TIIE OMAHA DAILY BEE : SATUf DAY , JULY 511 , 1998. 0
? OLD IIEARTS AFLAME.
-i- By P , Y. BLACK.
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( Copyright , 1898 , by S. S , McClure Co. )
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Corp Ilealy walked around the wire fence
at the corner where the ilttIe nchoolhouso
mood with the elaborate air of one who 1s
blrolling about for want of eomething better -
ter to do. Yet he turned his head now anti
again and eyed iho long verandas of tha
harrncks and the men kicking about a foot
bail on the frozen parade ground 1n a way
which was almost guilty. They were not
thinking of him at nil , but the soldier
twirled his stick and w lllstled with unusual
loudness , an apparent attempt to convince
observera that ho waa merely enjoying the
fresb , cold wind that whistled over the
brown plains and reddned his lean and
leathery cheeks. One eye , ? towet'er , he
kept' sharply on the school house door , and
twice , ht five minutes he looked aecretly
, nt his watch. The door opened , and the
children of the post came charging out ,
n tumbling group of boys and girls , little'
folk of the plains , soldiers' babes , clear-
eyed and self-reliant , llenly walked more
quickly around the corner and presented
Iilniself at the side door of the school , out
of sight of barracks and parade ground.
Graves , tim mldler schnolmnstgr , was clcar-
Ing his desk and preparing to follow ttno
youngsters.
"Halloat" ho cried , looking up at the tall ,
ktrnlght , red-headed flgure in the doorway ,
'coming to school , corporal ? What reader
6bail I put you in ? "
Honlygrinned banlgnantly
"Fur many's the year , Graves ; ' ho sold ,
1'tho school of the batalllon has been the
only wan 1'vo found nfcissary , an' tactics
has bin me rader , Shuro I wuz passln' an'
looked in upon yez. It's' a wearln' job ycz
have , Graves , tnchln' them kids , near as bad
em drillin' rookies , I'm afther thinkin' . "
"About , said Graves , taking up the door
key."Ye'vo
"Ye'vo a great head , Graves , the corporal -
poral said , sweetly , with a flattering cock
of his blue eye. I've bin hearin' the major
lowld the chaplain to lave yea be , as yez
knew more than he did.
Graves laughed and sat down.
"When you flatter mo like that , Heniy , "
t It ho said , "I know you'ro after somethiug.
( What is it ?
"Nat at all , at all ! " cried Ilealy , suddenly -
denly becoming nervous , "I wuz just passln' ,
, JJut scale' yez aln't busy , wud ye do me a
favor , Mister Graves ? "
"Mister ! " cried Graves , laughing again.
"I'd be beggin' yea , though , to knee It to
yourself ; ' said , Ilealy , earnestly , and plunging -
ing headlong into the matter on his mind ,
{ , "It's no matlher of 'shamo , but the bdys
wlll be bettber not to bear it , seem' as I
Onlght have to take their foolln' sarlous.
loud yez give mo yer opinion on that
Graves ? "
Graves took a big sheet of foolscap from
the corporal and read aloud :
r "Sweet girl , accept a lowly heart ,
Which now thy lover ( with the major's
permh3slon ) lays at thy feet ,
, Ior from thee , 0 darling , 1 cannot dwell
apart ,
kin mine I respectfully ( and according to
the rules and regulations of the servIce -
Ice ) do entreat.
"It's poethry , ye'll be afther notlcin' ,
bald Healy , beaming with such pride that
ho fatled + to' observe the schoolmaster's red
faro and burst of chuckling coughs , "But I
Wanted yez , seeln's yo'ro well known for a
scholar , to tech it up a bit , Graves. Ye'Il
obsnrve , 1t don't sing Itselt , fur ft's me Furst
attempt siuco a boy. Thruo Poethry shud
kinn uv go to a chage , whin yea rado it , I
belave. "
" " ' Graves " boys usually
"Well , 'mid , "my
read the very best poetry sing-song , cor-
poral. Is this a-a declaration ? "
Ifealy blushed ; at 'least his neck grew
oven redder than was customary , But he
drew himself up very straight Indeed , nod
answered boldly :
"In confidence , It's aither beln' that same ,
Graves. Is it all right ? "
"Why spoil the sentiment by these brack-
W
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"I'VE BEEN FEAItldD TO ASI { , I
TIIOUGIIT I KILLED YOU. '
oted assurances of the major giving his
pormlaston 7"
"Aw , Graves , 501(1 the corporal , winking
shrewdly , "whin I w'us younger , an' runnin'
afther the gurrle , 'twas pteallf wuL all shmti-
went so ! t wuz , But igeparince line lamed
mo that it's the puractical men gRe there.
I'm afther dilllcutely Inshinuatin' to the
lady that she'd need never fear the major'11
object. Shuro she knows a sojer requores )
to aslc lava to marry uv the commandln'
omcor. But it splles the cbuno uv the
poethry , an' that's ' whut I'm askin' , Wull
ye just drill it Into shape , Graves , eeeht'
yore a scbolur , which , I belavo , includes
poethry , "
The schoolmaster good-naturedly assumed
the task , and , much to the corporal's admiration -
miration , succeeded shortly In submitting
to the old soldier a eullicienlly creditable
effusion , when Ilealy gratefully took his
departure , leaving Graves to chuckle to
himself for a long time in the deserted
schoolhouse.
As the soldier left and took his way round
the roar of the buildings , avoiding the
neighborhood of the , post trader's and the
guardhoueo , his insulter was more sue-
piclous than over ; ttm twirl of his stick and
the blitheness of his whistle was affectedly
nonchalant , lie could not , though , if such
wore his purpose , avoid all notice , nor help
meeting some one. IIo was almost beyond
the post limits , and had settled to a buel-
ness-like walk , whoa , just as ho turned the
corner of the corral , ho ran fairly into Fin
Strait , the farrier of his own troop. Like
the corporal , Flu was a veteran , anti the
two were chums of long standing , The
terrier's rooms in the stables had been
the eeene of many p quiet carouse , with
none to join 1n It but the cronies themselves ,
and when Ilaaly's pockets were empty and
i his throat hot-copperod of a morning , he
was always sure of a punch compounded
' front Flu's stock of alcohol , supplied to the
farrier as a horse medicine , Together they
had como out of the lvar , together joined
the regular army , together had campaigned
in frequent Indian rising , and together they
vaguely supposed , though only In their cups
did they talk of It , they would be pensioned
r t
off , and look after thmi welfare of the old
troop from a distance ,
"how , Healyl"
"How , Fin ! „
lfcaly twirled his stick like a drum major
and chirruped "Garry Owen , " If he had
looked straight at old Fin , ho might have
been struck with the fact that the farrier' ,
air was as guilty as his own. Strait , 'is-
tinily ready with a rude jocosity of greeting -
ing , now stood still and gazed with great
thoughtfulness across the slope of the
snowy plains , beyond the thread of cottonwood -
wood which fringed the creek , to the ecat-
toted houses of the tittle town beyond. The
evening sunlight falling upon the low roofs ,
Islahds in a sea of snow softened the sordidness -
didness of the rude , wooden shacks , touched
thorn with the artist's wand and made
them , from a group of unseemly intruders ,
almost an acceptable part in the lonely
randeur of the wilderness. Iieeiy's eyes un-
dnsciousip bought the same scene ; tile
whistle died away , and his whirling stick
dropped to the ground. The two hardened
old cempaignors were usually as remote
from sentiment as gunbarrels , yet now they
simultaneously sighed-the abrupt , gruff
gasp of stotmweathered voteranhood , yet ,
unmistakably as the soft breath of a girl ,
the sigh of happiness and content and love ,
At that unexpected and startling eruption
from the breast of either , each turned as
one caught in a deed of darkness and faced
the other , reddening ,
"I'll not be kapln' yez , Fin , it it's afther
walkin' yez nro , ' : said the , corporal , almost
angrily , and look a step forward.
"Only to the sutler's for n beer , " raid
Fin , more conciliatory , " } Vfil you have
one ? "
"I'm aft the booze , " said Healy , shortly ,
and , disappeared round the corral ,
"Whut the divll wuz ho hangin' aroun'
fur so , mysterious ? " he added , with most
unfriendly irritation ,
"Where's rho old son-of-a-gun off to all
alone , anyway , and what the dickens was
Ito sighing about , like a'blcsaed ' cook stuck
on a dog robber ? ' the farrier soliloquized
frowningly , as he strode to the post trader's
for his beer. And over his glass ho pondered -
dered long , until , as ho drank a second one ,
his frown was heavy and black.
"By jlggersl" ho cried suddenly to the
startled bartender. "I'll "tako no chances
anyway. I'll do It tonight or burst ! Give
me a beer , John , my boy , and good luck to
both of us ! "
1 [ .
Once Ilealy was safely away , his long
legs quickened their action until he almost
ran down flue sloping , slippery trail to the
creek , across the unrailed dangerous bridge
over the creek , and , with almost the hopeful
spring of youth , across the plain to the outskirts -
skirts of the mushroom town. It neared
sunset wizen ho reached the first outlying
houses , and branched off across lots to one
little two-storied cottage which stood qulto
by itself , very small , very neat , and very
unprotected. Ilealy paused fifty yards from
it , drew a long breath , blew it out again
with explosive determination , and charged
the little front door as if it were an Indian
outpost. Yet whoa ho reached It his knock
was most modest and the martial red of his
taco feebled to a flickering pink. A little
woman , as neat and unprotected looking as
her house , opened the door. Perhaps it
wore more explanatory of her appearance to
say that she looked as If inviting protec-
tton , kuch a slip of a woman , yet not devoid
of plumpness in the cheek , such a blushing
woman , yet not without a twinkle in her
eye ,
" 0 ! Mr. Healy , " said she , "I hardly ex-
pected-I am glad to see you. Won't you
come 111 ? What has brought you into the
town again today ? "
"Au , Mrs , Boll , Mrs. Bell , " said Healy
gallantly , "what wud be aftber bringln' me
but jilt a roight o' thim swate eyes ? "
"Mister Healy , I'm surprised , " said the
little widow , with a quicker twinkle of those
dangerous eyes , "But I don't believe you.
You people at the post nil say the same
thing , and none of you mean what you say ,
not ono. "
"Who-who-who's been darn' to say
that same thing ? " cried Healy in angry surprise -
prise ,
Mrs. Bell laughed gleefully ,
"Come in , corporal , " she said. "Do you
think I'd tell you who said anything to me
at all , and have you eating the poor things
up ? Do come ml"
"Begab nn' I can't jlet yet , Mrs. Bell , "
Ilealy answered , "They'll be aither callla'
my anme at retrale , Mrs. Bell , swate Mrs ,
Bell , I'm askin' yea to look at this wee bit
at' writln' : '
"O ! " 'cried the widow , suddenly animated ,
"Do tell ! Is' it an Invite to a ] lop at the
post ? Are the sollliera going'to give another
dance ? "
, "Nat yltV'exclaimed % Healy , throwing out
a restraining hand as Mrs. Bell began to
'
tear the envelope , "Nat yita' lie repeated
tenderly , " 1Vbin I'm , gone , Mrs. Bell , It's-
it's-a matther av business , me dear , "
"Business , corporal ? "
' ! 1'II be afther an answer tonight Lit
it be the roight wan , swate Mrs. Bell. "
" 0 , Mr. Healy ! " the widow murmured
and blushed , Healy caught her in his arms
and gave her a hearty kiss.
" 0 ! 0 ! Mr. Healy she cried and blushed
again ,
"Lit it be the might wan , swats Mrs.
Berl , the corporal repeated and ran away ,
'himself a shamefaced red , and fearful to
look round to see U any one had noticed
them ,
The farrier , being a privileged character ,
was excushd from tattoo roll call , There-
torn there was nothing to hinder him , an
hour after retreat , from locking his room
door in the troop stables and speeding away
through a slight fall of snow , on pleasure
bent. So it happened , while Corporal Healy
was standing etlmy to attention along with
his troop , answering the call of his name
at tattoo , with the snow gathering thickly
about 'them , that Fin Strait was comfortably -
bly seated in the neat little unprotected
house , protecting from all comers the neat
little widow ,
"But I must be going , " he said , for the
tenth time , "It's getting late and the snow
gels deeper every minute , If I want to gel
home at all tonight I should be going now ,
Iles , Bell , "
"Yee , Mr , Strait"
" 1 was thinking you must bo very lonely
here since-you know- "
The widow's eyes ceased to twinkle , and
winked away a tear or two ,
"It le lonely , Mr. Strait , " she answered
hint ,
Fin shunted his feet nervously and looked
out beneath the neat red window shades.
"It's still snowing , " said he , "Mrs , Bell"
"Yes , Iur , Strait. "
"It's not lonely up at the post" said
Fin , and rubbed the crossed braes sabers
on his hat with sudden fury
The widow righed ,
"But 1 can't live at the poet , Mr , ! trait , "
she answered , and stood in the tulddlo of
the floor , thoughtfully playing with her mar.
rings ring , The farrle' looked at her
timidly , tenderly ,
"Sit down , Mrs. Bell , " ho cried , desperately -
perately , "U you can't flail a chair , alt
down here. "
And be pulled the widow on his knee ,
" 0 , lfr , Strait ! " said Mrs. Bell , but re-
eleted very gently ,
" { viii you come and live at the poet as
my wife ? " the farrfer whispered , brit the
wicked widow , conscious of an otter from
the corporal now in her pocket , played
with the farrier ,
" 0 , Mr , Strait. " she said , "you soldiers
at the post all ray the same thing , and
none of you mean it-not one' ,
At that there came atqode t rap at the
door , and the widow jumped to open it. It
Is probable that rho knew who it was , for
the twinkle of her eyes betrayed a love of
mischief , but she evinced great surprise at
seeing Corporal Healy standing In limo snow ,
She threw the door wide and hospitably
open ,
"Why , Mr. Iteaty , " eaid she , "to think
you'd coma through all that snow-for the
second time today , too , You must Ilko the
town. Coma right in. "
"If It had snowed baynlts and sabers , mo
darllnt" cried Healy , entering , "I'd have
come for the- "
lie did not finish the sentence. Ho saw
his old friend , Fin , and the corporal's face
turned red and while and darkly purple in
quick succession The farrier had risen to
his feet at the sound of the soldier's voice ,
and the two faced each other in the cozy lit.
tie parlor , with for the first time since they
were both rocruita fierce anger In their
eyes. The widow closed the door , and began
to laugh and chatter ,
"how funny nowi" she cried , "Ifero'a
you two , whom the folks'at the post call
the brethren , you're so thick and such old
friends , and you've never met at my house
before , how funny ! "
So alto chattered while her lips were yet
rod with honest Fin's kiss , and Heavy's appeal -
peal crumpled in her pocket. Old hearts
are more slow to flame to either love or
anger than those that are young , but once
nflro they burn with the snap and glare of
fury. Ilealy heard nothing of Mrs. Bell's
chatter ; his cars were full of a savage humming -
ming , like the buzz of a Kamr ) mph Thos
( artier did not look at her ; his eyes were
fixed pp the corporal's , an the breasts of
both there blazed the same primitive pas-
tllonjof jealousy which maddens at times
coat ,
' 1Ve've no recrooties , to want the whole
troop to see us , Fin Strait , " said he , "We
can trust each other fur fair play , "
Fin laughed uneasily , and did not take
off his coat. Ills anger was apt to cool
more quickly than the other's ,
"Wat'a ealla' you , IIealy ? " he asked ,
"We aan't recrooties , as you say , an' before
I fight I want to know what I'm fightin'
about. It's time woman , of course , "
"So ! t is , " said Ilealy , shortly , "Wldp mo
an' go fur yer answer tomorrow , If I whip
you , aura 'tie t'other way , "
"Chao , moan , I've a right to court her ,
an' , now the blood's cooled , I'll grant you've
the same , But what's the use of our flghtln'
about a thing's settled , She bad her choice ,
tree and fair , an' site's cheesed , What's the
good of kicktn' ? "
"Yle , she's cheesed , " said llenly , fiercely ,
"An' whln I've whipped yes' 'fur yet inter-
farm' tonight , tomorrow she'll say 'yle' to
, ,
me.
"Te'rn late for inspection , Healy , my
boy , " ha said. " 'Twas tonight she sat on
my knee and kissed me. Isn't that as good
as saying 'yes' ? "
"qo eaeyi Ye'd better take ( bat back ) "
"Yo're a dirty Ilar ! She , ivttx mine arrina
this very day ! Wull yes fight , ye liar ? "
In a second Fin's coat was thrown on the
snow , and then , of a sudden , the two be-
clime outwardly calm. The ehkdows of the
branches flitted across their faces , but the
moonilght was quite good enough for each
to watch the other's eyes. These , though
still vengeful , were iho eyes of practiced
boxers , for , indeed there were few among
the younger men who could beat the brelh-
men at the gloves. Also each man remembered -
bered that if ho were so beaten as to bo
ashamed to show himself next day at the
little house in the town the rival suitor
would have won the widow , Therefore they
fought , in spite of their rage , with science
and self-control , It was no romantic duel ;
there was no clash of swords , the men were
no courtly knights , the lady no high-born
maid. The affair was a very vulgar one-
two common soldiers of no ago to know
better , of a friendship which should have
been above such folly , battering each other
brutally with flats for the hand of a woman
whose late husband had been a government
teamster. It is to bo conceived , however ,
that the sneering moon never looked down
upon a combat fought by young lovers with
honest wounded hearts more fiercely aflame ,
in utter silence they fought until the
snow was beaten and scattered by their
dancing feet There was no need here of
seconds , no need of an arbiter of the code.
Feint , 'parry , smash ; a moment's play for
breath , a close , a wrestle ; up and come
again. The old boys were strictly honest ,
and , though none saw save that flying moon
and an occasional jackrabbit startled In its
tracks , each would have scorned to lake an
unfair advantage , to ho guilty of a foul.
Round after round , with all memory of their
former comradeship forgotten , with no
thought save the 'mad ones of a jealous
rivalry , they struggled together. There was
little difference in their weiglds , but Healy
was the wirier , and neither man's wind was
as good as in the days of early campaigns.
So it happened that , after half an hour's
fierce fighting , wizen both were bloody , 'and
both moro full of wrath than over , they fell
together , and rolled in the trampled snow ,
too blown to spring up. Ilealy had the
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"WILL YE COME OUT ? "
the stags of the mountains , the tigers of
the jungle. For the sake of a woman's lip ,
the comradeship of a score of years was for-
gotten.
The corporal found his voice first.
"Axcuso me , Mrs. Bell , " he said with a
hoarse voice , "fur dlshturbin' yez. Its buat-
ness I'm afther havin' w Id Farrier Strait.
Will ye come out ? "
Ito shot the last words angrily at his old
friend , and as quickly as the defiance
reached his ear Fin took a step forward.
Healy turned to the widow. and bowed
with stiff , soldlerly formality.
"I'll be likely in town tomorrow , " said
he , "on the matter av the business betwixt
us , "
At once the terrier faced the widow.
"Mrs. Bell , " said be , "tomorrow I'll seek
an answer to my question , "
But the widow made no answer ; she was
now pale and trembling ,
"Corporal , " she stammered , "Mr. Strait ! "
They were swiftly gone , however , the far-
rier closing the door behind him , and the
widow sat down , no little frightened at such
sudden mutual , wrath , The smartest I
and most amorous of youthful
)
lavers she could have managed , playing one
against the other , but the white heat of
these veterans was beyond her power to
cool. She warmed her pretty white hands
at the stove and shivered and laughed a
little and cried a little ( n turn ,
"Tim two silly old things , " she murmured.
"To go and fight when one's just as nice
as rho other , "
HI ,
The snow had ceased falling and the aIr
was colder , as the two soldiers strode away
from the little house , up the trail to the
post , in grim silence for many minutes. If
the landscape , the unutterably solemn calm
of the snow-covered plain at eventide , had
affected them , the same great plain , with
its broad breasts yet more deeply blanketed -
oted 1n purest white , glimmering shadowily
in the light of an uncertain , cloud-chased
moon should have now restored peace to
their hearts. 'Nothing of nature's calm
could yet do that Healy , his chin sticking
out , his thin lips rigidly tight , marched
on blindly , clenching and unclenching his
great bony bands. A pace to the corporal's
rear Fyn followed , but he , after the first
few hundred yards , so far conquered his
passion as to attempt noncha. , e. He
forced himself to whistle , and lessen' the
angry determination of his atrido , Z. y
wore near the old bridge , and at the sour.
of that apparently merry tuna Healy
stopped in the deep shadow of the cottod-
woods and faced his old crony Many a
time had the two followed that road waveringly -
ingly , late at night stumbling against euch
other , singing loudly and stopping to laugh ,
on days when they had been in the town
together for a'frolic , before the widow had
given each a secret to keep from the other.
Always then they had chosen the bridge
and the ghadowa of the cottonwoods for the
last halt before their nearby hunks should
receive them , to finish the bottle anti exchange -
change the last reminiscence of their faraway -
away youthful days in ( lie war , Now they
halted here again , and Healy threw off his
upper hold , and he cried in Fin Strap's
ear ;
"Talc it hack-about the kiss ! Tek it back
an' swear ye'li have the wieldy lie ! "
Fin gasped a sturdy , fierce defiance , and
Healy's hand was raised over him , when
there came faintly thrilling over the snow
the first clear note of a bugle. Ilealy's
hand dropped harmlessly and ho raised his
head and pricked his ears like a dog at the
call , of the master. More loudly rang the
bugle , and sudddiily the rivals were apart ,
sitting In the sno11 , ligtenigg intently. Clear
and shrill at last , loud , commanding , blood-
burning , out sang the tjugle boldly , so that
the cold 'air thrilled through ) the cottonwoods -
woods , and every living thing on the plain
stood still to listen. Ere the trumpeter was
half through with the call , the disciplined
soldiers were on their feet , us they would
have struggled to their feet at that call if
a sword had passed through the body of
each. All love and jealousy and hate must
wait when thus the trumpets call.
" 'Tis boots an' saddles ! " cried Fin. "An'
me not at the stables ! "
With that each seized his coat , and , all
regardless of their bruised faces and bloodstained -
stained shirts , they ran swiftly to the post.
There was rushing of men to the corrals ,
the sharp commands of officers , the click of
revolvers as they were hastily loaded , saddling -
dling of horses , curses of men belated , hasty
issuing of ammunition , and at last the cool ,
clear voice of the captain of the troop :
"Preparo to mount ! Mount ! Form
ranks ! "
The corporal and the terrier were in their
accustomed places , breathing hard , flushed
and bloody , but ready-ready as any lance
corporal there , the pride of a first sergeant's
heart. Then a whisper passed from man to
man down the 11ne or horsemen ,
"There's an outhrealc on rho Suckerlver
reserve. They've killed the agent , and the
reds have massacred a ranchman and his
family. "
The moon had disappeared. Great grey
clouds hind been blown by the gathering
wind , and one more the snow fell , but
now more fiercely , more heavily than ever
before. Through it the little blueconled
column proceeded at a determined trot to
{ he place soyno tigenty miles away , where
the uprising Indians were supposed to Ito
gathered together , A plnlnentan , who had
brought the news of the massacre and the
regular government scout attached to the
post , led the way. As ranking corporal ,
Ifealy rode on the right of the first set of
fours ; the farrier was back In the column ,
so that , for a time rho rivals were effectually -
ally separated. But title midnight expedition -
tion , although it thrilled the hearts of
younger men , troubled the minds of the
two veterans little , They rode on as a
matter of duty , lust as they would , if ordered -
dered , have gone through the manual of
arms The unflnished fight hind left them
with heated brain too full of jealousy and
disappointment anti hate to do more than
brood over the fancied treachery of each ,
Gone now were all memories of stirrup to
stirrup charges , of friendly frolics , of pains
and pleasure shared together. True comrades -
rades once they were bitter foes now ,
Fader and faster the snow drove in their
faces , deeper and deeper It lay on the trail ,
to ho scattered bight by ( lie laboring feet of
the horace. To right. and to left , one yard
away from the column , nothing could lie distinguished -
tinguished ; a trooper could but faintly see
the man in front of hint. Only the halt-
breed guido and the trained plalnemun could
devise nn unerring path through that storm ,
in their lands the captain had to leave his
troop and himself. There was no pause , for
revenge on the tribe must ho swift to be
sure. At every clearer space , where the
freezing wind hind swept the trail clean of
drifts , the guide turned to the captain , and
he raised his hand , pressing his knees to
his horsewhen at once the troop broke into a
gallop , with jingling of bridle and clash of
steel anti thunder of hoofs , So they rode ,
each man grimly silent , swiftly through the
night and the storm ,
They reached the place before daylight ,
once they heard the yapping of dogs and
the shrill voices of squaws , and the chant
and yells of blood-frenzied savages , in
the fancied security of the atorm , the roils
in their tepees were celebrating their hld
sous triumph to the monotonous bent of the
drum and the shrill song of the warriors
and the dance of , the warpath ,
Thu grim captain halted his column and
t gave his orders , and In a minute every
man was tense , revolver at the ready , his
bridle hand firm , The culdq bad recou
noiteretl in front and came back whispering.
Then slowly on the whistling wind came the
soft command Along the line :
"Forward , march ) Trot , march ! Gallop ,
ma rehI"
And loud and clear there followed the
stirring yell , "Charge ! " and the clean-cut
note of the trumpet , that one long heart-
thumping note that sends a man to death
as willingly as to the dance , Down they
went on the camp , into the blackness of
the night , Into the whirl of the hlizznrd ,
and at once it was impossible to see one's
right-hand roan to keep aligned , It was
each man for hlmselt , with llto thought of
a murdered woman and child to steel his
heart nad nerve his hand and direct his
aim , The Indians were not all unready ,
Their arms were at hand , and very quokly !
they realized that the white men had
braved even the blizzard to seek revenge ,
and were upon them. In a tumult of yells
and hasty orders ltio chiefs sprang to repel
the attack. In a monent all was a corner
of hell , Shout and curse and dying yell ,
continuous crack of ripe and revolver ,
screech of squaw , bark of dog and crash
of falling tepee as some headlong trooper
charged madly into it. 'Over it 011 , round'
it all , the deadly wind shrieked anti the
snow fell uncepsingly.
In the midst of it , right in the center
of the camp , two men came crash together ,
aid in that instant recognized each other ,
In neilher's mind was oven that charge the
uppermost thing , 11'fth a sudden mutual
curse their rage was let loose. Ilealy extended -
tended his arm and fired , not two yards
from his old comrade , Old Fin , the farrier ,
gave a terrible scream , nod lfcaly saw him
drop. But even in falling the veteran
sought revenge , and his pistol was die.
charged. The corporal felt a sling ! n hla
stile ; the noise all suddenly ceased , anti ho
also dropped inanimate from his horse ,
Iv.
In a little separate room in the post lios-
pllal the old campaigner came out of the
fever , out of the delirium , weeks after the
fight of the Snake river , 'rho doctor wits
with him , and a stiffly upright anti martial
attendant ,
"You've rho conslltution of a horse ,
Healy , " said the doctor , "You ought to
have died , you know , Take title mul go to
sleep , anti don't bother about time widow
you've been raving over for two weeks. A
man of your ago ought to know better ,
Never mind , if you'll keep quiet , you can
go to sea her , whoever she Is , before very
long. "
They left ( lie veteran alone in semidarkness -
darkness , but the drink the doctor gave him
did not send him to sleep. He lay thinking -
ing , thinking , thinking , until at last , with
shuddering horror , ho had rho facts clear
in bin mind , The widow ? IIo shrank from
the thought of her. She was but a woman
he bad known for a little while , whom ho
haul gone crazy over like any young tool ,
and-and for love of her lie bad become a
murderer , A m unlerer ! Poor old Finl
Good ofd Finl Fin hind nursed him after the
fever ilt ( tie Bad Lands ; could ntty widow
have done it more carefully ? Fin and Ito
Ind lucid of n band of Ogalnllns all ono after-
n000 ht a rifle pit , until help gain , and I'mn
had risked his scalp twice that day to get
venter. lt'ould nay widow have stuck to n
pal like that ? Fin Strait-the bast friend ,
the warmest-lienrted , closest comrade , n
soldier ever lad-ho had killed him , limit.
Icido ! it was worse than that-fratricide.
Had they not always been nickuamcd " ( ho
brethren ? " lvhat was the widow to a
brother ?
when the attendano carne in again , old
lfcaly was very client , For many days
longer he lay , feverish but still , asking
no questions , lie knew that no malt could
have acen the deed ht that whirl of snow
and' blackness : that Fin's death would Ito
credited to flue Indians , Btlt that lhntgltt
gave Itim no case , 11'Itlt ( ho hottest
almpylcity of a child , be felt it would be
$01110 relict to confess , to go to ( Ito major
and be courtmartlnled , tried , hung , ( lour
after hour he spent in recalling every luel-
dent of his twenty years' friendship-the
war , the fierce Indian llg'alug ! after the
war , the cenqarntlio ease that hind comate
to them when they were privileged charac-
( era with the omcers of the regiment , because -
cause of their long mid faithful service.
Ito felt n scornful horror of himself , Lind a
terrible loathing for the lmmghhig woutan
who would kiss two nten on time same day
and send them out , frenzied , to hill each
other ,
Yet lie got well pretty quickly , for , as
the doctor said , lie hind ( lie cunstitutlon of
a horse. One rvtrtlt day he was per-
eniplorlly ordered ant , much ngnhist ids
will , to , take the air oft the broad v'erauda
which ran round the hospital , lie got himself -
self conifortablu lit a low chair fu a quiet
corner and began for time hunilreth ( line
to go over nil flue murdered tunic had done
for hhn in those long , active years of tun
nail fighting , Ills head dropped on his
breast nud ho ilumbly thought of suicide.
Mound the curlier of the house came the
ummntstakablo tliuntp , thump of a tnqu rot
crutches. hcaley's eyes sought the corner
vacantly. In an instant they opened wide
with fear and ho rose to lils feet , spreading -
ing out hls hands to fend off something tor-
. The man on crutches slopped , lie
tvna pale with lmtg sickness 'lien be turned
time corner , lint noes' lily face colored and
his eyes lit up with sudden unspeakable relief -
lief and joy ,
Ilowly mother , deflnd mot" cried Ilenley ,
'Aw , fur mu sins , it's throe I killed him ,
but I'm near crazy fur the sorro' uv it. I'll
confess 1l all , Fin , nn' be hanged IIL o a
man. Ye con have flue wlddy , d- Item ,
if she's nay good to yea now , but go back
to your grave nn' lava lao be , Iur limo snkp
ut- Quid toimesl"
"Healy ! Iienlyl' ' gasped than man of
crutches , hopping toward hint , "I've bcon
feared to ask , 1 thought 1 killed you , I1twly ,
you d--- old chump ! Ilealy ) 01 I.ordt I't
thankful for tlla ! "
"Fin , " said Beall' , slowly ceasing to
tremble , "Is it male Utah an' blond yea are ?
Mo God , but I can't believe Ill"
But touchu of familiar hands rcnsttretI the
veteran , and in another minute the two sat
side by side , and-there were no recruits
to see-11teh' hands were clasped In each
other's , amid their eyes were wet They did
not refer , save briefly , 1o titelr nenrly fatal
quarrel , understanding ( lint each , in a mo-
mma's ntadnesa , had tired on the other , and
each , when convalcacant had been afraid
to ask for tiewa of his friend , For a long
( Into they were silent , until old Fin looked
slyly al the corporal ,
"She's married ! " lie said abrttptly.
' 'Chub ! ' ' said llenly ,
"To the schoolmaater Graves , " said Fin ,
"The div111" said Healy , nud auddenly
laughed loudly ,
"fleshy , " said the furrier solemnly ,
"weemtu is frauds. "
"l'e'ro roight so ye are , Fin , " said the
corporal , nad 'hitched up lute glair more
closely to Strap's , with a 9Igh of content ,
Lnrg , ' t ltihle to the lYorlit
In ? 8f ? Minilon min , king of Purina ,
erected n moimumetit near Mandalay called
( Ito llttlho'dawt There lie built T00 tem-
plea , In each of which there is n slab of
u'hlto marble. Upon theca ? Oll slabs is engraved -
graved the whole of the 1luddhlst bible , a
vast literature in itself , equal to about oiX
copies of thin holy Scriptures ,
yids marble blhle , relates time Boston
Traveler , Ia engraved hi the fall language ,
thought to he that spoken by Buddha himself -
self 1300 U. 0. Photographs of sonic of theac
htscrlptlous have reached England , unit
Prof. Mux Muller-peritnpa the greatest
yiigulet to tits world-has examined them.
But , alas for all tide ] swam higenttlty nud
perseverance ! If his majesty Mlndon-min
thought to perpetuate the teachhtg of the
Great ihtddha by causing 1t to be graven
rot the rock ho nourished a vain ambition.
The climate of Burnet Is moist , and its
effects have already wrought said havoc on
rho surface of the white marble , nod limo
photographs show a partlnl effacement of
soma of the lfurmese ehnractems in whicht
the Pali text is engraved.
There is certainly ( lie largest known copy
of alt ) portion of literature. liven time National -
tional Encyclopedia of Chinn , in f,000 vol-
wnies , occupies n comparatively small space.
To reach ( lie other end of ( ho limits of ( Ito
"printers' nud engravers' art , we need only
remember the "Smallest blblo 1n ( Ito
world , " amid the Dlanmomd editions of Ca-
tullus , Tihullus and Properlius.
To engrave the bible of Buddha on ( Ito
marble aloha in the temples of Kulhodaw
must have cost thousands of dollars , lint
these sermons in alone arc easily outlasted -
lasted by a copy of the new testament which ,
beautifully printed , can be bought for : G
cents , and if carefully cherished will
last many generations.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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beauty-yet before the snow flies it will be only a mom-
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In all its varied beauty , the splendor of the Grand court
and the fun of the Midway-all the many scones of the
Exposition have been reproduced by ,
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These are from the work of Mr , F. A.
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one will be glad to frame. They are 10x7 inches and
about 100 views in all will be published , so that no
feature of the Exposition will be omitted , '
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ifl . , . . I ntatn tail eril 4/
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