Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 110, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 May 1913 — Molly Mc DONALD A TALE OF THE FRONTIER [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Molly Mc DONALD A TALE OF THE FRONTIER

By RRANDALL PARRISH

Author of "Keith of me “Border;' My Lady of Doubt: My Lady offU South? . I conauoKr tm by a.c.m=clurg a co.

, SYNOPSIS. - Major McDonald, commanding an army post near Fort Dodge, seeks a man to intercept his daughter, Molly, who Is headed for the post. An Indian outbreak Is threatened. •‘Brick" Hamlin, sergeant who has just arrived with messages to McDonald, volunteers for the mission. Molly arrives at Fort Ripley two days ahead of schedule. She decides to push on to Fort Dodge by stage in company with "Sutler Bill” Moylan. Gonsales. a gambler, is also a passenger. Hamlin meets the stage with stories of depredations committed by the Indians. The driver deserts the stage when Indian* appear. The Indians are twice repulsed. H*mlin and Molly escape In the darkness. Molly is pounded. Hamlin is much excited at finding a haversack marked C. 8. A. He explains to Molly that he was in the Confederate service and dismissed in disgrace under charges of cowardice. At the close of the war he enlisted In the regular service. He says the haversack was the property of one Capt. LeFevre, who he suspects of being responsible for his disgrace. Troops apEand under escort of Lieut. Gaskins y starts to join her father. Hamlin es to rejoin his regiment. He returns to'Fort Dodge after a summer of fighting Indians, and finds Molly there. Shots are heard in the night. Hamlin rushes out, sees what he believes Is the figure of Molly hiding in the darkness and falls over the body of Lieutenant Gaskins, who accuses Hamlin of shooting him. The sergeant is proven innocent. He sees Molly in company with Mrs. Dupont, whom he recognises as a former sweetheart, who threw him oyer for LeFevre. Mrs. Dupont tells Hamlin. LeFevre forced her to send him a dying note. CHAPTER XVll.—Continued. “Because I chance to know more than you suppose. Never mind how the information reached me; had It been less authentic you might find me flow more susceptible to your presence, more choice in my language. A carefully conceived plot drove me from the Confederate service, ih which you were as deeply involved as Le Fevre. Its double object was to advance him in rank and get me out of the way. The plan worked perfectly; I could have met and fought either object alone, but the two combined broke me utterly. I had no spirit of resistance left. Yet even then— In spite of that miserable letter —I retained faith in you. I returned home to learn the truth from your own lips, only to discover you had already gone. I was a month learning the facts; then I discovered you had married Le Fevre in Richmond; I procured the affidavit of the officiating clergyman. Will you deny now?” £ “No,” changing her manner instantly—“what is the use? I married the man, but f was deceived, misled. There was no conspiracy in which I was concerned. I did not know where you were; from* then until this afternoon I never saw or of you. Molly told me of her rescue by a soldier named Hamlin, but I never suspected the truth until we drove by the barracks. Then I yielded to my first mad lmpulse and sent that note. If you felt toward me with such bit-

terness, why did you come here? Why consent to meet me again V’ “My yielding was to a second impulse. At first I decided to ignore your note; then came the second consideration—Miss McDonald." “Oh," and she laughed, “at last I read the riddle. Not satisfied with saving that young lady from savages, you would also preserve her youthful Innocence from the contamination of my Influence. Quite noble of you, surely. Are you aware of our relationship?" “I have heard it referred to —garrison rumor." "Quite true, In spite of your source of information, which accounts, in a measure, for my presence here as

well as my intimacy in the McDonald household. And you propose interfering, plan to drive me forth from this pleasant bird’s nest Really you amuse me, Mr. Sergeant Hamlin.” “But I have not proposed anything of that nature,” the man said quietly, rising to his feet. “It is, of course, nothing to me, except that Miss McDonald has been very kind and seems a very -nice girl. As I knew something of you and your past, I thought perhaps you might realize how much better it would be to retire gracefully.” “You mean that as a threat? You intend to tell her?” “Not unless it becomes necessary; I am not proud of the story myself.” Their eyes met; and there was no shadow of softness in either face. The woman’s lips curled sarcastically. “Really, you take yourself quite seriously, do you not? One might’thlnk you still Major of the Fourth Texas, and heir to the old estate on the Brazos. You talked that way to me once before, only to discover that I had claws with which to scratch. Don’t make that mistake again, Mr. Sergeant Hamlin, or there will be something more serious than scratching done. I have learned how to fight in the past few years—Heaven knows I have had opportunity—and rather enjoy the excitement. How far would your word go with Molly, do you think? Or with the Major?” “That remains to be seen.” “Does it? Oh, I understand. You must still consider yourself quite the lady-killer. Well, let me tell you something—she is engaged to Lieutenant Gaskins.” His hand-grip tightened on the rail, but there was no change in the expression of his face. “So I had heard. I presume that hardly would have been permitted to happen but for the existence of a Mr. Dupont. By the way, which one of you ladies shot the Lieutenant?” It was a chance fire, and Hamlin was not sure of its effect, although she drew a quick breath, and her voice faltered. "Shot —Lieutenant Gaskins?” “Certainly; you must be aware of that?”

“Oh, I knew he had f some altercation, and was wounded; he accused you, did he not? But why bring us into the affair?” “Because some woman was directly concerned in it. Whoever she may be, the officers of the fort are convinced that she probably fired the shot; that the Lieutenant knows her identity, and is endeavoring to shield her from discovery.” “Why do they think that? What reason can they have for such a conclusion? Was she seen?” "Her footprints were plainly visible, and the revolver used was a small one—a *36’ —such as a woman alone would carry in this country. I have said so to no one else, but I saw her, crouching in the shadow of the barrack wall. "You—you saw her? Recognized her?” % “Yes.” “And made no attempt at arrest? Have not even mentioned the fact to others? You must have a reaspn?” "I have, Mrs. Dupont, but we will not discuss it now. I merely wish you to comprehend that if It is to be war between us, I am in possession of weapons.” She had not lost control of herself, yet there was that about her hesitancy, of speech, her quick breathing, which evidenced her surprise at this discovery. It told him that he had played a good hand, had found a point of weakness in her armor. The mystery of it remained unsolved, but this woman knew who had shot Gaskins; knew, and had every reason to guard the secret. He felt her eyes anxiously searching his face, and laughed a little bitterly. “You perceive, madam, ” he went on, encouraged by her silence, "I am not now exactly the same unsuspecting youth with whom you played so easily years ago. I have learned some of life’s lessons since; among them how to fight fire with fire. It is a trick of the plains. Do you still consider it necessary for your happiness to remain the guest of the McDonalds?” She straightened up, turning her eyes away. "Probably not for long, but it is no threat of yours which influences me. It does not even interest me to know who shot Lieutenant Gaskins. He is

a vulgar little prig, only made possible by the possession of money. However, when I decide to depart, I shall probably do so without consulting your pleasure." She hesitated, her voice softening as though in change of mood. “Yet I should prefer parting with you in friendship. In asking you to meet me tonight I had no intention of quarreling; merely yielded to an impulse of regret for the past—” The heavy curtain draping the window was drawn aside, permitting the light from within to flash upon them, revealing the figure of a man In uniform. “Pardon my Interruption," he explained, bowing, “but you were gone so long, Mrs. Dupont, I feared some accident” She laughed lightly. “You are very excusable. No doubt I have been here longer than I supposed." The officer’s eyes surveyed the soldier standing erect, his hand lifted in salute- The situation puzzled him. "Sergeant Hamlin, how are you here? On leave?” “Yes, sir.” “Of course this is rather unusual, Captain Barrett,” said the lady hastily, tapping the astonished officer lightly with her fan, “but I was once quite well acquainted with Sergeant Hamlin when he was a major of the Fourth Texas Infantry during the late war. He and my husband were Intimates. Naturally I was delighted to meet him again.” The captain stared at the man’s rigid figure.” “Good Lord, I never knew that, Hamlin,” he exclaimed. “Glad to know it, my man. You see,” he explained lamely, “we get all kinds of fellows In the ranks, and are not Interested In their past history. I’ve had Hamlin under my command for two years now, and hanged,if I knew anything about him, except that he was a good soldier. Were you ready to go, Mrs. Dupont?” "Oh, yes; we have exhausted all our reminiscences. Goodby, Sergeant; so glad to have met you again.” She extended her-ungloved hand, a single diamond glittering In the light He accepted it silently, aware of the slight pressure of her fingers. Then the Captain assisted her through the window, and the falling curtain veiled .them from view.

CHAPTER XVIII. Another Message. Hamlin sank back on the bench and leaned his head on his hand. Had anything been accomplished by this interview? One thing, at least —he had thoroughly demonstrated that the charm once exercised over his imagination by this beautiful woman had completely vanished. He saw-her now as she was —heartless, selfish, Using her spell of beauty for her own sordid ends. If there had been left a shred of romance in his memory of her, it was now completely shattered. Her coolness, her adroit changing of moods, convinced him she was playing a game. What game? Nothing in her words had revealed its nature, yet the man instinctively felt that it must involve Molly McDonald. Laboriously he reviewed, word by word, each sentence exchanged, striving to find some clew. He had pricked her in the Gaskins affgir, there was no doubt of that; she knew, of at least suspected, the party firing the shot She denied at first having been married to Le Fevre, and yet later had been compelled to acknowledge that marriage. There then was a deliberate falsehood, which must have been told for a purpose. What purpose? Did she imagine it would make any difference with him, or did she seek to shield Le Fevre from discovery? The latter reason appeared the more probable, for the man must have been ia the neighborhood lately, else where did that haversack come from? So engrossed was Hamlin with these thoughts that he hardly realized that some one had lifted the window curtain cautiously. The beam of light flashed across him, disappearing before he could lift his head to ascertain the cause. Then a voice spoke, and he leaned back to listen. “Not there; gone back to the dance likely, while we were at the bar." “Nobody out there?” this fellow growled his words. "Some soldier asleep with his head on the rail; drunk, I reckon. Who was she with this time?” "Barrett?” “Who? Oh, yes, the fellow whobrought in that troop of the Seventh. Lord, the old girl is getting her hooks into him early. Well, as long as .Gaskins is laid up, she may as well amuse herself somewhere else. Barrett is rather a good looker, isn't he? Do you know anything about the man? Has he got any stuff?" “Don’t know,” answered the gruff voice. “He’s a West Pointer. Vera likes to amuse herself once in a while; that’s the woman of it. Heard from Gaskins tonight F* “Oh, he’s all right," the man laughed. “That little -prick frightened him though. Shut up like a clam.” "So I heard. He’ll pay to keep the story quiet, all right. As soon as he is well enough to come down here, we’ll tap his bundle. Swore he was

shot by a cavalry sergeant, didn’t he?* “And sticks to it like a mule. Must have it in for that fellow. Well, it helped our get-away.” “Yes, we’re safe enough, unless Gaskins talks, and he’s so in love with the McDonald girt he’ll, feplel out, big rather , than have any scandal now. Wish I could get a word with Vera tonight; she ought to see him tomor-row-compassion, womanly sympathy, and all that rot, you know, helps the game. Let’s drift over toward the Palace, Dan, and maybe I can give her the sign.” Hamlin caught a glimpse of their backs as they passed out—onte in infantry fatigue, the other, a heavier built man, fairly well dressed in citizen’s - clothes. Inspired by a desire to see their features the Sergeant swung himself over the rail, and dropped lightly to the ground. In another moment he was out on the street, in front of the hotel, watching the open door. The two passed within a few feet of him, clearly revealed In the light streaming from t?ie dance hall. The soldier lagged somewhat behind, an insignificant, fat-faced fellow, but the larger man walked straight, with squared shoulders. He wore a broad-brimmed hat pulled low over his eyes, and a black beard concealed the lower portion of his face. Hamlin followed as the two pushed their way up among the idle crowds congregated on the wooden steps, and peered in through the wide doorway. Satisfied that he would recognize both worthies when they met again, and

realizing now something of the plot being operated, Hamlin edged in closer toward the sergeant who was guarding the entrance. The latter recognized him with a nod. “Pretty busy, Masters?” “Have been' but there will be a lull now; when they come back from supper there’ll be another rush likely. Would you mind taking my job a minute while I go outside?" -"Not in the least; take your time. Let me see what the tickets look like. That’s all right—say, Masters, before you go, do you know that big duffer with a black beard ip the front line?” The other gave a quick glance down the faces. "I’ve seen him before; dealt faro at the Poodle Dog a while; said to be a gun-man. Never heard his name. Oh, yes, come to think about it, they called him ’Reb’ —Confed soldier, I reckon. Ain’t seen him before for a month. Got into some kind of a. shootin’ scrap up at Mike Kelly's and skipped out ahead of the marshal. Why?” "Nothing particular—looks familiar, that’s all. Who’s the soldier behind him —the thin-faced runt?” “Connors. Some riverrat the recruiting .officers picked up in New York; in the guard-house most of the time; driver for Major McDonald when he happens to be sober enough." “That is where I saw him then, driving the ladies. Knew I had seen that mug before.” (TO BE CONTINUED.)

"Will You Deny It Nows

“Some Soldier Asleep, With His Head on the Rail.”