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About The Loup City northwestern. (Loup City, Neb.) 189?-1917 | View Entire Issue (March 5, 1908)
BOB HAMPTON <fPLACER <S Sy RAXMLL PARRISH AUTHOR Of -mmimM/idm' 'Hmm/wmfTo ! ct>y&xov~ "vx & y c.#'r±i/oc <* y> SYNOPSIS. A detachment of the Eighteenth in fantry from Fort Bethune trapped by Indians in a narrow gorge Among them is a arranger who introduces himself by the name of Hampton, also Gillis the post trader-, and his daughter. Gillis and a majority of tit*- soldiers are killed dur ing a three days' sieg* Hampton and the girl only * s- ap* from the Indians They fall exhausted on the plains. A company of the Seventh cavalry. Lieut Brant in •■omniand. find ih*ru. Hampton and the girl stop at the Miners' Home in Glen- aid. Mrs. Duffy, proprietress Hamp ton talks the future over with. Miss Gil lis—the Kid. Sh* shows him her moth er's picture and tells him wlutt she can of her parentage and hf* They decide she shall live will Mrs. Herndon Naida the Kid—runs away from Mrs. Herndon’s and rejoins Hampton. H*- induces her to go back, and to have nothing more to do with him. Hampton plays ids last game of cards He announces to Red Slavin thar he lias quit, and then leaves Glen raid. Miss Phoebe Spencer arrives in Glencaid to teach its lirst school. Miss Spencer meets Naida. Rev. \\ ynkoop. etc. She boards at Mrs. Herndon's. Naida and Lieut. Brant again meet with out his knowing who she is She informs him of the coming Bachelor club ball in honor of Miss Spencer. Lieut. Brant meets Silent Murphy. Custer's scout He reports trouble brewing among the Sioux Social difficulties arise at the Bachelor club's ball among the admirers of Miss Spencer Lieut. Brant mo ts Miss Spen cer but she is not his acquaintance of the day before She tells him of Naida. and he accidentally meets her again as he is returning to the ballroom with, a fan for Miss Spencer. Brant accompanies Naida home from the daw*- ' >n th- way she informs him as to who she is. and that < she is to meet Hampton. Bran? and f Hampton meet. Hampton informs^ the , lieutenant t Hat his attentions to Naida must cease, and proclaims an authoritv j over her that justifies the statement. I Brant tells Hampton of the presence of ; Silent Murphy, and of tin fact ’hat Red 1 Slavin receives government mess-ages for him. Miss Spencer called on Bob Hamp- : ton. Tells him of a red-faced stranger i mistaking her for Naida Brant inter views Red Slavin. Finds that he is an *\ trooper in the Seventh cavalry. It was Slavir.'s and Murphy's testimony ’hat more than ten years before had convicted Robert Nolan, then a captain in the Sev enth. of the murder of Maj. Brant. Sr Hampton attempts t-• force a confession from Slavin Slavin insists it is Murphy he wants, and Murphy ,.ad left. In a scuffle Slavin is killed by a knife thrust. Hampton surrenders u> Buck Mas.uu marshal Mob attempts to capture him Mason and his prisoner escap*. t*- : hill and defend themselves. Mob lights hre to burn them out. Brant Tells Naida that he loves her. She tells him there is an insurmountable barrier Mw* • n them, but that she does not fully unde-stun J It. Brant and his troop r»s ues Hampton and Mason from the fires s*.t by th* mob. Brant carries the unconscious gambler through the lines of hr* Hamp ton is taken to trie hotel and Naida comes to nurs*- him. Miss Spencer accepts : heart and hand of Rev. Wynkoop. Brant is ordered to take the field. B* f":• «’ goes Naida tells him rhe loves him. hut cannot become his wif*-* or offer an *\ planation. He insists I *• will return | her. Hampton goes on th* trail of Sii* nt . Murpry. then at Cheyvniie. as the un man who can 'dear ‘’apt Nolan of th* charge of murder of Maj. Bran* l."i years before Hampton arrives at < 'h*.*; • me after Murphy ;.ad 1* ft with clispat hes \ CHAPTER XXVII.—Continued. The memory of his old plain craft ! would not permit any neglect of the few necessaries for the trip. He bought without haggling over pric* ?. but insisted on the best. So it was four in the afternoon when he finally struck into the trail leading north ward. Ho rode a mettlesome, half broken bronco, a wicked-eyed brute, which required to be conquered twice within the first hour of travel: a sec ond and more quiet animal trailed be hind at the end of a lariat, bearing the necessary equipment. He had. by persistent questioning, acquired considerable information, dur ing that busy hour spent in Cheyenne, regarding the untracked regions lying before hint, as well as the character and disposition of the man he pur sued. Both by instinct and training he was able to comprehend those brief hints that must prove of vast benefit in the pathless wilderness. The night was already dark, but stars were gleaming brilliantly over head, and the trail remained easily traceable. It became terribly lonely on that wilderness stretching away for unknown leagues in every direc tion. yet Hamilton scarcely noted this, so watchful was he lest he miss the trail. To his judgment. Murphy would not be likely to ride during the night until after he had crossed the Fourche. There was no reason to suspect that there were any hostile Indians south of that stream, and probably therefore the old scout would endeavor to con serve his own strength and that of his horses, for the more perilous travel beyond. About midnight, the trail becoming obscure, the rider made camp, confi dent he must have already gained heavily on the man he pursued. He lariated his horses and flinging him self down on some soft turf, almost immediately dropped asleep. He was up again before daylight, and, after a hasty meal, pressed on. The nature of the country had changed consider ably, becoming more broken, the view circumscribed by towering cliffs and deep ravines. Late in the afternoon he reined up his horse and gazed forward into a broad valley, bounded with precipi tous bluffs. The trail led directly down toward where a considerable stream of water shone silvery in the sun, half concealed behind a fringe of willows. And yonder, close in against those distant willows, some black dots were moving. Hampton glued his anxious eyes to the glass. The leveled tubes clearly revealed a man on horse back, leading another horse. The ani mals were walking. There could be lit tle doubt that this was Silent Murphy Hampton lariated liis lii orses behind the bluff and returned to the summit, lying flat upon the ground, with the field-glass at his eyes. The distant figures passed slowly forward into the midst of the willows, and for half an hour the patient watcher scanned the surface of the stream be yond. but there was no sign of at tempted passage. The sun sank lower and finally disappeared behind those desolate ridges to the westward. Hampton's knowledge of plainscraft rendered Murphy's actions sufficiently clear. This was the Fourche; beyond those waters lay the terrible peril of Indian raiders. Further advance must be made by swift, secret night riding, and never-ceasing vigilance. This was what Murphy had been saving himself and his horses for. Beyond conjec ture. he was resting now within the shadows of those willows, studying the opposite shore and making ready tor the dash northward. Hamilton be lieved he would linger thus for some time after dark, to see if Indian fires would afford any guidance. Confident of this, he passed hack to his horses, rubbed them down with grass, and then ate his lonely supper, not ventur ing to light a fire, certain that Mur phy's eyes were scanning every inch of skyline. Darkness came rapidly, while Hamp ton sa- planning again the details of his night's work. Then, with the two animals trailing cautiously behind, he felt his slow way on foot down the steep bluff, into the denser blackness of the valley. CHAPTER XXVIII. The Haunting of a Crime. Murphy rested on his back in the “Hampton Glued His Anxious Eyes to the Glass.” midst of a thicket of willows, wide awake, yet not quite ready to ford the Fottrche and plunge into the dense shadows shrouding the northern shore. Croucdied behind a log. he had so far yielded unto temptation as to light his pipe. Murphy had been amid just such unpleasant environments many times before, and the experience had grown somewhat prosaic. Even Indian-scout ing degenerates into a commonplace at last. So Murphy puffed contentedly at his old pipe. Hut suddenly there was the faint crackle of a branch to his left, and one hand instantly closed over his pipe bowl, the other grasping the heavy re volver at his hip. There came a plain, undisguised rustling in the grass.— some prowling coyote, probably; then his tense muscles immediately re laxed. and he cursed himself for being so startled, yet he continued to grasp the "45" in his right hand, his eyes alert. •'Murphy!' That single word, hurled thus unex pectedly out of the black night, startled him more than would a volley of rifles. He sprang half erect, then as swiftly crouched behind a willow, utterly un able to articulate. For the instant his very blood ran cold; he appeared to shrivel tip. "Oh. come. Murphy, speak up. man; 1 know- you're in here." That terror of the unknown instant ly vanished. This was the familiar language of the world, and. however the fellow came to be there, it was assuredly a man who spoke. "Who—the hell—are ye?" he blurt ed 'JUt. gone cracked, hev ye? Whose pic ture?" "It's there!—O Lord!—it's there! M} God! can't ye see?—An' it's his face—all a-gleamin' with green flames —Holy Mary—an' I ain't seen it— afore in—15 year!” He seemed suddenly to collapse, and the stranger permitted him to drop limp to the earth. "Darn if I kin see anythin', old man, but I'll scout 'round thar a bit, jest ter ease yer mind, an' see what 1 kin sheer up." He had hardly taken a half dozen steps before Murphy called after him: "Don't—don't go an' leave me—it s not there now—thet's queer!" The other returned and stood gazing down upon his huddled figure. ‘'You're a fine scout! afeard o' spooks. Do ye take these yere turns often? Fer if ye do. I reckon as how I’d sooner be ridin' alone.” Murphy struggled to his feet and gripped the other's arm. “Never hed nuthin' like it—afore. But—but it was thar—all creepy—an'green—ain't seen thet face—in 15 year.” “What face?" "A—a fellow 1 knew—once. He— he's dead." The other grunted disdainfully. “Bad luck ter see them sort.” he volun teered, solemnly. "Blame glad it wam’t me es see it, an' I don’t know as I keer much right now 'bout keep in' company with ve fer very long. However, 1 reckon if either of us cal culates on doin' much ridin' ternight, we better stop foolin' with ghosts, an' go ter saddlin' up." They made rapid work of it, the newcomer proving somewhat loqua The visitor laughed, the hushes rustling as he pushed toward the sound of the voice. “It's all right, old boy. Gave ye quite a scare, I reckon.” Murphy could now dimly perceive the other advancing through the inter vening willows, and his Colt shot up to the level. “Stop!—ye take another —step an' I'll—let drive. Ye tell me —first—who ye be." The invader paused, but he realized the nervous finger pressing the trigger and made haste to answer. "It's all right. I tell ye. I'm one o' Terry's scouts.” "Y*e are? Jist the same—I've heard —yer voice—afore." “Likely nough. I saw service in the Seventh." Murphy was still a trine suspicious. "How'd ye git yere? How'd ye come ter know—whar I wus?" The man laughed again. ‘ Sorter hurts yer perfessional feelins. don't it. old feller, to be dropped in on in this unceremonious way? But it was dead easy, old man. Ye see I happened thro' Cheyenne only a couple o' hours behind ye. with a buncli o' papers fer the Yellowstone. The trail's plain enough out this far. and I loped 'long at a pretty fair hickory, so thet 1 was up on the bluff yonder, and saw ye go into camp yere just afore dark. You wus a-keepin' yer eyes skinned across the Fourche. and naturally didn't ex pect no callers from them hills be hind. The rest wus nuthin'. an' here 1 am. It's a darn sight pleasanter ter hev company travelin', ter my notion. Now kin 1 cum on?" Murphy reluctantly lowered his Colt, every movement betraying annoyance. "I reckon. But I'd—a damn sight— rather risk it—alone." The stranger came forward without further hesitation. The night was far too dark to reveal features, but to Murphy's strained vision the new comer appeared somewhat slender in build, and of good height. "AVhar'd—ye say ye—wus bound?" "Mouth o' the Powder. \Ve kin ride iergether fer a night or two." "Ye kin—do as ye—please, but—1 ain't a huntin'—no company,—an' I'm a'—goin' 'cross now . " j He advanced a few strides toward his horses. Then suddenly he gave vent to a smothered cry, so startling as to cause the stranger to spring hastily after him. "Oh! My God! Oh! Look there!" "What is it, man?" "There' there! The picture! Don't you see?" "Naw : 1 don’t see nuthin'. Ye ain't 1 | cious. vet holding his voice to a judi cious whisper. It was he who led the way down the bank, the four horses slowly splashing through the shallow water to the northern shore. Before them stretched a broad plain, the sur face rocky and uneven, the northern stars obscured by ridges of higher land. Murphy promptly gave his horse the spur, never once glancing behind, while the other imitated his example, holding his animal well in check, being apparently the better mounted. They rode silently. The way be came more broken and rough as they advanced, causing them to exercise greater caution. Flying clouds ob scured the stars, yet through the rifts they caught fleeting glimpses suffi cient to hold them to their course. And the encroaching hills swept in closer upon either hand, leaving them groping their way between as in a pocket, yet ever advancing north. Finally they attained to the steep hank of a considerable stream, found the water of sufficient depth to compel swimming, and crept tip the opposite shore dripping and miserable, yet with ammunition dry. Murphy stood swear ing disjointedly. wiping the blood front a wound in his forehead where the jagged edge of a rock had broken the skin, but suddenly stopped with a quick intake of breath that left him panting. The other man crept toward him. leading his horse. ' What is it now? " he asked, gruffly. "Hev" ye got 'em agin?" The dazed old scout stared, point ing directly across the other's shoul der. his arm shaking desperately. "It's thar!—an' it's his face! Oh. God!—I know it—15 year." The man glanced backward into the pitch darkness, but without moving his body. “There's nuthm out there, less it s a firefly." he insisted, in a tone of con tempt. ' You're plum crazy. Murphy: th‘- night's pot on yer nerves. What is it ye think ye see?" "His face, 1 tell ye! Don't I know? It's all green and ghastly, with snaky flames playin' about it! But 1 know ; 15 years, an' 1 ain't fergot." He sank down feebly—sank until he was on his knees, his head craned for ward. The man watching touched the miserable, hunched-up figure compas sionately, and it shook beneath his hand, endeavoring to shrink away. "My God! was thet you? I thought it was him a-reachin' fer me. Here, let me take yer hand. Oh. Lord! An' can't ye see? It's just there beyond them horses—all green, crawlin', dev ilish—but it's hint." "Who?” "Brant! Brant—15 year!" "Brant? Fifteen years? Do you mean .Maj. Brant, the one Nolan killed over at Bethune?" "He—he didn't—" The old man heaved forward, his head rocking from side to side; then suddenly he toppled over on his face, gasping for breath His companion caught him and ripped open the heavy flannel shirt Then he strode savage ly across in front of his shrinking horse, tore down the flaring picture, and hastily thrust it into his pocket, the light of the phosphorous with which it had been.rubbed being reflected for a moment on his features. "A dirty, miserable, low-down trick." he muttered. "Poor old devil! Y’et I've got to do it for the little girl." He stumbled back through the dark ness. his hat filled with water, and dashed it into Murphy's face. "Come on, Murphy! There's one good thing 'bout spooks; they don't hang 'round fer long at a time. Lik»ly es not this un is gone by now. Brace up. man. for you an' I have got ter get out o' here afore mornin ." Then Murphy grasped his arm and drew himself slowly to his feet. "Don't see nuthin' now, do ye?” "No. Where's my—horse?" The other silently reached him the loose rein, marking as he did so the cjuick. nervous peering this way and that, the starting at the slightest sound. "Did ye say. Murphy, as how it wasn't Nolan after all who plugged the major?" v\ du—else 1 m aamneu—11 i uiu. was it?” "Why, I dunno. Sorter blamed odd though. thet ghost should be a-haunt in' ye. Darn if ii ain't creepy 'nough ter make a feller believe most any thin'." Murphy drew himself up heavily into his saddle. Then all at once he shoved the muzzle of a "45" into the other's face. "Ye say nuther word— 'bout thet, an' I'll make—a ghost outer ye—blame lively. Now. ye shot up—if ye ride with me." They moved forward at a walk and reached a higher level, across which the night wind swept, bearing a touch of cold in its breath as though coming from the snow-capped mountains to the west. There was renewed life in this invigorating air and Murphy spurred forward, his companion press ing steadily after. When the first signs of returning day appeared in the east, the two left, their horses in a narrow canyon, and crept to the summit of a ridge. Below lav the broad valley of the Powder. Then Murphy turned his head and looked back into the other's face. (TO BE CONTINUED.) One Use for Catalogues. The American consul at Nankin ut ters a caution to his fellow country men. who spend lavishly on illustrated catalogues on thick paper, handsome ly bound, which appear to be highly prized by the Chinese at Nankin, where the supply is at times unequal to the demand. As the English lan guage is not yet a general accomplish ment among the citizens, the consul made inquiries and discovered that the leaves of the catalogues were be ing used as inside soles for shoes. ROADS BACK PASSHOLDERS. Urion Pacific Tells Them to Stand Pat Against Nebraska Law. Lincoln—Pass holders, receiving their transportation through the Un ion Pacific, will have the railroad be hind them if they resist the state in its prosecutions under the anti-pass law. This is the information that has come to the railroad commission from Platte county, where the county at torney is now determined to begin criminal action under the new law at once. County Attorney Henslep de layed for a time, having received in timations that the passes would be re turned. During the negotiations that took place the attiude of he railroad was made known. Where passes have been held prosecutions will at once be begun. Attorney Edson Rich of Omaha, rep resenting the Union Pacific, sent a let ter to the railroad commissioners in which he made further explanations of the pass situation. In this he says the transportation given surgeons in Nebraska by ihe Union Pacific is in accordance with continuing contracts entered with them in 1H06 and under which the passes are renewed each year. The contracts were made before the enactment of the anti-pass law, hence the claim the transportation is unaffected. Each contract is perpet ual. depending on the pleasure of the road for termination for cause. The road, therefore, claims the right to is shc its surgeons their pasteboards. Admission to Home Denied. The State Board of Public Lands and Buildings has rejected several appli cations for admission to the Soldiers' home for the reason the applicants were drawing pensions of $-0 a month or over $11!. The hoard has oth<‘. ap plications on file where the old sol dler receives only $12 'a month pen sion. and inasmuch as the district court of Hall county has enjoined the hoard from taking any part of the pen sion money of ihe soldiers, the board concluded to take care of the poor ones first, or those in actual need. Hastings Puts on the Brakes. By a vote of six to one the city council went on record demanding the closing of all of the saloons of the city a: 10 o'clock in the evening. The new ordinance will become effective April 13. -Several of the conncilmen have already gone on record or made public statements to the effect that if it came to a show down they would vote against the granting of saloon license in the spring. Object to Net Weight Clause. Lincoln—The suit of the state against Swift & Co. will be appealed to the supreme court of the I'nited States if necessary. This idea was suggested In the arguments of the attorneys in the district court. The packing con cern is charged with not branding net weight on hatn and bacon packages The suit was started by Food Com missioner Johnson. Must Pay Policy. Lincoln—The supreme court or dered the Supreme Court of Honor, a fraternal order, to pay the heirs of John Eebesta the amount of his policy. The Court of Honor resisted payment, claiming Sebesta had forfeited his rights when he aie heads of matches, resulting in his death. Guard Company Inspected. Broken Bow—Company M of the First regiment of Nebraska underwent a hot inspection by Major Davidson, t'nited States inspector. The major pronounced about $2,000 worth Of stuff as unserviceable and severely scored the state for not furnishing proper equipment. Parser to Be Returned. Columbus — The gentlemen about here—lawyers, editors and doctors— have agreed to turn in their paste boards and mileage to the railroads, and so for the present there will be no prosecut ons of them, if they continue faithful to the end of the race. OPINION ON SURETIES. Verdict of the Supreme Court on the Question. Lincoln—“Sureties on the official bond of a county judge are not liable for money which did not come into the possession of their principal by virtue of his office." This is the verdict of the supreme court in the appeal of William W. Stephens, administrator of the estate of one Smith cf Friend, from the de cision of the district court freeing the bondsmen of Hosmer H. Hendee. for mer county judge, from obligation to pay 00 to the administrator of the estate. Hendee is said to have se cured possession of a certificate of de posit for $.;,300 under color of his office and to have obtained the unwitting in dorsement of Stephens. Commissioner Good in his opinion cites a former Ne braska decision as follows: "Where an officer goes outside of the limits of his official duties and without the scope of his official authority, this action, though done under color of office, is not a breach of the bond for the faith ful performance of his duty.” Penitentiary Must Cut Expenses. In his report of his investigation of the state penitentiary, which is sup posed to be about self-sustaining. Mr. Fairfield said the average monthly ex penditures for the next fourteen months must be reduced $1,082.25. or there will be a deficiency of $15,151.46. The monthly expenditures for main tenance for the last six months amounted to $5,012.57. The balance of the appropriation for maintenance at the time the investigation was made, January 29, amounted to $55,024.52. ! Truth and Quality appeal to the 'Well-Informed in even* walk of life and arc essential to permanent success and creditable stan line. Accor ingly, it is not claimed that Syrup of 1 ic and Elixir of Senna i> the only remedy of known value, but one of many reasons why it is the best of persona) and family iaxatives is the fact that it cleanses, sweetens and relieves the internal organ* on which it acts without any debilitating after effects and without having to increase the quantity from time to time. It acts pleasantly and naturally and truly as a laxative, and its component parts are known to and approved bv physicians, as it is free from all objection able substances. To get its beneficial effects always purchase the genuine— manufactured by the California Fig Syrup Co., only, and for sale by all leading drug gist^ Similar Result. There are certain delicaie shades of expression of which a Frenchman is. as a rule, past master. One member of that fluent nation, stranded in New York, was setting forth his troubles to a lawyer. ■ I understand from what you say that you are convinced your friend Ee comte has stolen your purse," said the lawyer. “No. no. monsieur, not so fast!” cried his client. "I only say that if Ee comte had not assisted me to hunt for it I should have found it again."— Youth's Companion. Champ (savagely)—Your dog has bitten a piece clean out of my dog. Sharpe iditto)—Confound it! 1 want ed to bring him up as a vegetarian. Deafness Cannot Be Cured by total applications. a« they cannot reach the d!% ea*eil portion of the ear. There !- only one way to cure u*afnee“.anti that is by con'-tlrutloaa remedies. Deafne-s Is caused bran inflamed couditlon . f the mucous llnlnp of the Eustachian Tube. When this tube is Inflamed you have a rum!>111111 sound or Im perfect bearing, and wfcen it i< entirely ctosed Deaf ne— Is The result and unless the Inflammation can he taken out aud m s tube restored to i.s norma condi tion. hearing wi:'. b** destroyed forever: nine cases out of ten u-e caused hr t atarrh. which Is uothlng bur an Inflamed c*»ndltlon «>r the mucous surfaces We w!b give one Hundred I>o!iar* for anv case of Deafness, (caused by catarrh; that cannot be cured by iial.'s Catarrh Cure. >end for circulars, free. V T CHENEY & CO.. Toledo, 0 Sold bv Druggists. TV Take Hall> Family Pills for constipation. As a Substitute. Mrs Parkway—It must he lonesome when your husband has to make one of his long canvassing trips and be away from home for a week or more. Mrs Nexblok—Yes; but Harry is real thoughtful. He has taught the parrot to use just the kind of lan guage he uses when he's about the | house himself. Important to Mothers. Examine carefully every bottle of OASTORIA a safe and sure remedy for infants and children, and see that it Bears the Signature of( In Pse For Over !ttl Years. The Kind You Have Always Bought. We are told that a good name is more to lie desired than great riches, but great riches will be more success ful in keeping a man out of jail. Chocolate Pie Is Healthful. Chocolate is healthful and nutritious and chocolate pies are becoming very popular. They are easy to make if you use- *'OUR FTE." Chocolate flavor. Directions on pack age. Contains all ingredients ready for in stant use. At grocers. 10c. Order to-day. Whatever we really are. that let us be in all fearlessness. Whatever we are not. that let us cease striving to seem to be.—Toybee. Sudden Changes of the Weather often cause Bronchial and Lung trou bles. "Brown's Bronchial Troches" al lay throat irritation and coughs. An average yield of ginger in Ja maica is about 2,000 pounds an acre. WHAT CAVSES HEADACHE. From October to May. folds art' the most fre quent cause of Hea«la<he. LAXATIVE RKOMO SJl’ININE removescau>e L AY.throve on box 25c It is possible to smile and smile and be a hypocrite still. We Pay High Prices for Furs and hides, or tan them tor robes, rugs or coats. X. \Y. Hide it Fur Co.. Minneapolis. If wishes were coal heaps we'd nons of us freeze.—Detroit Free Press. Mrs. Winslow's Snotning Syrup. For children teething, poftenp the {rims, reduce* In flammation. allaj-p pain, cure* wind colli.. 25ca bottle Goethe: There is nothing mors frightful than ignorance in action.