Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-02-04
Morris looked sharply up from under

his shaggy brows:
What do You Eean2 What men
would have any occasion to cross the pa
rade but the infantry"
Il mean, in all respect, sir, that there
may be men, or at least man, who hay
ing no occasion to cross the parade will
do so simply for the sake of making
trouble. In plain words, cavalryman,
sir"
The adjutant, sitting at his desk,
dropped his pen and looked quickly up,
and the sergeant major, going out with
bundle of papers, found means to halt
at the office door, as though TO hear what
might follow. Mr.. Mason, the adjutant,
turned quietly, caGght the sergeant ma
jor's eye ana gave quick but express
i've jerk Of the head in the direction of
the outer room. The sergeant major took
the hint ard vanished.
But the clerks had heard the corporal's
intimation that some trooper was con-
nected with the transgreSsion for which
the ball playing quartet were confined.
The door was Immediately closed, leav-
ing them to draw their own differences
and make their own comments. They
did not hear the colonel's next remark:
If any man in the cavalry is guilty in
this matter there is only one whom can
suspect. Can you name him.
Corp. Brent flushed again. but finally
replied, Il beg the colonel not to ask me
to answer, when, as | said before, l have
no proof whatever"
Col. Morris turned and pondered a
moment Finally he whirlei about in
his revolving chair:
Corp. Brent. if these four men were
of my own regiment | would certain
ly refuse your request. As matters
stand | will not spoil the chances of the
Rifle nine. They viii therefore be
turned over to you TO take their part in
the game, and tomorrow must stand
their trial before the garrison court"
And when Corp. Brent left the office,
infinitely rejoiced, the colonel turned
to his staff officer:
Where do yOu suppose the recruiting
officers picked up fellow like that? He
has the language of an educated man"
He was enlisted in New York" was
the reply, land have frequently noted
him on guard. They tell me he has more
Influence over the men in his battalion
than any other on-cOmmissioled officer,
and am glad he has promised that there
VIII be no more of this night business. ~
And yet, two days afterward, the
colonel sent for Corp. Brent to say that
the agreement was being violated. Three
soldiers had been seen running from the
southwest gate across the parade the
night before. The sentry had been
taken off on the strength of the arrange
ment; the Rifle nine had won the game
amidst great enthusiasm, anC there was
liberal transfer of treasury notes in
consequence. The infantry and many
of the cavalrymen were rejoicing in I'M
accustomed wealth between pay days,
and applications for passes to visit town
had been of unusual number The four
culprits had pleaded guilty 20 their Of
Tense and been awarded some light fine.
The dough boys" fully approaching
the cOlonePs consideration in the matter,
as fully meant to stand by their promise
to Brent. 1t was with not little feeling,
therefore, that they received the news
that the compact was violated.
That Saturday evening, in some mys-
teriOus way, Corp. Mullen of the guard
sprained his wrist just after tattoo, and
though Brent was not the next man on
the roster, with the adjutants full con-
sent he appeared armed and equipped at
the guard house and reported for duty as
Mullen's successor in charge of the sec
ond relief. Examining the LIST of men
absent on pass, he made mental note of
two in his own battalion and looked visi-
bly, disappointed when he scanned the
cavalry names. 1t had been ordered
that all men returning from pass should
report at the guard house, leave their pa
pers with the officer of the guard and
then return to their quarters, those of
the infantry battalion passing around
outside the officers houses, those of the
cavalry entering their barracks by the
rear steps at once.
Three days of sunshine and breeze had
dried the ground so that the paths around
the post were in perfect order. and. ex-
cept that it made their walk longer by
some two hundred PAGES, there was nc
discomfort in Obeying the order. The
first batch of returning soldiers appeared
about haE-past IL, surrendered their
passes and went quietly away to thei,
barracks Another squad appeared
about ten minutes later, but there was
still no sign of the two whose names
Brent had noted and whose pass expired
at midnight. 1t was then thai the youne
soldier, with the permission Of the officer
of the guard, strobe quickly over to ths
southwest gate, hundred yards away
From here he noted the dispersal o.
the little party that had been spending
the evening at the colonels; here he hai
Strengthened up, and standing under tn,
lamp post rendered his soldierly salut,
to Capt. and Mrs. Lane as they passed il
front of him, repeating it an instan
after when young lady, with dark
sparkling eyes, looked him @ 1ickly Ovel
as she tripped by on the arm of her es
cort, and while the latter held open tn,
gate of the brick quarters at the corner
ol,,,os+ within aarsbot she ipuuirpd.