Bixby Bulletin (Bixby, Okla.), Vol. 9, No. 16, Ed. 1 Friday, May 23, 1913 Page: 4 of 8
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Oklahoma Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Gateway to Oklahoma History by the Oklahoma Historical Society.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Holly McDonald
A TALE or IDE FRONTIER
By ^
Landau
Ji£orof',^^pf^e
Bordcrr My Lady
id yofino
Dou!
Sot
^ Y\
V.LBamc&
COPyWOHT I9U BY A.C.Ii'CAURO ft COw
8YNOPSIS.
Major McDonald, commanding an army
post near Fort Dodge, Kecks a man to
Intercept Ills daughter, Molly, who Is
headed for the post. An Indian outbreak
Is threatened. “Brick” Hamlin. ser-
geant who has Just arrlvod with mes-
sages to McDonald, volunteers for the
mission. Molly arrives at Fort Ripley
two days ahead of schedule. She decides
to push on to Fort Dodgo by stage In
company with "8utlor Bill” Moylan. Don-
gales, a gambler, Is also a passenger.
Hamlin meets the stage with stories of
depredations committed by the Indians.
The driver deserts the stage when Indi-
ans appear. The Indians are repulsed
In attacks on the stage. Moylan and
Gonzales are killed. Hamlin and Molly
plan to escape In the darkness by way
of a gully. Molly Is wounded and Ham-
lin cairlos her. They cross a river and
go Into hiding. The Indiana discover their
escape and start pursuit, but go In thu
wrong direction. Hainlln Is much excited
at finding a haversack marked C. 8. A.
He explains to Molly that ho was In the
Confederate service and dismissed In dis-
grace under charges of cowardlco. At tho
elo80 of the war he enlisted In tho regu-
lar service. He says the haversack was
the property of one Capt. LeFevre, who
he suspects of being responsible for his
disgrace and for whom he has been
hunting svor since. Troops appear on
the scone, tinder escort of Lieut. Gas-
kins Molly starts to Join her father.
Hamlin leaves to rejoin his regiment.
Hamlin returns to Fort Dodgo after a
summer of fighting Indians, and finds
Molly thero. Shots are heard In , tho
night accompanied by the call of tho
sentry. Hamlin rushes nut, sees what he
believes Is the figure of Molly hiding In
the darkness and falls over the body of
Lieutenant Gaskins, who lias been
wounded. The officer accuses Hamlin of
shooting him and tho sergeant Is ar-
rested.
CHAPTER XIV.—Continued.
Voices reached him from outside,
echoing in through the high, iron-
barred window, but they were distant,
tho words indistinguishable. As his
brain cleared he gave no further
thought to his own predicament, only
considering how he could best divert
suspicion from her. It was all a con-
fused maze, into the myBtory of which
ho was unable to penotrate. That it
was Molly McDonald shrinking there
in tho dark corner of the barracks
wall he had no doubt. She might not
have recognized him, or imagined
that he saw her, but that spoar of
light had cortalnly revealed a face not
to be mistaken. White as it was, hag-
gard with terror, half concealed by
straggling hair, the Identification was
nevertheless complete. The very pit-
eousness of expression appealed to
him. She was not a girl easily fright-
ened; no mere promiscuous shooting,
however startling, would have brought
that look to her face. Ho had seen
her in danger before, had tested her
coolness under fire. This meant some-
thing altogether different. What?
Could it bo that Gaskins had wronged
tho girl, had insulted her, and that
she, in response, had shot him down?
In tho darknesB of conjecture there
seemed no other adequate explanation.
The two were intimate”; the rumor or
an engagement was already circulat-
ing about the garrison. And the strick-
en man had endeavored to shift the
blame on him. Hamlin could not be-
lieve this was dono through any do-
siro to injure; tho Lleutcnaut hud no
cause for personal dislike which
would account for such an accusation.
They had only met once, and then
briefly. Thero was no rivalry between
(hem, no animosity. To be sure, Gas-
kins had been domineering, threaten-
ing to report a small breach of discip-
line, but in tills ills words and actions
had been no more offensive than was
common among young officers of his
quality. Tho Sergeant had passed all
memory of that long ago. It never
occurred to him now ns of tho slight-
est importance. Far more probable
did It appear thnt Gaskins’ only mo-
tive was to shield tho .girl from pos-
sible suspicion. When he had realized
that Hamlin was a prisoner, that for
somo reason he had been seized for
the crime, ho had grasped the oppor-
tunity to point him out as the assas-
sin, and thus delay pursuit. The
chances wore tho wounded man did
not even recognize who the victim
was—he had blindly grasped at the
first straw.
But suppose ho had been mistaken?
Suppose th§t woman hiding thero was
some one else? Suppose he had Imag-
ined a resemblance In that sudden
flash of revealment? What then?
Would she care enough to corao to
him when she learned of the arrest?
He laughed at the thought, yet It was
a bitter laugh, for It brought back a
new realization of tho chasm between
them. Major McDonald's daughter In-
teresting herself in a guard house
prisoner! More than likely she would
promptly forget that she had ever be-
fore heard his name.
He got up and paced tho cell, not-
ing as he did so how closely he was
watched by the guard.
“Have you heard how badly the
Lieutenant was hurt?” he asked, ap-
proaching the door.
Tho sontry glanced down the corri-
dor.
"Ho’ll pull out, all right,” ho re-
plied confidentially, his lips close to
the door. “Nothin’ vital punctured.
You better go to bed, an' forget it till
mornin’.”
“All right, pardner," and Hamlin
returned to tho cot. “Turn the light
down a little, will you? There, that’s
better. My conscience won’t trouble
mo, but that glare did.”
With his face to tho stone wall be
fell aBleep.
CHAPTER XV.
An Old Acqualntanca.
It waB late in the forenoon when
tho heavily armed guard marched
lluuiltn across to tho commandant’s
office. He had been surprised at the
delay, but hud enjoyed ample oppor-
tunity to plan a course of action, and
decldo how best to meet the questions
which would be asked. He could clear
himself without involving her, with-
out even a mention of her presence,
and this knowledge left him confident
and at ease.
Thero wore half a dozen officers
gathered in the pmall room, the gray-
bearded Colonel in command, sitting
behind a table, with Major McDonald
at his right, and the others wherever
they could find standing room.
"Sergeant,” the Colonel said rather
brusquely, “you came in last night
with ’M’ troop, did you not?”
“Yes, sir.”
"Had you ever met Lieutenant Gas-
kins before?"
"Once; he pulled me out of a bad
Bcrape with a bunch of Indians out on
tho trail a few months ago."
“Tho same affulr I spoke to you
about,” commented McDonald quietly.
“The attack on the stage.”
Tho Colonel nodded, without remov-
ing his eyes from the Sergeant’s face.
"Yes, I know about that," he said.
“And that was the only occasion of
your meeting?”
“Yes, Blr.”
“Well, Sergeant Hamlin, I purpose
boing perfectly frank with you. Thero
are two or threo matters not easily
explained about this affair. I am sat-
isfied of your innocence; that you
were not directly concerned In the
shooting of Lieutenant GaBklns. Men
of your troop state that you were In
barracks when the shots were fired,
and the wound was not made by a
service revolver, but by a much small-
er weapon. Yet thero are circum-
stances which pjizzle us, but whjch
no doubt, you can explain. Two shots
had beon fired from your revolver.”
V
“You Better Go to Bed an’ Forget It
Till MornlnV
and he pushed the weapon across the
tablo.
"I rode ahead of the troop In march
yesterday,” Hamlin explained, “and
fired twice at a jack rabbit. I must
have neglected to replace the cart-
ridges. Private Stone was with me.”
"Why did you submit'to arrest bo
easily, without nny attempt to clear
yourself?"
The Sergeant’s gray eyes smiled,
but his response was quietly respect-
ful.
”1 was condemned before I really
knew what had occurred, sir. The
sentry, the Sergeant of the guard,
and the Lieutenant all Insisted that I
—■as guilty. They permitted me no
opportunity to explain. I thought it
Just as well to remain quiet, and let
the affair straighten Itself out.”
"Yet your action threw us complete-
ly off tho trail,” broke in McDonald
Impatiently. “It permitted the really
guilty parties to escape. Did you see
any one?”
“Black smudges merely, Major, ap-
parently running toward the ravine.
My eyes were blinded, leaping from a
lighted room.”
McDonald leaned forward eagerly,
one hand tapping the table.
"Was one of them a woman?” he
questioned sharply.
Hamlin’s heart leaped into his
throat, but be held himself motionless.
"They were indistinguishable, sir;
mere shadows. Have you reason to
suspect there may have been a woman
involved?”
Tho Major leaned back in hiB chair,
but the commandant, after a glance at
his officer, answered:
“The pistol used was a small one,
such as a woman might carry, and
thore are marks of a woman’s shoe
plainly visible at the edge of the ra-
vine. Lieutenant Gaskins was alone
when he left the officers’ club five min-
utes before the firing began. You are
sure you have never had any contro-
versy with this officer?”
"Perfectly sure, sir. We have never
met except'on the one occasion al-
ready referred to, and then scarcely
a dozen words were exchanged.”
"How then, Sergeant,” and the Col-
onel spoke very soberly, “do you ac-
count for his denouncing you as his
assassin?”
"I presumed he was influenced by
my arrest, sir; that the shock had af-
fected his brain.”
“That supposition will hardly an-
swer. Tho Lieutenant is not severely
wounded, and this morning appears to
bo perfectly rational. Yet he insists
you committed the assault; even re-
fers to you by name.”
The accused man pressed one hand
to his forehead in bewilderment.
"He still Insists I shot him?”
“Yes; to be frank, he’s rather bitter
about it, and no facts we have brought
to bear have any apparent weight. He
swears he recognized your face in the
flare of the first discharge."
The Sergeant stood silent, motion-
less, his gaze on the Colonel's face.
“I do not know what to say, sir,” he
answered finally. “I was not there,
and you all know It from the men of
my troop. There has been no trouble
between Lieutenant Gaskins and my-
self, and I can conceive of no reason
why he should desire to involve me in
this affair—unless,” he paused doubt-
fully; “unless, sir, he really knows
who shot him, and is anxious to shift
the blame elsewhere to divert sus-
picion.”
“You mean he may be seeking to
shield tho real culprit?”
“That is the only explanation that
occurs to me, sir.”
The Colonel stroked his beard nerv-
ously, hla glance wandering to the
faces of the other officers.
“That might be possible,” he ac-
knowledged regretfully, “although I
should dislike to believe any officer
of my command would be deliberately
guilty of so despicable an act. How-
ever, all we can do now is endeavor
to uncover the truth. You are dis-
charged from arrest. Sergeant Ham-
lin, and will return to your troop."
Hamlin passed ov.t tho door In!/-
the sunshine, dimly conscious that his
guarded answers had not been entire-
ly satisfactory to those left behind.
Yet he had said all he could say, all
he dared say. More and more firmly
there has been implanted In his mind
a belief that Molly McDonald was
somehow involved In this unfortunate
affair, and that her name must be
protected at all hazard. This theory
alone would seem to account for Gas-
kins’ efforts to turn suspicion, and
when this was connected with the al-
ready known presence of a woman on
the scene, and the smallness of the
weapon used, the evidence seemed
conclusive.
As far as his own duty' was con-
cerned, the Sergeant felt no doubt.
Whatever might be the cause, thero
was no question In his mind but that
she was fully justified In her action.
Disliking the Lieutenant from the
first, and as strongly attracted by the
girl, his sympathies were now entire-
ly with her. If she had shot him,
then it was for some insult, some out-
rage, and he was ready to protect her
with hla life. He Btopped, glancing
back at the closed door, tempted to
return and ask permission to Inter-
view Gaskins personally. Then the
uselessness of such procedure re-
curred to him; the fact that nothing
could result from their meeting but
disappointment and recrimination. The
man evidently disliked him, and would
resent any Interference; he had some-
thing to couceal, something at stake
for which he would battle strenuous-
ly. It would be better to let him
alone at present, and try to uncover a
clue elsewhere. Later, with more facts
in his possession, he could face the
Lieutenant and compel his acknowl-
edgment. These considerations caused
him to turn sharply and walk straight
toward the ravine. Yet his Investiga-
tions thero brought few results. On
the upper bank were the marks of a
woman’• shoe, a slender footprint
clearly defined, but the lower portion
of the raviue was rocky, and the trail
soon lost. He passed down beyond
the stables, realizing how easily the
fugitives, under cover of darkness,
could have escaped. The stable guard
could have Been nothing from his sta-
tion, and just below was the Bard-
packed road leading to the river and
the straggling town. There was noth
lng to trace, and Hamlin climbed back
up the bluff completely baffled but des-
perately resolved to unlock the mys-
tery. The harder the solution ap-
peared, the more determined he be-
came to solve it. As he came out, op-
posite the barrack entrance, a car-
riage drove in past the guard-house,
the guard presenting arms, and cir
cled the parade in tho direction of of-
ficers’ row. It contained a soldier
driver and two ladies, and the Ser-
geant’s face blushed under its tan as
he recognized Miss McDonald. Would
she notice him—speak to him? Tho
man could not forbear lifting his eyes
to her face as the carriage swept by.
He saw her glance toward him, smile,
with a little gesture of recognition,
and stood there bareheaded, hla heart
throbbing wildly. With that look,
that smile, he instantly realized two
facts of importance—she was willing
to meet him on terms of friendship,
and she had not recognized him the
evening previous as ho ran past her in
the dark.
Hamlin, his thoughts entirely cen-
tered upon Miss McDonald, had scarce*
H
ft,
r\\v
<JZ
“I Do Not Know What to Say, Sir,” he
Answered Finally.
ly noted her companion, yet as he lin-
gered while the carriage drew up be-
fore the Major’s quarters, he seemed
to remember vaguely that she was a
strikingly beautiful blonde, with face
shadowed by a broad hat. Although
larger, and with light fluffy hair and
blue eyes, the lady’s features were
strangely like those of her slightly
younger companion. The memory of
these grew clearer before the Ser-
geant—the whiteness of the face, the
sudden lowering of the head; then he
knew her; aerpss the chasm of years
her identity smote him as iv blow;
his breath came quickly and his fin-
gers clenched.
“My God!” he muttered, uncon-
sciously. “That was Vera! She haB
changed, wonderfully changed, but—
but she knew me. What, in Heaven’s
name,—car she he dolpe here,.and—
with Molly ?"
With straining eyes he stared after
them until they both disappeared to-
gether within the house. Miss Mo-
Donald glanced back toward him once
almost shyly, but the other never
turned her head. The carriage drove
away toward the stables. Feeling as
though he had looked upon a ghost,
Hamlin turned to enter the barracks.
An infantry soldier leaned negligently
In the doorway smoking.
“You’re the sergeant who saved that
girl down the trail, ain’t ^er?” he
asked indolently. “Thought so; I was
one o’ Gaskins’ men.”
Hamlin accepted the hand thrust
forth, but with mind elsewhere.
"Do you happen to know who that
was with Miss McDonald?” he asked.
“Didn’t see ’em, only their blocks as
they went in—nice lookin' blonde?"
“Yes; rather tall, with very lighi
hair.”
“Oh, that’s Mrs. Dupont.”
“MrB. Dupont?” the name evidently
a surprise; “wife of one of the offi-
cers ?”
“No, she’s no army dame. Hus-
band’s a cattleman. Got a range on
the Cowskin. south o’ here, but I rec-
kon the missus don’t like that sorter
thing much. Lives in St. Louis most-
ly, but has been stoppin’ with the Mc-
Donalde- fer a month er two now.
Heerd she wns a niece o’ the Major’s,
an’ reckon she must be, er thar’d been
a flare up long ago. She’s a high fly-
er, she Is, an’ she’s got the Leftcnant
goin’ all right.”
“Gaskins?”
“Sure; he’s a lady-killer, but thet’s
’bout all the kind o’ killer he la, fer as
I ever noticed—one o’ yer he-flirts.
Thar ain’t hardly an officer In this
garrison thet ain’t just achin’ fer ter
kick that squirt, but ther women—oh.
Lord; they think he's a little tin god
on wheels. Beats hell, don't It, what
money will do fer a damn fool?”
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
HER SHARE IN THE WORK
Mr. Youngttusband Certainly Has
Right to Be Proud of His
Practical Little Wife.
She had madb him a present of a
pair of green, red and blue carpet
slippers for his first birthday slncd
their marriage, and he was in ecsta-
sies over them. .
“I knew you'd like them, Harry?’*
she smiled, “If for no other reason
than that I made them all myself.”
“What!” exclaimed Harry. “You
don’t mean to say that that is all
your work? Great Scott! What a
genius of a wife I’ve married!"
“Of course," qualified the young
wife, “I bought the uppers, and Mary
sewed them together, and I got- a
man to sole them, but I put on the
bows and did them up in the box—
and, do you know, Harry, I think yoif
ought to be very proud to have such
a practical little wife.”
And he was.
Wayside Chat.
“What did they give youse at# dat
last house?”
“Gimme three minutes before turn-
ing looBe de dog.”
IT’S HARD TO WORK
It’s torture to work with a lame, aching
back. Get rid of it. Attack the cause.
Probably it's weak kidneys.
Heavy or confining work is hard on
the kidneys, anyway, and once the kid-
neys become inflamed and congested,
the trouble keeps getting worse.
The danger of running into gravel,
dropsy or Bright’s disease is serious.
Use Doan's Kidney Pills, a fine remedy
for backache or bad kidneys.
“twPktar* ,
Iclli i Stsrr”
A Washington
Case
H. Tt. Hatch,
2516 Cedar St.,
Everett, Wash.,
says: "Severe
pains In my
back made me
miserable. The
kidney secre-
tions burned In
passing. My
back got so bad
I could hardly
work. After
specialists fail-
ed Doan’s Kid-
ney Pills com-
pletely cured
me."
Cat Doan's at Any Store, 50c n Bos
DOAN’S VUV?
FOSTER-MILBURN CO., BUFFALO, N. Y.
ALBERTA
THE PRICE OF
-NO BO
.ICB or
| CATTLE.
J For rears the Province
■ of Alberta (Western
I (snails) wss the Big
I KanchlngCountry.Many
lot these ranches today
■ are Immense grain fields
■end the csttle here
given piece to the cultlvstlonof
wheat.oats, barley and flax; the
change has made many thousands
■ of Americans, settled on these
1 plains, wealthy, bnt It baa ln-
I creased the price of live stoca.
There Is splendid opportunity
now to get a_
Free Homestead
of 100 acres (and another as a pro-
emntlorl ii the newer. (llRVdots
and prodnea either caltie or grain.
The crops are always good, the
climate is excellent, schools and
churches are convenient, markets
splendid. In either Manitoba, Sas-
katchewan or Alberta.
Send for literature, the latest
Information railway rates, etc., to
- Q. A. COOK.
125 W. 8th STREET, KANSAS CUT, MO.
I or address Superintendent of
I Immigration, Ottawa, Cauda.
Wlxy Scratch?
“Hunt’sCure”is guar-
anteed to stop and
permanentlycure that
terrible itching. It is
compounded for that
purpose and your money
will be promptly refunded
WITHOUT QUESTION
if Hunt’s Cure fails to cure
Itch, Eczema, Tetter, Ring
---Worm or any other 8kin
Disease. 50c at your druggist’s, or by ™°il
direct if he hasn’t it. Manufactured onlv bv
A. B. RICHAROS MEDICINE CO.. Sherman, Teat
¥ h eSTpiSn
great success, cures chronic wkakmbss, lost vigor
* VIM, KIDNKY, BLADDER, DISEASES, BLOOD POISON,
PILES. EITHKR Mo. DRUOG1STS or MAIL SI. ROST 4 CTS
POUORRA CO. *0, DKEKMAN ST. N E W YORK or LYKAK BROS
TORONTO. WRITE POR PRII BOOK TO DR. Li CLERO
Mid.Co, HaverstockRo. Hampstead, London. Bho.
TRY NEW DRAGEEtTABTELIsUrORMor TO Tul
THERAPION
•EC THAT TRADE MARKED WORD 'THERAPION* 18 ON
BRIT. OOVT. STAMP AFFIXED TO ALL OEM U1NE PACKETS*
DAISY FLY KILLER « fflr» 4
fllss. Neat, clean or-
namental, con venlent,
cheap. Lasts all
susos. Mad. of
metal, cantsplllorttp
over; will not soli or
Injure anything.
Guaranteed effective.
All dealers orSeenl
express paid for 11.00.
HAROLD SOMERS, ISO DeKsIb Ave , Brooklyn, N. T.
MRW
JOUN L.TIIOMl-hON SONS (S CO.,Troy,N.F.
c
V
i
w. N. U., Oklahoma City, No. 20-191A
;
t
/
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Phillips, R. M. Bixby Bulletin (Bixby, Okla.), Vol. 9, No. 16, Ed. 1 Friday, May 23, 1913, newspaper, May 23, 1913; Bixby, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc405466/m1/4/: accessed April 25, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.