The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1921-12-22
The Colonel's
Daughter
By HAROLD sINCLAIRE.

"
what difference its utterance had
made in his life!
He had lived at Junta, frontier
town and II military post, since boy
hood. Just rs he came of age his
mother had died. Through her brief
period of illness it had been the
friendly visits and kind miniStrntiOns
OF Ethel Lynththat had made her Sc
rene aud peaceful Ralph had grown
TO love the beautiful daughter of
Colonel Lynd.
lie recalled the day when Miss
Lynd, her girl cousin, Lieutenant Van
derlOOt and three visiting school
friends OF Ethel were strOlling near
the river, wien a homeless drunkard
known about the district as Pauper
Joe. reeled across their path. He
CHANGED To joggle against Ralph. In
his maudin fury called him name
that was always wiped out with blood
I'm that primitive section, and struck
him.
For moment the fire Of Resent
ment and indignation sprang to The
eyes Of Ralph. Then, cIlnching his
fists. holding his breath, his face grew
sshrn as he stood rigid rs Il statue.
lie faneled he noted look Of con-
tempt cross the face of Miss Lynd., He
heard word spoken
Coward"
Then the group passed Oh, but not
until Lieutenant VHnderlOoi had
stepped forward, Wanting his chival-
rouS strength i'm some sneer at Ralph,
and with cruel blow sent the poor
wretch, Pauper Joe, 10 the ground.
1t might have been over-sensitive-
ness. but Ralph fancied that Ethel and
her friends purposeIy 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.
81 kept my PROMISE" said Ralph 20
himself staunchly, as he thought Of
the blight that had come over his fair
lONG NltNiiN. ltNNt lbSl IAillNi, lilNs
story OF that blow has got around
town, and some think me Il mean spir-
tied craven; but l promised mother
and have kept my word ~
1t was on her death bed that Mrs.
Warden had drawn her son 10 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 I'm 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.
81 wronged you once, Warden" adj
mitted the lieutenant voluntarily the
day Ralph came to the fort. II
thought you poltroon, and said so.
Later It leaked out TO all Of us about
your sacred promise to your mother.
| respect you for il. | think that dis
covery made pretty Miss Lynd edge
away from me-
The whirligig of time brought about
another strange happenlng-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.
II was late on a blazing hot summer
afternoon, when as Ethel Lynd sat
in breezy corner of Fort Blain scan
ming the broad plain with field glass,
she made out horseman in the
distance, coming ut terrific speed. She
informed the officer in charge. Twenty
minutes later there dashed into the
fort reeklng horse.
The rider was Ralph Warden, his
helpless burden Pauper Joe.
water, for the love of heavenw he
pleaded. Then, when the cooling
draught had passed his fevered lips
Care for him, sergeant-the hero !
! must tell the story quick, for I'm
done for"
What a story it was! Fort Danger,
surrounded by Indians, cut off from
civilization, with only a 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 friend-a Lero, the
sole survivor" breathed Joe. Heaven
bless himl" and died.
Fort Danger was relieved and saved.
1t was Ethel who nursed Ralph back
TO life. 1t was Ethel who contritely
told him how she had wronged him,
and later how she regretted losing
Ii. n. 4.