The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1890-04-03

might start forth On his ride 10 DunlA-
ven. A spin" around the parade or out
On the staFllt prairie might Sooths his
nerves and enable him to sleep.
All lights were out In the quadrangle.
save those at the guard house Even al
Belknap's quarters, where the voranda
had BEEN thronged with officers and In.
dies only an hour before, all was now a.
fence and darkness. Unwilling to attract
attention BY tramplng 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 90 to direct his steps
a. not to come within haillng distance Of
the guard house II would be awkward
work explaining the situation b the scr
geant Of the guard In case the sentry
were to see or hear and challenge him.
he edged well over 10 his left a. he
walked. and 80 ithappened that he found
himself. after q while, opposite tho
northeast entrance 70 the post, and close
to the road on which stood the commits.
sary and quarternlaster storehouSeS.
There was q sentry posted here, too, and
Il would not do to be challenged BY him
any more than by Number One"
Stopping . moment TO listen for thu
ssntryS football. Perryb ear was At
tracted by the sound Of Q door slowly
and cautiously opened Il was somC
little time before he could tell from
which one Of the neighboring buildings
looming there In the darkness, the sound
proceeded. Then he heard mufiled foot
steps and Q whispered consultation mol
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 thu
porch Of the company quarters neares
him Stryker's troop, that to which HI
belonged, was quaTtered down beyond
the guard house on tho lower side Of th.
parade; these forms were issuing from
the barracks Of Capt. Wayne's troop
and before Perry could realize the fac
that they were out either In moccasinl
or their stocking feet, and presumably
therefore on some unlawful enterprise
they had disappeared around the cornel
Of the building. He walked rapidly
thither, turned the corner and they werI
nowhere in sight or hearing. Stopping
to listen did not help matters at all 81
could not hear q sound, and a for tn
shadows Of which he was In pursuit, I
wns simply impossible to tell which di
rection they had taken. They had Fan
ished from the face Of the earth ant
were lost in the deeper gloom that hum
about the scattered array Of woodeI
buildings-Store houses, fuel sheds anC
cook sheds-at the rear Of the post
Had It been his own troop he coul(
have reused the first sergeant and order
ed a "check" roll call as q means Of de
termining at once who the night prowl
ers might be; but Capt. Wayne had hi
peculiarities, and one Of them was al
unalterable and deeply rooted objection
to any interference on the part Of othel
officers In the management Of bis 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
panyT No time was to be lost he turn
ed his face eastward to where the darl
outlines Of the stables could be dimly
traced against the sky, and FASTENED
stumbling at times over stray tin can
and other discarded rubbish, until HI
crossed the intervening swale and reach
ed the low bluff along which the crude
implanted structures were ranged. Al
was darkness here towards the northern
end, and the one sentry who had exter
nal charge Of the entire line was SLOWLY
pacing hispost; Perry could see hisform
dimly outlined, a. he breasted the slope
and It determined him 10 keep on in tn,
hollow until he got to q point opposit,
the stables Of his own troop. II Their
was to be any devilmentit might DO vel
to see whether this soldier, too, woulC
turn out to be In league with the con
spirators. Listening intently as he hur
Tied along, but hearing nothing, PERI
soon found himself at the pathway lead
ing to his own domain, and the nexi
minute was gazing In surprise at q hgh
burning dimly In the window Of the Lit
tie room occupied BY Sergt. Gwynne
there was not q glimmer elsewhere alonl
the line
Strlding up to the window, he tapped
lightly. and Gwynne's voice sternly
challenged from within, who's thereT'
"Lieut Perry, sergeant. Come arount
and open the stable door for me-"
"0ne moment, SIR" was the answer
and he heard the sergeant bounding, up
parently. OF his bed. Then hand drew
aside the shade, and Gwynne's face ap
peared at the window, while small Ian
tern was held 90 a. to throw Its rays o.
the face without. IAN right, sir, b.
continued II thought I could not b,
deceived In the voice"
Perry walked around to the front again
taking another survey Of the Slespinl
garrison as he did so. and listening ono
more for footsteps; but all was still
Presently the little panel In the big doc
was unlocked from within, and the lieu
tenant bent low and entered, finding
Gwyune, lantern In hand, standing in BIZ
incorporating attitude Of attention
ct the entrance.
Everything been quiet here tonight
he asked. as he straightened up.
Perfectly 90, SIR"
Come into your room q moment;
want to speak to you. " Said Perry. aftel
q moment's reflection.
They passed along the broad gangway
between the rows Of sleepy horses, somI
lying down in their stalls, otherS still
afoot and munching at their hay. Thu
stable guard stood at his post and faced
them as they turned into the dark and
narrow passage leading Into 0wynneI
little sanctuary. Tho lampa along The