Bogalusa enterprise and American. (Bogalusa, La.) 1918-19??, 1921-12-29
The ColonePs
Daughter
By HAROLD sINcLAIRE.

Coward How that word ranked
within the soul Of Ralph Warden, and
what a difference its utterance had
made in his life!
He had lived at Junta, a frontier
town and a 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
10 love the beautiful daughter Of
Colonel Lynd.
He recalled the day when Miss
Lynd, her girl cousin, Lieutenant Van
derlOOt and three visiting school
friends of Ethel were srolling near
the river, when a homeless drunEard
known about the district as Pauper
Joe, reeled across their path. He
CHANGED to joggle against Ralph. In
his maudlin fury called him name
that was always wiped out with blood
in that primitive section, and struck
him.
For q moment the fire of resent
ment and Indignation sprang to the
eyes of Ralph. Then, cIinching 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
"COwardw
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.
1t might have been over-sensitive-
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.
Il kept my promise" said Ralph to
himself staunchly, as he thought Of
the blight that had come over his fair
love dreams. II tiave lost Ethel, the
story of that blow has got around
town, and some think me mean spir-
tied craven; but promised mother,
and I have kept my word !"
1t 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 a 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 q sergeant
at Fort Danger, under orders of the
man he had considered a rival-a rival
no longer, however
II wrOnged you once, Warden" adj
mitted the lieutenant voluntarily the
day Ralph came TO the fort. 81
thought you a pOltroOn, and said so.
Later it leaked out to all of US about I
your sacred promise to your mother.
/ respect you for it. 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 a drinker, the fond, fer
vent friend Of the man who had been
kind to him, was also stationed at !
Fort Danger.
1t 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 a hOrseman in the !
distance, coming at terrific speed. She |
informed the officer In charge. Twenty !
minutes later there dashed into the |
fort a reeking horse.
The rider was Ralph Warden, his |
helpless burden Pauper Joe.
''Water, for the love Of heaveni" he
pleaded. Then, when the cooling !
draughP had passed his fevered lips:
Care for him, sergeant-the herOI
must tell the story quick, for I'm
done for"
What a story 1t wasl Fort Danger,
surrounded by Indians, cut of from
civilization. with only a weeks sup
plies, was hemmed In. Most Of the
soldiers, desperate, mad for fght, had
got at the liquor stores. They wOUId
eight like demons, but when the food
gave out they were doomed.
Ralph Warden, PaupeF Joe and two
gthexs had made the only attempt pos
lible for relief-a dash across the arid
desert, Indians had attacked them.
Ralph had shielded Joe. grabbed him
no to bis saddle OF the risk OE his NE.
md
"He was my only friend-a hero, the
sols survivor" breathed Joe. "Heavea
bless himl' and died.
FOrt Danger was relieved and saved.
e WIS Ethel who Rursed Ralph back
10 life. II was Ethel who cOntritely
.old him bow she had wrOnged him,
md later how she regretted losing
ltnl, and now, when his eager lips