United States or Benin ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
There were other interests in the world to consider besides Molly McDonald, and his memory drifted away to a home he had not visited in years. But thought would not concentrate there, and there arose before him, as he lay there, the face of Lieutenant Gaskins, wearing the same expression of insolent superiority as when they had parted out yonder on the Santa Fé trail.
No influence I might bring to bear would save her now from this contamination. It would all be useless, a thing for laughter. Her signature of which Kirby had boasted and the certificate signed by the dead Gaskins, would offset any possible efforts I might put forth.
"Eugene Le Fevre, but in Kansas they called him Dupont." "Dupont! Dupont!" Sheridan struck the table with his closed fist. "Good Lord, man! Not the husband of that woman who ran off with Lieutenant Gaskins, from Dodge?" "I I never heard "
"What more do you know?" he asked. "What was it you expected of me?" She turned again, aroused by the question. "Yes, I must tell you as quickly as I can, before I am missed. I did not know about Mrs. Dupont and Lieutenant Gaskins. I realized there was something between them a a slight flirtation, but scarcely gave that a thought.
"There is no doubt of that; her foot-prints were plainly to be seen in the morning. This discovery, together with the size of the weapon used, resulted in my immediate release. I saw her, and imagined her to be you. I cannot account for the mistake, unless you were in my mind, and and possibly what I had heard of your connection with Gaskins. Then it must have been Mrs. Dupont.
"Sergeant," the Colonel said rather brusquely, "you came in last night with 'M' troop, did you not?" "Yes, sir." "Had you ever met Lieutenant Gaskins before?" "Once; he pulled me out of a bad scrape with a bunch of Indians out on the trail a few months ago." "The same affair I spoke to you about," commented McDonald quietly. "The attack on the stage."
The Sergeant of the guard thrust the lantern closer. "Lift his head, some o' yer, the man's alive. Copley, get some water, an' two of yer run fer the stretcher leg it now. We 'll have yer out o' here in a minute, Lieutenant. What happened, sir? Who shot yer?" Gaskins' dulled eyes strayed from the speaker's face, until he saw Hamlin, still firmly gripped by the sentry.
Believing him engaged to you, they have him now where he must either pay money for silence or be exposed. Just how it was worked, I do not know. The shooting last night was done to convince him they were serious. The fact that Gaskins later denied knowing who his assailants were even endeavored to accuse me is abundant proof of their success." He hesitated, wondering at her silence.
Don't let him get away." "I ain't likely to. He's a lyin' right whar yer dropped him. Holy Smoke! it sounded ter me like ye hit him with a pole-axe. I got his gun, an' thet's whut's makin' this skunk hold so blame still oh, yes, I will, Jack Rale; I'm just a achin' fer ter let ye hav' it." "And the other fellow? He hit me." "My ol' frien', Gaskins; thet's him, all right."
The Major leaned back in his 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 there are marks of a woman's shoe plainly visible at the edge of the ravine. Lieutenant Gaskins was alone when he left the officers' club five minutes before the firing began.
Word Of The Day