Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1921-11-25
The Colonel'.
Daughter
By HAROLD sINcLAIRE.
Copyright. 1921. Western Newspaper Unio

Copyright. 1921 Western Newspaper Union.
Coward! How that word ranked
within the soul Of Ralph Warden, and
what a difference it's utterance had
made in his life!
He had lived at Junta, frontier
town and military post. since boy
hood. Just as he came of age his
mother had died. Through her brief
period Of illness it had been the
friendly visits and kind ministrations
Of Ethel Lynd that had made her Sc
rene and peaceful. Ralph had grown
to love the beautiful daughter Of
Colonel Lynd. =
He recalled the day when Miss
Lynd, her girl cousin, Lieutenant Van
derioot and three visiting school
friends of Ethel were strolling near
the river, when q homeless drunkard
known about the district as PauIer
Joe, reeled across their path. He
CHANGED to joggle against Ralph. In
his naaudlin fury called him name
that was always wiped out with blood
In that primitive section, and struck
him.
For a moment the fire of resent
ment and Indignation sprang to the
eyes Of Ralph. Then, clinching his
fists, holding his breath, his face grew
ashen as he stood rigid as a statue.
He fancied he noted a look Of Con
tempt cross the face of Miss Lynd- He
heard a word spoken
'COward!'
Then the group passed on, but not
until Lieutenant Vanderloot had
stepped forward, Wanting his chival-
rous strength in some sneer at Ralph,
and with a cruel blow sent the poor
wretch. Pauper Joe, to the ground.
It might have been oversensitive-
ness, but Ralph fancied that Ethel and
her friends purposely hurried on. He
fingered. 1t was he who lifted the
stranded wreck to his feet and led him
to a lodging house.
Two days later Ethel left Junta, and
Ralph had not met her in the mean
time.
II kept my PROMISE" said Ralph to
himself staunchly, as he thought of
the blight that had come over his fair
love dreams. Il have lost Ethel, the
story Of that blow has got around
town, and some think me a mean spir-
tied craven; but 1 promised mother,
and have kept my word"
It was on her death bed that Mrs.
Warden had drawn her son to the
sacred pledge regarding two things
drink and fighting. Mrs. Warden had
died with satisfied smile, when her
loyal son had promised never to raise
his hand against another in temper or
hate.
One day a sudden resolution came
into his mind; he would join the regu-
lar army. Thus it was that one year
after the last sight of the only woman
he had ever loved, he was sergeant
, at Fort Danger, under orders Of the
man he had considered rival-a rival
no longer, however.
Il wronged you once, Warden" adj
mitted the lieutenant voluntarily the
day Ralph came to the fort. Il
thought you poltroon, and said so.
Later 1t leaked out to all of us about
your sacred promise to your mother.
/ respect you for it. I think that dis
covery made pretty Miss Lynd edge
away from me-
The whirligig of time brought about
another strange happening-Pauper
Joe, no longer drinker, the fond, fer
vent friend of the man who had been
kind to him, was also stationed at
Fort Danger.
It was late on blazing hot summer
afternoon, when as Ethel Lynd sat
in breezy corner of Fort Blain scan
ming the broad plain with a field glass,
she made out horseman in the
distance, coming at terrific speed. She
Informed the officer in charge. Twenty
inmates later there dashed into the
fort q reeking horse.
The rider was Ralph Warden, his
helpless burden Pauper Joe.
Water. for the love Of heaven" he
pleaded. Then, when the cooling
draught had passed his fevered lips :
Care for him, sergeant-the hero
l must tell the story quick, for I'm
done for"
What story it was! Fort Danger,
surrounded by Indians, cut off from
civilization, with only weeks sup
plies, was hemmed in. Most Of the
soldiers. desperate, mad for fight, had
got at the liquor stores. They would
fight like demons, but when the food
gave out they were doomed.
Ralph Warden, Pauper Joe and two
others had made the only attempt pos
.sible for relief-a dash across the arid
desert. Indians had attacked them.
Ralph had shielded Joe, grabbed him
up to his saddle at the risk of his life,
and ~
HE was my only frtend-a hero, the
sole survivor" breathed Joe. Heaven
bless him!' and died.
Fort Danger was relieved and saved.
It was Ethel who nursed Ralph back
to life. It was Ethel who contritely
told him how she had wronged him,
and later how she regretted losing
him, and now, when his eager lips
questioned her, she told, too, how she