Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1891-04-09

4 ana nave qulet little bite among our
selves" And Hearn pressed the cap
tain's hand and silently thanked him.
I Half a dozen of the guard were seated
about the rough stone porch of the gloomy
old guard house as the carriage came
4 rolling by. and at sight of the occupants
they quickly laid aside their pipes and
respectfully arose and raised their hands
in salute. The sentry on No 1, facing
sharply to the front, brought his rife to
the carry with snap that made the bay
onet ring. The one man who remained
seated and staring sulHly at the car
riage wore the cavalry uniform; it was
Welsh.
Both officers noticed the fact as they
touched their caps in acknowledgment
Of the courtesy Of the infantrymen, and
exchanged significant glances. The la
dies, too, were quick to note what had
happened, aad they, too, looked at each
other and then somewhat anxiously at
Hearn. But the carriage whirled along.
The instant it had passed Corp. Stein
turned on Welsh. So did others of the
4 guard
=
like that" was the demand.
81 know my business" was the surly
reply. 'sJust you tend to yours. You'd
better study tactics and regulations be-
fore you try to learn me anything"
sob, do let the high spirited scion of
our finest families alone, corporal.
Can't you see it's turning his stomach to
be civil to anybody" protested tall in
fantryman.
''Ah. let up now on Mr.. Welsh, ne
Mulligan-that's what they called We in
the nty-third-wasn't it Mulligan;
or was it Sullivan? Sure 1 know the
family, and it's a foine one" protested
Private Kelly, his blue eyes twinkling
with fun.
4 Welsh sprang furiously to his feet,
clinching his fist and making straight
for the laughing little sdough boy
That young Celt, though head shorter
than his dark antagonist, in no wise
disconnected, stood squarely facing him,
and awaited the attack with a grin of
I genuine delight on his freckled face.
Stein sprang forward, however, and in
terposed.
"No fighting here" he ordered. SsWait
till you're off guard in the morning and
settle it then"
Don't thwart the gentleman, cor
poral. Here comes his friend the police
reporter" laughed the group of guards
men. But the unusual chaff had sum
moned the officer Of the guard to the
spot, and at sight of the lieutenant every
Irishman in the party assumed an in.
stantaneous expression of preternatural
innocence. Mr.. Abrams, too, had reined
up in front of the traders store, a few
yards away, and noting the little knot
Of soldiers peering across the road di-
vined at once that something was going
on, and so, with the instinct Of his pro
fession, hastened to the scene in time to
catch a part Of the colloquy that ensued.
s.The corporal tells me the trouble
grew out Of your refusing to rise and
salute when Capt. Lane passed, said
the officer of the guard, addressing the
stalwart trooper.
Welsh glanced furtively over his shoul.
der until sure The Palladium man was
in range of his voice, and then loudly
replied:
ssI'm member of the guard, sir, and
the regulations forbid guards paying
compliments of any kind after retreat,
and can show you the paragraph
"You know perfectly well, Welsh, that
that applies to the guard collectively
when under arms and not to individual
members. want no hair splitting here.
See to it that you pay proper courtesy to
every officer while you're under my
command" And the lieutenant, young
infantryman, with decidedly resolute
face, looked squarely into the glowering
black eyes Of the trooper and then, turn
ing quietly toward his little office, his
eye lighted on The Palladium man. FoI
an instant it looked as though he had
something to say to him, too; but,
struck by a sudden thought, he passed
in without another word, and presently
the sergeant of the guard appeared in
the doorway There was evident pur-
pose in his coming.
Half an hour later Welsh was stand
ing some twenty yards away, engaged in
friend. The faces of both men were
clouded. and every little while the gypsy
looking soldier shot an angry glance
toward the guard house door Presently
they moved across the road and headed
for the open bar at the traders, wherein
the lamps were just beginning to gleam
Before they reached its open portal:
Corp. Stein was at their heels, and his
stern voice ordered Welsh to halt.
, $50 back to the guard house, Welsh
. it's against orders for a member Of the
guard to leave it. and you know it a:
well as l do'
''My relief don't go on post for two
hours yet, and this gentleman has bust
ness with me. You'd better not inter
fere with him.
"The gentleman can SEQ you over
there. You can't see him here"
|. Already the sergeant was stridine
across the road; the lieutenant appeared
J at the door; dozen members Of the
guard We're eagerly watching the scene
| Welsh half turned. Mr.. Abrams bent
and muttered few words in his ear
but the soldier, after one glance around
, him. shook his head. Slowly and re
luctantly he turned.
ssFll get even with you for this, Stein,
he Missed. And then, with shrugging
shoulders, the two objects of general in
terest-the civilian and the enlisted
man-slouched back across the road, the
eyes Of all upon them.
1t was at this instant that the rapid
, whirr Of wheels and the click Of iror
shod hoofs We're heard upon the drive
! and briskly the Lane marriage came
, around the turn. Lieut.. Lewis stepped
out from the doorway. Again the
J sentry faced the road and carried
arms; again the soldiers of the guard
arose. and those about the traders dool
. also faced the roadway; again the white
gloved hands We're raised in soldierly
salute, and one man only turned hi'
back and slouched away. Every soldier
} within range saw that Welsh was deter
, mined to disobey the orders he had just
received. In six giant leaps the tai
sergeant had reached his side
''Halt, Welsh, and face aboutr' hi
I thundered, and then. as the man still
strove to edge away under the wing oi
} his civilian associate, laid a brawny
! hand upon the hulking shoulder and spun