breath
leeely. 1T vas 0ene'a. What oan this
msanr
"Yoa-you knew the SOLDIER"
Knew himf Yea" speaking almost
unoonsciously. his inoredulous eyes
stil on the inscription. a. though fear.
ful II might vanish. 'That man was
either my best friend. or my worst
enemy: under heaven. l know not
which. Why. Il u like . miracle. the
findiDs Of this bag out here In the des-
ert. II u the ctae have been search
Ing after for nearly Ave years." He
seemed to pull himself together with
an effort realising her presence. 'Ex.
cuse me. Miss Mcdonald. but this
thing knocked me silly. hardly knew
what vas saying"
IT means much TO youf To your
liAsf"
Everything. Il I can only trace Il
bach. and thus discover the present
Whereabouts Of the original owner"
Was that your regiment. then-ths
Fourth Texas Infantry"
He bowed his head. now looking
frankly at her.
would you minA telling M you1
rankf"
Il became Captain Of r. Company
altar the fight At hancsllorsville: We
served In Virginia under Massa
Robert and lost every commissioned
onoer In that AFFAIR" He hesitated
to 20 on. but she prompted him By .
questioa:
And then whatf What vas II
that happenedf Don't b afraid 70
tell me-"
Nothing until the day We fought at
Fishers Hill." he said slowly. "Thsn
I was dismissed from the ssrvics-
for oowardios."
~Cowardicei" repeating the word in
quick protest. "why. how could that
bsf Surely your courage had been
sufnoiently tested beforef"
"Cowardice. and disobedieuoe Of OF.
dsrs." he repeated DULY. "aftsr I had
been under flre almost night and day
for three years: after had risen from
the ranks and commanded the regt-
mont."
.And you had no defencsf"
mo; at least. none I could use:
this man might have saved me. but
he did not. and I never knew Why"
who was her
my senior captain. detailed ON
Early's stan: he brought mo the or
ders verbally was Afterwards &C
cused Of disobeying. was temporari-
" In command Of the regiment that
day with rank ~ major. There was
Q mistake somewhere. and We were
horribly cut up. and a number taken
prisoners. II was my word against
his. and-and he lied"
She took the haversack from him,
studying the scarcely legibls inscrip-
tion.
1T. l. r. Are those the lettersf''
YES: they stand for Eugene L.
Fsvre; be was Of French descent his
home In New Orleans"
"You knew him vslif"
II thoutht 90: ~ were at school To-
gsther and afterwards In the army"
She looked across u him again.
touched by the tendss echo Of his
voice: then leaned forward and placed
one hand upon his.
"You have not spoken about this foe
q long while. have your
NO." bis eyes lighting ~ pleasant
". hardly thought OF II. s1cept some
times alone 1t night The msmsey
made me savage. and all my efforts .
ascertain the truth have proven use
less"
That 10 why you enlists1S"
Largely: there 10 no bottof place
u hldo O0o'n naat than n ~ s~ska