The Red Cloud chief. [volume] (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923, 1915-04-01
you've had q terrible shock.-when

you are stronger" said the doctor.
When you have had something to
eat and drink" observed the practical
Minna authoritatively.
Marta would not have the food
brought to her. She insisted that she
was strong enough to accompany
Minna to the tower. While Minna
urged mouthfuls down Marta's dry
throat as she sat outside the door Of
the sitting.room with her mother q
number Of weary dust-streaked faces.
with feverish energy in their eyes.
peered over the hedge that bounded
the garden on the eide toward the pass.
These scout skirmishers Of Stransky's
men Of the SD Regiment of the
Browns made reckoning gestures as
to a crowd. before they sprang over
the hedge and ran swiftly, watchfully.
toward the linden stumps. closely fol.
lowed by their comrades. Soon the
whole garden was overrun by the lean.
businesslike fellows, their glances all
ferret.like to the front.
Look. Minna!" exclaimed Marta.
THE giant who carried the old man In
pickaback the first night OF the war!"
Minna was flushing. but the flush
dissipated and she drew up her chin
when Stransky, looking around, recog.
nized her with a merry. confident
wave Of his hand.
See, he's a captain and he wears
an iron cross!" said Marta as Stransky
fastened toward them.
He acts like IT," assented Minna
grudgingly.
Eager, leviathan. his cap dotted with
a sweeping gesture as he made q low
bow. Stransky was the very spirit OF
retributive victory returning to claim
the ground that he had lost.
well. this Is like getting homo
again." he cried.
so ! see!" said Minna equivocally.
Stransky drew his eyes together.
sighting them on the bridge Of his nose
thoughtfully at this dubious reception.
Il came back for the chance to kiss
a good womans hand" he observed
with profound awkwardness and
looking at Minna's hand. your
hand!" he added. the cast in his eyes
Strengthening as he looked directly at
her appealingly.
She extended her inger.tips and he
pressed his lips to them.
81 kept seeing the way you looked
when you belted me one In the face"
he went on, land knocked any an.
archism out OF me that was left after
the shell burst. kept seeing your
face in my last glimpse when the
Grays made me run for II from your
kitchen door before had half chance
for the Grafton crying for voice. You
were in my dreams! You we're In bat.
tie with mel"
This sounds like a disordered
mind" observed Minna. 1--WE heard
men talk that way before"
"Oh. have talked that way to other
women myself" said Stransky.
YES" said Minna bitterly. His can.
dor was rather unexpected.
Il have talked to others In passing
on the high road" he continued. But
never after a woman had struck me in
the face. That blow sank deep-deep
deep as what Lanstron said when I
revolted on the march. say 1t to you
with this'--he touched the erosion
my breast. And I'm not going to give
you up. It's a big world. There's
room In 1t for place for you after the
war Is over and I'm going to make the
place. Good-by till I'm Blackjack to
stay. Good-by, little daughter!" he
added with wave of his hand to Clar.
issa as he turned to go. Maybe we
shall have our own automobile some
day. It's no stranger than what's been
happening to me since the war began"
IF you don't marry him. Minna. I'll
Ill" Mrs, Galland could not find
words for the fearful thing that she
would do.
Marry him! l have only met him
three times for about three minutes
each time!" protested Minna. She
was as rosy as q girl and In her confu-
sion she busied herself relying the rib
bon on Clarissa Eileen's hair. He
called you little daughter!" she said
softly to the child as she withdrew into
the tower.
Marta remained In the chair by the
doorway OF the tower. weak and list.
less. Now her lashes were closed;
again they opened slightly as her gaze
roved the semicircle OF the horizon. A
mounted officer and his orderly gallop-
ing across the fields to the pass road
caught her desultory attention and
held 1t, for they formed the most i'm.
petuous object on the landscape. When
the officer alighted at the foot OF the
garden and tossed his reins to the or.
derby. she detected something familiar
about him. He leaped the garden wall
at bound and. half running, came to.
ward the tower. Not until he lifted his
cap and waved II did she associate this
1.-THE. dapper artillerist with stopped
old gardener in blue blouse and torn
straw hat who had once shufied AMONG |