Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 93, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 April 1913 — MOLLY MCDONALD A LALE OF THE ERONIIER [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MOLLY MCDONALD A LALE OF THE ERONIIER

By RANDALL PARRISH

JuthoroF "Keith <V f6c My Lady o/ Doubt 7 My Lady q/^c South? efc.efc. Illustration# Jby V.L.Bamcd COPyXJOMT IS!* BY A.C.tPCLURG & CQk

. SYNOPSIS. Major McDonald, commanding an army •oat near Fort Dodge, seeks a man to Intercept Ur daughter, Molly, who is headed for the post. An Indian outbreak Is threatened. "Brick" Hamlin, a sergeant, who had just arrived with messages to McDonald, volunteers for the mission and starts alone. Molly arrives at Fort Ripley two days ahead of schedJUa. She decides to push on to Fort Dodge by stage In company with-. “Sutler BIU ,T Moylan. Gonzales, a gambler, is also a passenger. Hamlin meets the stage With stories of depredations committed by the Indiana It is decided to return to Ripley. The driver deserts the stage When Indians appear. The Indians are twice repulsed in attack on the stage by Hamlin, Moylan and- Gonzales. The latter CHAPTER Vl.—Continued. Then It came to him in a sudden flash of Intelligence—he was alone; alone except for the girl. They were out there yet, skulking In the night, planning revenge, those savage foemen—Arapahoes, Cheyennes, Ogallas. They had been beaten back, defeated, smitten with death, but they were Indians stilt They would come back for ths bodies of their slain, and thep—what? They could not know who were living, who dead, in the coach; yet must have discovered long since (hat It had only contained three defenders. They would guess that ammunition would be limited. His knowledge of the fighting tactics of the Plains tribes gave clear vision of what would probably occur. They would wait, scattered out In a wide circle from bluff to bluff, lying snake-like In the grass. Some of the bolder might creep In to drag away the bodies of dead warriors, risking a chance shot, but there would be no open attack in the dark. That would be averse to all Indian strategy, all precedent Even now the mournful walling had ceased; Roman Nose had rallied his warriors, Instilled Into them his own unconquerable savagery, and set them on watch. With the first gray dawn they would come again, leaping to the coach's wheels, yelling, triumphant, mad with new ferocity—and he was alone, except for the girl. And where was she? He felt for her on the floor, but only touched the Mexican's feet He had to lean across the seat where Moylan’s body lay, shrouded In darkness, before his groping fingers came In contact with the skirt of her dress. She was on the front seat, close to the window; against the lightness of the outer sky, her head seemed lying upon the wooden frame. She did not move, he could not even tell that she breathed, and for an Instant his dry lips failed him utterly, his blood seemed to stop. Good Godt Had she been killed also? How, in Heaven's name, did she ever get there? Then suddenly she lifted her head slightly, brushing back her hair with one arm; the faint starlight gleamed on a steel barrel. The Sergeant expelled his breath swiftly, wetting his 4ry lips. “Are you hurt?” he questioned anxiously. "Lord but you gave me a scare!" She seemed to hear his voice, yet scarcely to understand, like one aroused suddenly from sleep. “What! you spoke—then—then—there are others? I—l am not here all alone?" "Not If you count me," he said, a trace of recklessness in the answer. *1 haven’t even a scratch so far as I know. Did they touch you?” "No; that is, I am not quite sure; It—it was all so horrible I cannot remember. Who are you? Are you the —the soldier?" "Yes—l’m Hamlin. Would you mind telling me bow you ever got over therer She straightened np, seemed to notice the heavy revolver In her fingers, and let It fall to the floor. "Oh. it Is like a dream—an awful dream. I couldn’t help myself. When the Mexican rolled off on to the floor, I knew he was dead, and—and there was his revolver held right out to me la his hand. Before I realized I had It, and was up here—l—l killed one—he—he fell la the wheel; I —l can never forget that!" "Don’t try," broke In Hamlin earneetly. "You’re all right,” he added, admiration In his voice. "And so It was you there with the small gun. 1 heard It bark, but never knew Gonsales was bit When did It happen?" "When —when they fired first It— It was all smoke out there when I got t« the window; they—they looked like —like wild beasts, and It didn’t seem to me I was myself at all.” The man laughed lightly. "You did the right thing, that's all,”

he consoled, anxious to control her excitement. “Now you and I must decide what to do next—we are all alone." “Alonel Has Mr. Moylan been hit also?’’ “Yes," he answered, feeling it was better-to teH-herr-frankly-.- “He was 'shot, hnd is beyend our help. But come,” and he reached over and took her hand, "you must not give up now." She offered no resistance, but Bat motionless, her face turned away. Yet she knew she trembled from head to foot, the reaction mastering her. A red tongue of flame seemed to slit the outside blackness; there was a single sharp report, echoing back from the bluff, but no sound of the striking bullet Jußt an Instant he caught a glimpse of her face, as she drew back, startled. “Oh, they are coming again! What shall wg do?” he Insisted, still retaining her hand, confident in his judgment “Those fellows will not attempt to rush us again tonight You must keep cool, for we Bhall need all our wits to get awav. An Indian never risks a night assault, unless It is a surprise. He wants to see what he is up against Those bucks have got all they want of this outfit; they have no reason to suppose any of us were hit They-ore as much afraid as we are, but when It gets daylight, ani they can see the shape we’re In, then they'll come yelling.” "But they can lie out there In the dark and shoot," she protested. “That shot was aimed at us, wasn’t It?" "I reckon it was, but It never got here. Don’t let that worry you; if an Indian ever hits anything with a gun it’s going to be by pure accident." He stared out of the window. "They’re liable to bang away occasionally, and I suppose It is up to us to make some response just to tell them we’re awake and ready. But they ain’t firing expecting to do damage—only to attract attention while they haul off their dead. There’s a red snake yon-der-now-creeping along in the grass—see!” “No," hysterically, "It Is Just black to me." "You haven’t got the plainsman’s eyes yet Watch, now; I’m going to stir the fellow up.” He leaned forward, the stock of the Henry held to his shoulder, and she clutched the window-casing. An Instant the muzzle of the rifle wavered slightly, then steadied Into position. “Have to guess the distance," he muttered In explanation, and pulled the trigger. -, There was a light flash, *a sharp ringing report, a yell in the distance, followed by the sound of scrambling.

Hamlin laughed, aa hs lowered his gun. "Made him hump, anyway," he commented cheerfully. "Now what comes next?" “I—l do not know," she answered, as though the question had been asked her, "do you?" ' Somehow she was not as frightened as she had been. The calm steady coolness of the man was having its natural effect, was helping to oontrol her own nerves. She felt his strength, his confidence, and was beginning to lean upon him —he seemed to know exactly what he was about "Well, no, honestly I don’t; not yet," he returned, hesitating slightly.

"There Is no use denying we are in/a mighty bad hole. If Moylan hadn’t got shot we might have held out till help arrived; I’ve got about twenty cartridges left; but you and I alone, never could do it I’ve got to think it out I reckon; this has been a blind fight so far; nothing to it but blazing away as fast as I could pull trigger. Now, maybe, 1 can use my brains a bit” . She could not see him, but some Instinct led her to put out her hand and touch the rough sleeve of his shirt It made her. sure of his presence, his protection. The man felt the movement, and understood its meaning, his heart throbbing strangely. “You are going to trust me?” “Of—of course; how could you doubt that?” “Well,” still half questioning, “you see I’m dnly an enlisted man, and sometimes officers’ ladies think we are mostly pretty poor stuff, just food for powder.” She tightened her grip on * his sleeve,-drawing a quick breath of surprise. “Oh, but I am not like that; truly lam not. I—saw your face this afternoon, and—and I liked you then. I will do whatever you say.” _ “Thank you,” he said simply., "To know that makes everything so much easier for me. We shall have to work together from now on. You keep sharp watch at the window there, while I think a bit—there’s ordinarily a chance somewhere, you know, if one is only bright enough to uncover it." How still the night was, and dark; athough the sky was cloudless, the stars shone clearly away up in the. black vault. Not even the howl of a distant coyote broke the silence. To the left, seemingly a full half-mile distant, was the red flicker of a fire, barely visible behind a projection of bank. But in front hot even the keen eyes of the Sergeant could distinguish any sign of movement. Apparently the Indians had abandoned their attempt to recover the bodies of their dead.

CHAPTER VII. Plans for Escape. Desperate as he certainly felt their situation to be, for a moment or two Hamlin was unable to cast aside the influence of the girl, or concentrate his thoughts on some plan for escape. It may have been the gentle pressure of her hand upon his sleeve, but her voice continued to ring in his ears. He had never been a woman’s man, nor was he specially interested in this woman beside blm. He had seen her fairly, with his first appreciative glance, when he had climbed into the stage on the preceding day. He had realized there fully the charm of her face, the dark roguish eyes, the clear skin, the wealth of dark hair. Yet all this was impersonal; however pretty she might be, the fact was nothing to him and never could be. Knowing who she was, he comprehended Instantly the social gulf stretching unbrldged between them. An educated man himself, with family connections he had long ago ceased to discuss, he realized his present position more keenly than be otherwise might He had enlisted in the army with no misunderstanding as to what a private’s uniform meant He had never heretofore supposed he regretted any loss in this respect his nature apparently satisfied with the excitement of active frontier service, yet he vaguely knew there had been times wh3h he longed for companionship with women of the class to which he had once belonged. Fortunately his border stations offered little temptation in this respect, and he had grown to believe that he had actually forgotten. That afternoon even—sweetly fair as Miss McDonald undoubtedly appeared—he hfid looked upon her without the throb of a pulse, as he might upon a picture. She was not for him even to admire—she was Major McDonald’s daughter, whorfi he had been sent to guard*. That was all then. .

Tet he knew that somehow It was different now—the personal element had entered unwelcomed, Into the equation. Sitting there in the dark, Gonzales’ body crumpled on the floor at his feet, and Moylan lying stiff and cold along the hack seat, with this girl grasping his sleeve in trust, she remained no longer merely the Major’s daughter—she had become self. And she did not seem to care and did not seem to realise that there were barriers of rank, which under other circumstances must so utterly separate them. She liked him, and frankly told him so, not as she would dismiss an Inferior with kindness, but as though he was an equal, as though he was a gentleman. Somehow the very tone of her voice, the clinging touch of her hand, sent the blood pumping through his veins. Something besides duty inspired him; he was no longer merely a soldier, but had suddenly become transformed into a man. Years of repression, of iron discipline, were blotted out/ and he became even as his birthright made him. "Molly McDonald," "Molly McDonald,” he whispered the name unconsciously to himself. Then his eyes caught the distant flicker of

Indian Ora, and hla teeth locked savagely. There waa something else to do b*> sides dream. Because the girt had spoken pleasantly was no reason why he should act the fool. Angry at himself, he gripped his faculties, and faced the situation, aroused. Intent He must save himself —and herl But how? What" plan promised any possibility of success? He had their surroundings in a* map before his eyes. His training had taught him to note and remember what others would as naturally neglect. He was a soldier of experience, a plainsman by long training, and even in the fierceness of the Indians’ attack on the stage his quick glance had completely visualized their surroundings. He had not appreciated this at the time, but now the topography of the immediate region was unrolled before him in detail; yard by yard It reappeared as though photographed. He saw the widely rutted trail, rounding the bluff at the right, a hundred yards away, curving sharply down the slope and then disappearing over the. low hill to the left, a slight stream trickling along its base. Below, the short buf-falo-grass, sunburned and brittle, ran to the sandy edge of the river, which flowed silently in a broad, shallow, yellow flood beneath the star gleam. Under the protection of that bank, but somewhat to 4he left, where a handful of stunted cottonwood trees had found

precarious foothold in the sand, gleamed the solitary Indian lire. About its embers, no doubt, squatted the chiefs and older warriors, feasting and taking council, while the younger bucks lay, rifles in hand, along the night-enshrouded slope, their cruel, vengeful eyes seeking to distinguish the outlines of the coach against the black curtain of the bluff. This had proven thus far their salvation—that steep uplift of earth against which the stage had crashed in its mad dash —for its precipitant front had compelled the savages to attack from one direction only, a slight overhang, not unlike a roof, making it impossible even to shoot down from above. But this same sharp incline was not likewise a preventive of escape. Hamlin shook his head as he recalled to mind its steep ascent, without root or shrub to cling to. No, it would never do to attempt that; not with her. Perhaps alone he might scramble up somehow, but with her the feat would be impossible. He dismissed this as hopeless, his memory of their surroundings drifting from point to point aimlessly. He saw the whole barren vista as it last stood revealed under the glow of the sun—the desolate plateau above, stretching away into the dim north, the brown level of the plains, broken only by sharp fissures in the surface, treeless, extending for unnumbered leagues. To east and west the valley, now scarcely more green than those upper plains, bounded by Its verdureless bluffs, ran crookedly, following ths river course, its only sign of white dominion the rutted trail. Beyond the stream there extended miles of white sand-dunes, fantastically Bhapen by the wind, gradually changing into barren plains of alkali. Between crouched the vigilant Indian sentinels, alert and revengeful. (TO BE CONTINUED.)

"Have to Guess the Distance," He Muttered in Expianation.

Something Besides Duty inspired Him; He Was No Longer Merely a Soldier.