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The
Tiibune
F M K1MMELL Publisher
MCOOK
NEBRASKA
MARCH
OF THE
WHITE
GUARD
By
SIR GILBERT PARKER
Copyright 1902 by 1U F Fenno Co
CHAPTER VI Continued
The White Guard had come back
They were met with cries of praise
broken by an occasional choking sound
from men like Sergeant Gosse Jas
par Hume has simply acknowledged his
welcome as he had done the Godspeed
two months and more ago He with
the Factor bore the sick man in and
laid him on his own bed Then he
came outside and when they cheered
him again he said We have come
safely through and I am thankful But
remember that my comrades in this
inarch deserve your cheers in this as
much as I Without them I could
have done nothing in the perils that
lay between here and the Barren
Grounds
In our infirmities and in all our
dangers and necessities added Jeif
Hyde the luck of the world was
tin the book
In another half hour the White
Guard was at ease and four of them
were gathered about the great stove
in the store Cloud-in-the-Sky smoking
placidly and full of guttural em
phasis Late Carscallen moving his
animal like jaws with a sense of sat
isfaction Gaspe Tou jours talking in
Chinook to the Indians in patois to
the French clerk and in broken Eng
lish to them all and Jeif Hyde ex
claiming on the wonders of the march
khe finding of Varre Lepage at Mani
tou Mountain and of himself and
Gaspe Toujours buried in the snow
I
CHAPTER VII
In Jaspar Humes house at mid
night Varre Lepage lay asleep with
his wifes letters received through
the Factor clasped to his breast
The firelight played upon a face pre
maturely old a dark disappointed
face a doomed face as it seemed to
the Factor
You knew him then the Factor
saii after a long silence
Yes I knew him well years ago
replied Jaspar Hume
Just then the sick man stirred in
his sleep and said disjointedly Ill
make it all right to you Jaspar Then
came a pause and a quicker utterance
Rose I love you Forgive for
give
The Factor rose and turned to go
and Jaspar Hume with a despairing
sorrowful gesture went over to the
bed
Again the voice said Ten years
1 have repented ten years My wife
Dont dont I dare not speak Jas
par forgives me oh Rose
The Factor touched Jaspar Humes
arm This is delirium he said He
has fever You and I must nurse him
Hume You can trust me you under
stand
Yes I can trust you was the
reply But I can tell you nothing
I do not want to know anything
If you can watch till two oclock I
will relieve you Ill send the medi
cine chest over You know how to
treat him
The Factor passed out and the other
was left alone with the man who had
wronged him The feeling most ac
tive in his mind was pity and as he
prepared a draught from his own
stock of medicines he thought the
past and the present all over He
knew that however much he had suf
fered this man had suffered more
And in this silent night there was
broken down any slight barrier that
may have stood between Varre Lepage
and his complete compassion Having
effaced himself from the calculation
justice became forgiveness
He moistened the sick mans lips
and bathed his forehead and roused
him once to take a quieting powder
Then he sat down and wrote to Rose
Lepage But he tore the letter up
again and said to the dog No
Jacques I cannot the Factor must
do it She neednt know yet that it
was I with the White Guard who
saved him It doesnt make any bur
den of gratitude for her if my name
is kept out of it And the Factor
mustnt mention me Jacques not
yet And when he is well we will go
to London with It Jacques and we
neednt meet her and it will be all
right Jacques all right
And the dog seemed to understand
for he went over to the box that held
It and looked at his master And
Jaspar Hume rose and broke the seal
and unlocked the box and opened it
but he heard the sick man moan and
he closed it again and went over to
the bed The feeble voice said I
must speak I cannot die so not so
Jaspar
And Jaspar Hume murmured God
help him And he moistened the lips
once again and put a cold cloth on
the fevered head and then sat down
by the fire again And Varre Lepage
slept As if some charm had been in
tbpt Gold help him the restless
faauds grew quiet the breath became
more regular and the tortured mind
fouad a short peace With the old
debating look in his eyes Jaspar
Hume sat until the Factor relieved
him
CHAPTER VIII
February and March and April were
past and May was come Varre Lo
page had had a hard struggle for life
but he had survived For weeks every
night there was a repetition of that
first night after the- return delirious
self condemnation entreaty and love
of his wife and Jaspar Humes name
mentioned now and again in shudder
ing remorse With the help of the
Indian who had shared tbe sick mans
sufferings in the Barren Grounds the
Factor and Jaspar Hume nursed him
back to life Between the two watch
ers no word had passed after the first
night regarding the substance of
Varre Lepages delirium But one
evening the Factor was watching
alone and the repentant man from his
feverish sleep cried out Hush hush
dont let them know I stole them
both from him and the baby died be
cause of that God took it and Rose
did not know She did not know
The Factor rose and walked away
The dog was watching him He said
to Jacques You have a good master
Jacques too good and great for the
H B C
CHAPTER IX
It is the 10th of May In an arm
chair made of hickory and birchbark
by Cloud-in-the-Sky sits Varre Lepage
reading a letter from his wife She is
at Winnipeg and is coming west as
far as Regina to meet him on his way
down He looks a wreck but a hand
some wreck His refined features
his soft black beard and blue eyes
his graceful hand and gentle manners
one would scarcely think belonged to
an evil hearted man He sits in the
sunlight at the door wrapped about in
moose and beaver skins This world
away and meet Mrs Lepage he said
He was furnished with- a fresh horso
and he left bearing a message to the
loyal wife from Varre Lepage
Jaspar Hume decided to leave Fort
Edmonton at once and to tako all the
White Guard back with him andgavp
orders to that effect He entered f
room where Varre Lepage sat alne
and said Varre Lepage tha time
has come for us to say gof by I am
starting at once for Fort P
But the other replied u will
wait until my wife comes Yo TiusL
There was pain in his voice
I must not
Varre Lepage braced himself for
heavy task and said Jaspar Hume
if the time has come to say good by
it has also come when we should
speak together for once openly to
settle in so far as can be done a long
account You have not let my wife
know who saved me That appears
from her letters She asks the name
of my rescuer I have not yet told
her But she will know that to day
when I tell her all
When you tell her all
When I tell her all
But you shall not do that
I will It will be the beginning of
the confession which I shall afterward
make to the world
By Heaven you shall not do it
Coward Would you wreck her life
Jaspar Humes face was wrathful and
remained so till the other sank back
in the chair with his forehead in his
hands but it softened as he saw this
remorse and shame He began to see
that Varre Lepage had not clearly
grasped the whole situation He said
in quieter but still firm tones No
Lepage that matter is between us
two and us alone She must never
know the world therefore must never
know You did an unmanly thing
you are suffering a manly remorse
Now let it end here but I swear it
shall he said in fierce tones as the
other shook his head negatively I
He Moistened the Sick Mans Lips
of plain and wood is glad Not so
Varre Lepage He sat and thought of
what was to come He had hoped at
times that he would die but twice
Jaspar Hume had said I demand
your life you owe it to your wife to
me to God And he had pulled his
heart up to this demand and had
lived But what lay before him He
saw a stony track and he shuddered
The Bar of Justice and Restitution
raised its cold barriers before him
and he was not strong
As he sat there facing his future
Jaspar Hume came to him and said
If you feel up to it Lepage we will
start for Edmonton and Shovanne on
Monday I think it will be quite safe
and your wife is anxious I shall ac
company you as far as Edmonton you
can then proceed to Shovanne by easy
stages and so on east in the pleasant
weather Are you ready to go
Yes I am ready
CHAPTER X
On a beautiful May evening Varre
Lepage Jaspar Hume and the White
Guard are welcomed at Fort Edmon
ton by the officer in command of the
Mounted Police They are to enjoy
the hospitality of the Fort for a couple
of days before they pass on Jaspar
Hume is to go back with Cloud-in-the-Sky
and Late Carscallen and a num
ber of Indian carriers for this is a
journey of business too Gaspe Tou
jours and Jeff Hyde are to press on
with Varre Lepage who is now much
stronger and better One day passes
and on the following morning Jaspar
Hume gives instructions to Gaspe
Toujours and Jeff Hyde and makes
preparations for his going back He
is standing in the Barracks Souare
when a horseman rides in and in
quires of a sergeant standing near if
Varre Lepage has arrived at the Fort
A few words bring out the fact that
Rose Lepage is nearing the Fort from
the south being determined to come
on from Shovanne to meet her hus
band The trooper thinks she is now
about eight or ten miles away but is
not sure He had been sent on ahead
the day before but his horse having
met with a slight accident he had
been delayed He had seen the party
however a long distance back in the
early morning He must now ride
would have let you die at Manitou
Mountain if I had thought you would
dare to take away your wifes peace
your childrens respect
I have no children our baby died
Jaspar Hume again softened Can
you not see Lepage The thing can
not be mended Just then his hand
touched the book that he still carried
in his bosom and as if his mother had
whispered to him he continued I
bury it all and so must you You
will begin the world again old friend
and so shall I Keep your wifes
love and respect Henceforth you
will deserve it
Varre Lepage raised mist eyes to
the other and said But you will take
back the money I got for that
There was a pause then Jaspar
Hume replied Yes upon such terms
times and conditions as I shall here
after fix And you have no child Le
page he gently added
We have no child it died with my
fame
TO BE CONTINUED I
Barnes Explained Why
Many people in this section remem
ber Augustus Barnes who for years
drove the stage between Tilton and
Franklin beforo the railroad was built
Dr Tucker president of Dartmouth
college tells of riding across from Til
ton one day Just out of Tilton on the
sandy bank of Winnipiseogee river
is located the Tilton cemetery
Dr Tuncker was occupying a seat
beside the venerable driver and as
they passed the city of the dead he
said That is a queer place for a
cemetery I wonder why such a spot
was selected
Barnes explanation was short and
to the point his answer being Easy
digging Boston Herald
Had the Same Result
In a Georgia town where prohibi
tion prevails a man was arrested three
times in one day charged with being
drunk on the streets
Where did you get the whisky
asked the mayor
I didnt drink no whisky was the
reply Nuthn in the worl yer honor
cept cane juice liver regulator hair
tonic an red ink Pittsturg Press
I
SHOPPING
TIE WITH A
FOR A jwm C T1
LADY iSkJ1 I
But she was -truly beautiful and she
vanted to buy me a tie I explained
that I wore only one kind She said it
looked outworn My ties I told her
were matters of little trouble to me
The plainest and simplest sort would
do She affirmed that one could get
anything in Kansas City even plain
ness and simplicity if you were pre
pared to pay for it The first store we
ame to looked good to me but she
snorted and passed it We walked
seven blocks and inspected 70 win
dows I am a man of simple tastes
but the lady explained at some length
that that was what ailed me What I
needed was complicity
We went into the thirteenth store
The lady went up to the clerk
Show me some ties she said im
periously He looked at her and looked
at me For for Jie stuttered
x For wearing she suggested ami
ably Ties to wear around the col
lar
The clerk overturned a display case
and almost tripped over himself in his
haste
What we need at this counter I
suggested is lady clerks
The Lord forbid sighed the lady
sitting down
The clerk came back with several
boxes and opened them He rubbed
his hands and smiled pleasantly
Now madam he commenced
thsse are some of our very
He caught the glint of that cold
beautiful eye and stopped
Bring more she said
He brought them And more And
more He contrived such a pile that
he had to come in front of his counter
to explain his wares But the lady
tilted her pretty nose disdainfully
Are these she said sweetly all
you have
No madam he brindled at last
but they are all we have room for on
that counter
She flared at that and lifted her
skirt
Come she said to me I followed
her wondering where what the clerk
threw would strike me When we got
outside J protested or started to But
she only laughed
Stupid she said I didnt intend
buying there I disliked the look of
that clerk Come on
We went We passed five other
stores and she decided on the sixth
But before we went in I demanded an
agreement We had to buy a tie
Now that she protested is so
like a man You havent said a single
word to let me know what sort of a
tie you want And you couldnt have
worn any of those frights that horrid
fellow showed us next door
It was miles away I murmured
and centuries
She looked at me critically
Well now she said cocking he
eye at me critcally you are looking
dusty and yes your collar is wilted
Is that all I asked
Dear me no I was merciful
Its a virtue I said that suits
you It looks fresh
Come on she said again and in
we went If it wasnt the same clerk
it was his replica
Now madam he said what can
I have the pleasure
Dont be premature I suggested
He smiled at me
To wait on our customers he said
is always a pleasure
Salesmanship school I thought
I want a dark green tie the lady
said not too dark mind you With
a shot silk effect Now dont bring me
a wide one Something that will run
easily through a fold over collar But
not so narrow that it will tie in a
skimpy knot
The clerk fingered his lips nervous
ly He hadnt reached that stage in
his salesmanship course
But wait said the lady I think
I wont have it with the shot silk ef
fect Just the plain silk
The salesman went on and consult
ed the floorwalker They returned
together
I fear madam said the floorwalk
er that the tie you ask for is out of
date If I might suggest
Do I muttered
I fail the lady commented to see
the necessity
The floorwalker bowed
Madam he said in our business
fashion
Have you got the tie I want the1
lady demanded icily
No
Then bless me why dont you say
so
The floorwalker bowed again I
tried to look stolid and felt a fool
Come said the lady Again I fof
lowed
What is the time she asked me
Four oclock
Dear me I had quite forgotten
Take me to Tostis for a cup of tea
But my tie I protested
Can wait she said
And my wilted collar
Its better than none said the
lady Kansas City Times
Debt Owed to Antiquity
Are we indebted to antiquity Yes
immensely It is the labor the experi
ence even the failures of ancestors
that have placed us where we are
We still repeat many of their mistaken
experiments which they thought wise
It was tentative effort with them
though mistaken and they did the best
they knew But on the whole the
world is doing well Its chief debt to
antiquity is in the lessons it has
learned through which it avoids or
may avoid repetition of old errors and
absurdities
WASTED ENERGY
John she said what type of
canal would be best to build at Pan
ama
Delighted John laid down his pa
per This was where he lived For
30 minutes the room resounded with
such terms as lock levels tide
speeds abutments angle irons
and geodetic surveys
At the end he smiled at her
Do you agree with me he asked
Yes she answered absently But
I was thinking
I was just thinking John that Id
have my old black mohair made over
for the fall and get baby one of those
white rabbitskin coats N Y Press
Used His Fist
Ha here comes Ratcliffe with a
dagger My last moment has arrived
exclaims one of the characters in a
new melodrama
Unfortunately however the actor
representing Ratcliffe had forgotten
the dagger and come on the stage
without it But he was equal to the
occasion Villain he exclaimed
thou thoughtst thou sawst a dagger
in mine hand Twas thine evil con
science supplied the vision But I will
slay thee with a blow of this strong
right hand which he proceeded to do
Tit Bits
MEAN THING
Mrs Peace My husband and I nev
er dispute before the children We al
ways send them out when a quarrel
seems imminent
Miss Sharp Ah Ive often won
dered why theyre so much in the
street
Easy Monthly Payments
Li es of Great Men stands behind me
Stamped in sold and bound in blue
Every book tries to remind me
That the next installments due
Judge
Excitement
There is a lot of excitement in
running an automobile remarked the
cheerful citizen
Yes answered the man who smells
of gasoline it gives life the charm of
uncertainty You never know whether
you are going to be late for dinner or
early at the emergency hospital
Washington Star
Heavenly
And he said my voice was heav
enly
It amounted to that
Tell me what he said using his ex
act words
Well if you must have it he said
your voice was unearthly Houston
Post
Portable
Theres a man of the name of Bil
son that has applied to me for a job
as coachman He says he used to
work for you Has he a glod char
acter
Yes if he hasnt lost it I gave
him one when he left me Chicago
Tribune
Learred Something
Youve been to college a whole
year and I dont think youve learned
a thing
Oh yes I have dad Ive learned
the class yell Yonkers Statesman
Flattering
How much postage will this re
quire asked the young author it
is one of my manuscripts
Two cents an ounce answered the
post office clerk Thats first class
matter
Oh thank you Judge
These Investigating Times
Burglar Have I gotten everything
Dimpleton Do you expect me to tell
you that
Burglar I think vou ought as a mat
ter of honor
A Blow
Young Husband I suppose now I
have married your daughter you will
continue to manage her business af
fairs for her
Father Yes sir Im perfect
willing to manage her business af
fairs if youll manage her Detroit
Free Press
STILL HOPEFUL
She teasingly What a fine-looking
fellow the half back on the other
team is His features are so regular
He savagely Hm The match
isnt over yet Cincinnati Commercial-Enquirer
The Colonels Fate
A doughty Kentuckian colonel
Whose watchword was By the ctolonel
Had a son who was smart
Yet who broke his dads heart
By his work on a yellow hued jolonel
Judge
He Remembered
They had been married just a month
Do you know what day this is
she asked sweetly at the breakfast
table
Yes he answered nervoucly
this is the day I have to pay the sec
ond installment on that wedding ring
Yonkers Statesman
THE FARMERS IDEA
The Country Parson That is an un
commonly fine large hog deacon
The Farmer Yes sir Ah If we
wuz as fit to die as him sir Ciacin
nati Commercial Tribune
Called In
There are no birds in last years nests
No feet in last years shoes
And in the chilly autumn days
There are no peek-a-boos
Houston Post
Improving the Verses
The Poet What did you do with
those patriotic verses of mine
The Editor Tried to improve them
Improve them
Yes I burned them There wasnt
enough fire in em Yonkers States
man
Grateful Length
How is the new choir
Well if you must know I was
sorry when the minister stopped
preaching Judge
Not Yet Cured
But how do you know
he is a sin
gle man
Because he is so conceited-
Houston Post
Her Undoubted Privilege
Nan Why do
you always call Mr
Feathertop that nuisance
when 5u
speak of him
Fdn Because I have a right to
There is no rule for the pronunciation
of proper names Chicago Tribune
What He Needed
LbVVaS in JUU two raoihs on
a false charge I
wonder
wny he
doesnt sue for damages
He says it saved his life
The
dietcurgd his gout Detroit Fret
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