thought of me or my feelings, of my wishes. You're a
hell of a son-in-law, you are--"

He paused for breath and choked with rage no words could express. When
at last his tongue found speech, he swore in oaths more expressive and
profound than modern man has ever dreamed. He damned the Court. He
damned Tom Smith. He damned the Second Lieutenant. He damned the
regiment. He damned the Government that created it. He damned the
Indians that called it to the plains. He damned the world and all in it,
and all things under it. But, particularly and specifically, he damned
the young ass who dared to flaunt his feelings and opinions after
smiling in his face at his house, for days and weeks and months.

Finally, facing the blushing Lieutenant, his eyes flashing indignant
scorn, he shouted:

"No man who votes with a damned fool like Tom Smith, can marry my
daughter!"

"Colonel, I protest," pleaded the heartsick lover.

"I forbid you to ever put your foot inside my quarters again!"

"Colonel--"

"Silence, sir! I forbid you to ever speak to my daughter again!"

"But, Colonel--"

"I repudiate you and all yours. I wipe you from the map. You don't
exist. I don't know you. I never knew you. Get out of my sight!"

The tall, slender form slowly straightened and a look of cold pride
shot from the depths of his blue eyes. Without a word he turned and
left.

X

ROMANCE

Black Hawk was leading his red warriors in a great uprising. A wave of
fierce excitement swept the frontier. There was stern work now for men
to do and women must wait alone.

The regiment marched to the front. The Colonel as a man was freezingly
formal with the Lieutenant. As an officer, he knew his worth and relied
on it in every emergency. The State of Illinois had raised two companies
of raw recruits to join in subduing the Indians. The Colonel sent his
most efficient subordinate to swear in the new soldiers. On the morning
of the muster, there appeared before the tall Lieutenant, a man full
three inches taller, and famous in his county as the gawkiest,
slab-sidest, homeliest, best-natured fellow in the State. He was dressed
in a suit of blue jeans.

In slow, pleasing drawl, he announced:

"I am the Captain, of this company--"

And he waved his long arm toward the crowd of his countrymen on the
right.

Lieutenant Jefferson Davis promptly administered to Abraham Lincoln his
first oath to support the Constitution and laws of the United Stat