Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-12-11
CHAPTER XVI.

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~ strolled out on the walk
~. a that bounded the parade.
f He could not sleep; he
was feverishly impatient
Tor the coming of another day, that he
might start forth on his ride to Dunra-
ven- A spin" around the parade or out
on the starlit prairie might soothe his
nerves and enable him TO sleep.
All lights were out in the quadrangle,
save those at the guard house. Even at
Belknap's quarters, where the veranda
had been thronged with officers and la
dies only an hour before, all vas now ST.
lence and darkness Unwilling to attract
attention by tramping up and down on
the board walk, he crossed the road and
went out on the broad level OF the pa
rade, but took care so TO direct his steps
as not to come within hailing distance of
the guard house. IL would be awkward
work explaining the situation to the ser
geant of the guard in case the sentry
were 10 see or hear and challenge him.
He edged well over to his left as he
walked, and 50 it happened that he found
himself, after a while, opposite the
northeast entrance 10 the post, and close
to the road on which stood the commits
sary and quartermaster storehouses
There was a sentry posted here, too, and
It would not do TO be challenged by him
any more than by Number One"
Stopping a moment to listen for the
sentry's football. Perry's ear was at
tracted by the sound of a door slowly
and cautiously opened 1t was some
little time before he could tell from
which one Of the neighboring buildings,
looming there in the darkness, the sound
proceeded. Then he heard muffled foot
steps and whispered consultation not
far away, and hurrying on tiptoe in the
direction of the sound he presently
caught sight of two or three shadowy
forms moving noiselessly along the
porch OF the company quarters nearest
him. STRIKERS troop, that to which he
belonged, was quartered down beyond
the guard house on the lower side of the
parade; these forms were issuing from
the barracks OF Capt. Wayne's troop
and before Perry could realize the fact
that they were out either in moccasins
or their stocking feet, and presumably
therefore on some unlawful enterprise.
they had disappeared around the corner
Of the building. He walked rapidly
thither, turned the corner and they were
nowhere in sight or hearing. Stopping
TO listen did not help matters at all he
could not hear a sound, and as for the
shadows Of which he was in pursuit. it
was simply impossible 10 tell which d.
rection they had taken. They had van
ished from the face Of the earth and
were lost in the deeper gloom that hung
about the scattered array Of wooden
buildings-store houses, fuel sheds and
cook sneds-at the rear of the post.
Had it been his own troop he could
have reused the first sergeant and order
ed CHECK" roll call as a means Of de-
termining at once who the night prowl-
ers might be; but Capt. Wayne had his
peculiarities, and one Of them was an
unalterable and deeply rooted objection
to any interference on the part of other
officers In the management of his men.
Perry's first thought, too, was of the sta
bles and Sergt. Gwynne. Were they
meditating another foray, and had the
feeling spread outside their own COM
pany? No time was to be lost. He turn
ed his face eastward to where the dark
outlines of the stables could be dimly
traced against the sky, and fastened.
stumbling at times over stray tin cans
and other discarded rubbish. until he
crossed the intervening swale and reach
ed the low bluff along which the crude.
Imprinted structures were ranged. All
was darkness here towards the northern
end, and the one sentry who had exter-
nal charge of the entire line was slowly |
pacing his post; Perry could see his form. !
dinly outlined, as he breasted the sIope,
and 1t determined him TO keep on in the |
hollow until he got TO q point opposite |
the stables OF his own troop. II there
va. TO be any devtlment IA rniol1. h.. x.-.u
TO see whether this soldier, too, would
turn out to be in league with the con-
spirators. Listening intently as he hur-
ried along, but hearing nothing, Perry
soon found himself at the pathway lead
ing to his own domain, and the next
minute was gazing in surprise at light
burning dimly in the window Of the lit
tie room occupied by Seret Gwynne;
there was not glimmer elsewhere along
the line.
Striding up to the window. lac tapped
lightly, and Gwynne's voice sternIy
challenged from within, who's there?"
Lieut.. Perry, sergeant. Come around
and open the stable door for me-"
Zone moment, sir, was the answer,
and he heard the sergeant bounding, ap-
parently, off his bed. Then a hand drew
aside the shade, and Gwynne's face ap-
peared at the window, while small Ian
tern was held so as to throw. its rays on
the face without, "All right, sir" he
continued. II thought could not be
deceived in the voice"
Perry walked around to the front again.
taking another survey Of the sleeping |
garrison as he did so, and listening once |
more for footsteps; but all was still. |
Presently the little panel in the big door
was unlocked from within, and the lieu |
tenant bent low and entered. finding |
Gwynne, lantern in hand. standing in his |
uncompromising attitude of attention" |
at the entrance.
Everything been quiet here to-nighty'' |
he asked, as he Strengthened up
Perfectly so. sir"
Come into your room a moment; / |
want to speak to you" said Perry, after
a moments reflection.
They passed along the broad gangway
between the rows Of sleepy horses, some
lying down in their stalls, others still |
afoot and munching at their hay. The
stable guard stood at his post and faced
them as they turned into the dark and |
narrow passage leading into Gwynne's
little sanctuary. The lamps along the
line of stalls burned low and dim, and.
the ports being lowered, gave no CLEAN
without the walls. Once more, however.
A bright light shone from the window of
The stable sergeant's room-brighter than
before. could they only know it. for this
time there was no intervening shade. |
After his brief inspection Of the lieuten-
ants face. Gwynne had left 1t drawn.
The sergeant set his lantern on n
wooden desk, and respectfully waited
Tor his superior TO speak Perry looked
him well