San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-01-22


launches and knocked Welsh's curry
comb out of his hand.
The gypsy fellow Strengthened up,
glanced quickly about him, saw that the
lleutenant's back was turned, and then,
with vicious CLEAN in his piercing eyes,
drew back his heavily booted right foot
and with all his force kicked the young
bay in the stomach. Keogh plunged
madly with the sudden pain, and in an
instant little Dooley, who was grooming
the heutenant3 horse, had thrown down
currycomb and brush and smote the
gypsy under the eye, knocking him up
against the captains bulky and placid
charger. In another instant, too, Sergt.
Wren leaped in and separated the men,
Welsh wild with fury, Dooley dancing
about in glow of righteous wrath.
| Hearing the noise the lieutenant
sprang to the scene. "Silence, both of
you" he trdered "What does this
mean, sergeant"
He struck me, the Internal little cur!
and I'll l1iL"-
"Not word more from you, Welsh.
What made you strike him, Dooley?"
Look at Keogh's belly, sir" almost
sobbed the little lrishman in his rage and
grief. ''See where he kicked him"
Sure enough, there ON the glistening
coat an ugly lump was rising and
jagged groove plainly showed where the
cruel boot had struck, while Keogh still
quivered and trembled. For moment
young Hearn was too angry to trust him
self to speak. He stood there with his
eyes fairly blazing. At last he turned to
the sergeant:
"This man has been frequently eau
SUPPOSE"
Every man in the troop has, sir, time
and again"
Hearn slowly turned upon the scowl-
ing soldier: 1T would serve you but
right if l kicked you as you have kicked
that horse. Brutality of that kind can
not be tolerated here, sir, and you will
stand your trial for it. Take him back
to the guard house, sergeant"
Il kicked him because he kicked me-"
growled Welsh.
Its lie, sir, cried Dooley, bursting
in. Sure the horse was just playing,
like, and never touched him at all.
Never mind, Dooley; your evidence
will be called for when it is wanted"
by God! if I'm to be punished for
hitting a horse. what's to be done with
him for striking man, | want to
know" exclaimed Welsh, as with
curse he hurled his currycomb to the
ground.
Come on, you blackguardw muttered
Sergt. Wren, as he collared the man.
you can thank God didn't see you do
it. I'd Tarn you never to kick horse"
1t was this affair which led to WelSh's
third court martial in less than month.
Ard it was Welsh now whom Col. Nor
ris believed to have been the asSailant
of Corp. Brent the night before, and the
instigatOr as well of more or less of the
mischief that had been going on. 1t was
Welsh whom Mr.. Hearn more than half
suspected. 1t was Welsh whom Sergt.
Wren himself had openly accused when
the troop came back from stables Sun
day morning, But when Wren was
called into the colonel's presence at the
office and asked what he knew he was
compelled TO say it could not have been
Welsh at all.
what are your reasons, sergeant"
asked the colonel. And the eyes of the
group Of officers were fixed on the veteran
trooper who stood so sturdily and re-
spectfully before them.
because went through the quarters
just after tattoo last night to see how
the men had been cleaning up for today.
Their boots had all been carefully
BACKED, except the stable boots, and set
at the foot of the hunks, and their
blouses and trousers, except the ones
they had on, were brushed and folded
on their boxes. l took particular note
of Welsh,s, for he was stubborn about |
cleaning his things, and about Goss', |
too, for GOss has been surly ever since
he was made to drill and attend inspec-
ton. Sergt Ross says no man passed
through the door before he went to
sleep, but any man who wanted to could |
slip out of window in his stocking feet |
and go down the rear stairway, and then |
run down to Mulligan's place just out
side the reservation and get what liquor
he wanted, and come back the same
way. Twas one of the first, sir, to get |
dressed to go out after Corp. Brent was
hurt
"The other corporal of the guard
came into my room to get my lantern,
and just as soon as they had carried
Brent to the hospital ran upstairs and
made an inspection. Welsh was there
in his bunk, undressed, and apparently
II Il