Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-05-07

the driver, as he hung tarpaulin
cloth over them and started his horse
on a steady jog.
To Franks delight his companion
was the first to break the silence.
'sBesant, my dear fellow, shall never
forget the service you have done me
this night
ssNevcr mind that, sir"
'sBut do mind it, and always shall
mind it. I was not insensible all the
time lay on that cursed doorstep, so
saw something of the gallant fight you
made to save my life"
ssWell, don't 1inger on that subject.
Where do you think this darby is car
rying us?"
''To the fair grounds, where our regi-
ment lies. Won't my father be jolly
glad to set eyes on me-guess he's given
me up for a goner!''
But how came you to get over the
effects Of that ugly knock on the head
so soon?''
''Splendid nursing. By Jove, but that
was the house of the Mothers and Sisters
of Mercy with vengeance. But, say,
Besant, did you ever see any thing so
perfect in the shape of woman as Miss
Lascelles? Wish I'd seen more Of her,
but it shan't be my fault if the acquaint-
ance isn't improved. though it does seem
a pity that they should be on the wrong
side of the fence in this National scrim-
mage, doesn't it? And that reminds
me to ask you as particular favor not
to let on to any one any thing of shady
color hou ~
house, as it would be too bad to bring
them into trouble after all they have
done for u.s.
81 was about to make the same sug-
gestion," Frank said, pleased that the
necessity of cautioning somewhat vol
atile young fellow, though still his supe-
rlor officer, was spared him.
The drivers precautions, which en-
tailed considerable discomfort on his
two passengers, seemed to them super
huous, for no one molested them on the
trip. It was tedious, disagreeable
ride, but at last they were cheered by
the hoarsc challenge Of the sentry and
heartily glad to find themselves among
their own again.
Il dassent go no furder, boss" the
driver said, whipping his horse round 50
vehicle, proceeding which nearly cost
him bullet through his body from the
conscientious, but too impatient young
soldier on guard.
Frank ran forward, however, and ex-
planned matters, while the darby
helped Fulton to the ground, where he
left him lying, not even stopping to
take the handful of silver the young
off nffo,.od h hut H.
to his best, sped in direction of the CITY,
AS soon as Frank reached his quarters,
he learned that the police and officers
in plain clothes had been securing the
streets on the line of march, and that
the Colonel was well nigh distracted by
their futile efforts to discover the
whereabouts Of his son. As for the
lads of Captain Fulton's company, they
were in a wild state Of excitement, for
the young officer was great favorite
with them, and they had volunteered,
with more courage than discretion, to
go in a body and ''clean out the whole
city" So when the news spread that
the missing ones had returned, there
was great and noisy rejoicing, and
when the old Colonel half an hour
afterwards, shook hands with Frank and
publicly thanked him for his heroism,
the enthusiasm was unbounded. From
lip to lip the story flew ever with more
Or less exaggeration, and that night
Frank Besant lay down to rest the
most popular man IN the whole regi-
ment. When too, day or two after
wards. he stretched the bully of his
company ruffian from Cleveland, who
had been a roustabout on lake
steamer-on his back in fair fight,
the boys would have made him a
Brigadier-General, if their votes could
have done it.
They did not lie long at st. Louis,
only time enough to properly equip
themselves for the field and take few
more doses of drill, so nauseating to
James Lawson, who was getting siclzer
and sicker of military life. Then, hey
for the front! With one broad sweep
across Missouri they went into camp
at Kansas City-tl>en an insignificant
border town with little promise of its
future prosperity.
Frank had been unable to make any
personal inquiries about the Lascelles
before he left st. Louis, cs leave had
been peremptorily refused to all private
soldiers, but Charles Fulton had man.
aged to visit their house, which, how
ever, he found deserted, while the only
information he could CLEAN in the neigh
borhood was that the ladies and their
had gone South-where, the
informant could not, or would not, tell
him. This was disappointing to both
the lads, for, to tell the truth, the fair
Southerner's brilliant charms had set
their imaginatiops af1ame.
For three weeks they lay in Kansas
City, each day expecting the order to
1t was here that young Besant re-
ceived his first letter from home-a
joint composition of his mother and
Grace Brentwood, which went far to
dispel the glamor of Mary Lascelles'
What old soldier does not
mothers first words to him
in the battle-6eld-the tender messages
Of affection-the garrulous records of
home events, SO insignificant, yet so
dear to him-the gossip about neigh
bors, for whom he cared not one jot
while he lived near them, but who now
seemed woven into his life with re-
interest-the silly, but womanly
to take care of himself, as
though her darling's primary duty was
to run behind tree as soon as he heard
the hiss Of a rif3o-hn11ef-fho warninpe