Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-08-14

. matter of frequent discussion. But1i
al this chit-chat and speculation Capt
Lane stood In profound ignorance as be
entered his dark Office that drenchins
Wednesday morning with her precious
note in his waistcoat pocket. He neither
knew nor cared what old Vincent was
worth; all he wanted was Mabels OWL
sweet self, for he loved her with his
whole heart and soul, with all the
strength and devotion Of his deep and
loyal nature. He could hardly control
bis voice so as to speak in the conven-
tlonal official tone to the sergeant in
charge as the latter saluted him at the
doorway and made the customary report
Of the presence Of the detachment. Lane
stepped into his little dressing room and
quickly appeared in his neat fatigue uni
form. There wasn't ghost Of chance
of would be recruits wandering in that
day; but he was stickler for discipline
He required his men to be always In
their appropriate uniform, and never
neglected wearing his own while in the
Office; yet In all the Queen City no one
but his little party, the applicants for
enlistment and the few citizens who
came in on business, had ever seen him
except in civilian dress.
"These reports and returns all go in to-
morrow, believe" said Lane to his SER
geant.
They do, sir"
"Well, will you take them In to the
clerk again." said Lane, blushing vivid
ly, land tell him to alter that first lieu
tenant to captain wherever it occurs?
The-offcial notification is Just here"
he added, almost alphabetically.
Sure I'm glad to hear 1t, sir. AL the
men will be glad, sir, and I'm proud to
think that was the first man to salute
the captain today" was the sergeant's
delighted answer. ''Tl call Taintor in
at once"
But Lane was blissfully thinking of
the little note, now transferred to the
breast pocket of his uniform blouse, and
of how not his honest old sergeant but
sweet Mabel Vincent was the first to
hail him by his new title, and in think
ing of the note and of her he failed to
notice that, SO far from coming at once,
it was fully ten or fifteen minutes before
Taintor, the clerk, put in an appearance,
and when he did that his face was ashen
gray and his hand shook as though with
palsy.
"The sergeant. will tell you what is to
be done with the papers, Taintor," said
Lane, conscious that he was blushing
again, and consequently striving to APP
pear engrossed in the morning paper
The man picked them up one after an
other and without a word; he dropped
one to the floor in his nervousness, but
made a quick dive for it, and then for
the door, as though fearful of detention.
He hurried through the room in which
the sergeant and one or two men We're
seated, and, reaching his big desk at
rear window, where he was out of sight,
dropped the papers on the floor and
buried his face in his shaking hands.
A few minutes later the sergeant,
coming into the little cubby hole of a
room in which Taintor had preferred to
do his work, found him with his arms
on the desk and his face hidden in them,
and the soldier clerk was quivering and
twitching from head to foot.
whats the matter with you, Tain
tor?' growled the old soldier. Didn't
you promise Inc you'd quit drinking?"
The face that looked up into his was
CHASTITY.
at isn't drink, sergeant, moaned the
man. cat least, 1 haven't exceeded
for a month. I've got CHILEAN ague
Of some kind. Just let me run
down to the drug store and get some
quinine perhaps little brandy.
Then 1 can do this work. Do, sergeant.
( won't abuse your kindness"
"Well, go, them" was the reluctant
answer; ''but get back quick. And only
one drink, mind YOU"
Taintor seized his cap and fairly tot
tered through the adjoining room to tho
stairway, down which he plunged mad
ly, and, needless Of the pelting rain,
darted across the street to the gas light
ed bar room.
"There's something worse than either
whisky or ague back Of this" muttered |
the veteran sergeant, "and 1 could swear
10 it,"
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