The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1920-12-04

parlOr to the further wall, which
seemed to be decorated profusely with
sprays Of evergreen. He seemed to
recall that the girl Joined him, stand
Ing at his left, and that she had al
vanced to his side guided by Dan NC
Carthy. 1t was all vague, misty, IN
| certain, and the next moment all ne
saw was the feshy figure Of the Buff
falO Gap preacher standing there I'M
mediately before him, his hands up
lifted and his sonorOus voice uttertng
words that sounded like a prayer.
Then Dan came forward again and
he felt her hand resting in his, real
izing how soft and small 1t was. He
remembered a question was asked him
| and he answered YES" and then he
seemed to hear her whisper a similar
| response. The preacher said some
thing, using some strange words, and
turning once to face the silent crowd
pressing close in upon them; then he
lifted his hands sOlemnly and Shelby
caught the sentence, 81 pronounce you
husband and wife and whom God
hath Joined together, let no man put
asunder"
There was an explosion Of breath,
a faint clapping. of hands, an instant
buzz of tongues. He felt that he must
| have shaken hands with a thousand
people; was pushed here and there
by the efforts made to reach him and
finally, bewildered, his mind in a
whirl, found himself once more out
in the hall, obsessed with a desire to
escape. He possessed no idea as to
what had become or the girl; no doubt
she was somewhere back there in the
crush. but he, at least. was free, and
would wait for her to Join him out
side.
He stood there alone, staring down
at the team of broncos and the heavily
laden blackboard uncomprehendingly
Yet slowly 1t all came back and his
mind began TO arouse from blank
stupor His attention was attracted
by the approach of hOrseman trot-
ing steadily up the deserted street to-
airy soldier In uniform, powdered
with dust, his horse showing evidences
of hard travel.
Shelby watched his coming curious
", his memory still lingering upon the
scene within. The man drew up at
the hotel, Popped his rein over the
horses head, swung stifly to the
ground and advanced up the steps.
He glanced aside at Shelby's motion
less figure, took a step toward the
door and then wheeled suddenly.
Say. amt your name Shelbyr'
The dazed bridegroom turned and
looked into the face confronting him,
his mind swapping back into quick
recognition.
"Sure. Well. thunder. you're Shau-
messy of the Sixth. What're you do
ing here?"
The two clasped hands firmly.
Thought 1 knew you, Tom, when
first came up the steps, but wasn't
quite sure till I got a side view. Must
be six years since you left us, amt it?
What am doing? Oh. they've showed
us up here from Arizona and I've been
up at the Reservation watchin' 'em
ghOst-dance an am headin' now for
Collins to tell the old man the news.
Some fun goin' to be pulled off pres
emily"
"You mean the Sioux are goin' on
rampage ag'inT
"Sure thing, unless miss my guess,
an reckon l ought to know Injuns
by this time. It'll either come this
fall or next spring. / figure they'll
never hold in over winter. or Sittin'
Bull has got the game in his hands
an you know that oil devil, / reckon"
II have reason to. Any troops up
there?"
"No; the InJun agent don't believe
there's goin' to be any trouble: says
it's just a few young bucks who are
raissf HI. He don't know what is
goin' on. But l been among 'em an
the whole outfit is blOOd-mad. seen
two of their ghost-dances myself back
in the hills an I,tell you they mean
business. You livin' here now?"
mo, out on the Cottonwood"
"What-north? Say, old man, that
amt goin' to be no healthy place fer
a white, If those devils break loose:
they'll make that country sure. Got
much Of an OUTFIT"
"A bunch Of cattle an two her1ers."
'NOt enough TO put up a fight. Well,
If was you, Tom. I'D run those cows
over into the Bad Lands an lie out
there awhile. Wen get the Injuns, of
course; but there is bound to he some
KILN first. unless I'm crazy. I've got
to go In and get something to eat"
He started to turn away. but Shelby
halted him with question.
How long you been in the army,
Peter"
Twenty-Five years."
"And with the Sixth cavalry7"
Fifteen"
did you ever know q sergeant
named Calkins?"
JEFF Calkins; he was my first top
after l joined; he left the service
bout ten years ago. There was
shOotin' scrape or somethin' down at
Harker. Sorter ugly story. though I've
forgotten Just what II was all about
now. Calkins got but o. that all right,
but when his enlistment was up he
quit; he didn't get on good with the