The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-08


vernacnlar oath. Muiyanev said not hing.
but looked al me rs If he thought that |
could bring peace TO poor Otheris' troubled
brain.
remembered once at Rawal fendi hay
ing seen man nearly maj with CT NIX So
bered by being MADE a fool OF. Some reri-
ments may know what mean. hop.d
that we might shake OF Ortheris in the
same way, though he was perfectly sober.
Go said:
Whats the use of grousing there. and
speaking against the widow 7"
Il didn't" said 0rtberis. ''s'elp me,
Gawd. / never said q word agin FER, an
wouldn't-not il was 10 desert this min.
uer'
Here was my opening. Well. you meant
to. an how. What's the use OF cracking
on for nothing? Woad YOU slip II now If
you got the chance2
.On'y try mel said Ortheri., jumping
to his feet as ii he had been stung.
Muivaney Jumped, too. ''Fwnas are you
going 10 dor" said ne.
Hep Orlheis down to BOMBAY or
karachi, whichever he likes. You Can re-
port that he separated from you be ore
iiffin. and left his gun on the bank here"
I'm 10 report that-am II" SAID Null
vaney, slowly. Very well. II Orth'ris
names to d-cert now. and will desert low.
an you, sorr, who have been q friend 10
me an to him, will help him to ut. Ter
ence vsney. IN my oath, which I've
never bruk yet, Will report as you say.
Bul"-here he stepped up To Orthers and
shook the stock of the towing piece in dis
face-"your fistes help you, Stanley
Orih'ris, il / ever come across you againl"
Il don't care T. said Ortheris. "I'm sick
OF this dorg's life. Give me n chansl.
Don't play with me. Lee me gor'
strip" said |, land change with me,
and then I'll tell you what to do"
| hoped the aDsurdity of ttis would
check Otberis. but he had kicked eff mis-
ammunition boots and got rid Of his sunic
almost before haa loosed my shirt collar.
Mulvaney grippei me by the ARM
The hts OH him; the tits workin' on
him still. BY my honour and sowl. we
shall be accessiry to desartion yet; only
twenty-eignt days. as you say, sorr, or
fif.y-six, but think of the shame--b.ack
shame 70 him an meP had never seen
Muivan-y 50 excited.
But Otheris was quite calm. and, as soon
as he had exchanged clothes With me. and
l STOOD up private of the line, he sac
shortly: "Nowl Come on What mex?
Dye mean fair2 What must do 10 get
out of tnis ere heil?'
| told him that. if he would wait for two
or three hours near the river, | would rice
lno The station and come back with leo
rupees. He would, with that money in
his pocket. walk TO the nearest side sta
ton on the line, about five miles away,
and would there take a 6rst-class ticket
for Karachi. Knowing that he had
no money on him when he went out
shooting, his regiment would not imme-
diateiy wire 10 the sea ports, but would
hunt for him in the native villages near the
river. Fur her, no one would think of
seeking deserier in a hrsi-class ca riage
Al karachi he wa to buy white clothes
anu sh p, If he could, on cargo steamer.
Here he broke in: Ii heipedl nm to
Karachi he would arrange ali the rest.
Then ordered him TO wait where he was
until IL was dark enough for me TO ride
into the station without nv dress being
noticed. Now God In His wisdom has
made the heart of the British so der, weo
is very often an unlocked rufian. AS soft as
the heart of little child. In order that he
may believe in and follow his officers into
tight and nasty places. He does not sc
readily come to believe in "civilian," but,
when he does, he seleves implicitly and
ike dog had had the tonor OF the
friendship of Private Ortheris, III intervals,
Tor more than three wears, and we had
dealt with each her as man by man,
Consequently he considered that all my
words were true and not spoken lightly.
Muivaney and l left him in the high
grass near the river bark, and went away.
still keeping to the high grass, towards
my horse. The shirt scratched me horri-
bly,.
We waited nearly two hours for the
dusk to fail and allow me to ride of. We
spoke of Ortheris in viii, peers, and strained
our ears TO catch any sound from the SPOT
whe We had left MIN. But We heard
nothing except the wind in the plume
grass.
I've brak his head" said Mulvaney.
earnestly, time an agtn. I've nearly XII t
him wild the belt an yet ! cant knox
thin fits out ov his soft head. Mol An'
he's not soft. for he is reasonable au likely
oy itatur'. Fat is ut? Is III his Dree iin'
which Is notnin', or his edukasLil which
he niver got? You that think We know
things answer me that
But iound no answer. Twas " ndering
how long Or heris, on the bank of the
river, would hold out, anu whether I >hou Il
be reed 10 help him to desert. as I had
CIV n my word.
Just as tile dusk shut down, and, with q
very heavy heart, / was beginning 10 sad
ale up my horse, We heard wild shouts
from he river.
The devils had departed from Private
StanJey Otneris, No. % $50. B company.
the loneliness, the dusk and the waiting
had driven them out s had noped We
set off al the double anu found m lung.
ing about wildly through the q Ass, with
his coat otf-my coat of, mean. He was
calling for us IKE nlauman.
When We reached MIN. he was dripping
with prespiration, anu tremb ing ike a
startled horse We had great difficulty IN
soothing him. He COMPLAINED that re
was In CIVILIAN XII, and wanted 10 tear
my clothes OFT his body. | ordered b m 10
strip. and We made second exchange as
quickly as possio.e.
The rasp OF his own ''gray back" shirt
anu the squeak of his boots seemed to
bring him 10 himself. He put his hands
before MS eyes and said:
"Wot was IA? | amt sunstrook, an I've
bin an gone an said. an Din an gone IAN
done. Not ave Din an donep'
"Fhwat have you done 2" said Mulvaney.
You've dlsgraced yourseif-thougn that's
no matter. You've oisgraced B Com
p'ny, an worst av all, you've disheraced
NJ! Me that taught you for how 10 walk
ABROAD IKE man-whin you was q
dirthy little. fish-backed little, whim-
perrin little recruity. AS you are now,
Stanley Ortiz risI"
'oriheris said nothing for a while.
Then he upslung his belt, heavy with ,he
badges OF half a dozen regiments that his
own had lain with. anu handed it over to
Muvanev.
Il IN TOO little for to mill you, Mulva-
ney," said he. IAN you're strook me oe-
fore; but YOU can take an cut me in two
with this ere ii you ike"
uvaney turned to me.
Lave me talk TO him, SORT" said Null
vaney.
left. and on my way home thought
good deal over Ortheris in particular, and
my friend. Private Thomas Atkins, whom
| love. IN general
But could not come to any conclusion
OF any kind whatever.