Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-02-25

was quite a fall. The prints of his out
spread hands were found in the dust
heap, and it looked as though he must
have lain there some moments before
stealing away.
The sentry far down by the wood
yards, No. 8, stated that just as he was
calling off and standing faced to the
east 50 that his voice might carry to the
quad house. he heard sudden stumble
behind him; a man tripped over log
between him and the road, then ran like
mad down toward the old station. 1t
was too dark to recognize who it could
be. The officer of the guard had stopped
TO interrogate the sentry on reaching
his post, but Mr.. Hearn had pushed
ahead, and down at the foot of the hill
had plainly heard a horses hoofs and
the light rumble of wheels crossing the
bridge and going at spanking trot;
yet soldiers returning from pass, relia-
bic men, had neither seen nor heard
horse or wagon anywhere on the flats
'lopE which lay the road to town. An
effort had been made to trail the wheel
tracks from the bridge, but. though a
place was found among the trees near
the old station where Il horse and buggy
had evidently stood for two or three
hours, 1t was impossible to determine
which way they had gone after crossing
the stream, for the farm wagons COM
ing from every by road in the morning
had totally DBL terated the tracks.
Ctoss' escape while under charges of
such grave character was regarded as
tantanount to admission of his guilt.
Meanwhile Corp Brent's case seemed
to have taken a turn for the better, and,
though there was still danger, there was
hope. What struck many inquirers was
the fact that the doctor seemed i'll at
ease, and invariably evaded the ques-
ton, when pressed as to the nature of
Brent's deliriun. This. of course, sim
ply served to whet public curiosity; and
the young soldier became, all uncon-
sciously, an object of greater interest
than ever The ladies of the infantry,
who had known him by sight some time,
were certain that from the very first ne
had borne all the outward appearance of
gentleman, and in every word and
gesture had given the world assurance
of a man" of birth and breeding. Their
sisters of the cavalry, who had but re-
Gently reached Fort Ryan, were not slow
i'll accepting their theories.
Such things We're by no means I'M
common in the service; and wouldn't it
be delicious, now, to have romance in
the ranks at Ryan? Only fancy, Mrs.
Burnham, Mrs Brodie, and, above all,
Mrs. Graves, were quite ready to go to
the hospital at any time the doctor would
permit and become the nurse of the
young corporal; but the medical man
almost bluntly declined the services of
two of these ladies, and with positive
insolence, said the third, had told her
she could much better devote her minis
trations to her own children. Just as
if didn't know best what my children
needed said the offended matron.
And it was about DR.. Ingersoll that
Mrs. Graves was discoursing this very
morning on Mrs. Lanes piazza, while
her own olive branches were clambering
the fences and having a battle royal
with the progeny of Mrs. Sergt Flynn
at the other end of the garrison. And
as luck would have it, who should come
along the gravel walk but the major
and the doctor, arm in arm, at which
sight Miss MarshalIs expressive eyes,
trimming with merriment. sought the
half veXed features of Capt. Lane, who
had been fidgeting uneasily in his chair
during her ladyship's exordium. Like
many another excellent soldier. this
r,rarrisa1 LII .s.l,
which to silence woman's tongue.
You'll find I'm right. Mrs. Lane.
See if you don't, proceeded Mrs. Graves,
all unconscious of the coming pair.
You found l wasn't mistaken about
Maj. Kenyon; and they are just as like
as two peas in pod-both of them"
Then, recalled to the possibilities of
the situation by the mirthful CLEAN in
Miss Marshall's eye and the audible
chuckles of Mr.. Lee, she whrled about
and caught sight of the object of her
dissertation.
ooh, it's you they're laughing at, is
it, she hailed. Il was just talking
about you"
''Then how could you find the heart
to laugh, Mrs. Lane" said the major,
raising his cap with simulated reproach
Of mien. Does it amuse you to see
fellow morJals flayed alive? Is it not
bad enough that, like Sir Peter Teazle, |
am never out of Mrs. Graves sight but
that l know I've left my character be
hind me: The Doctor and | We're Won
dering whether there was vestige left
of the good impression we strove TO
make upon Miss Marshall
I'm sure you ruined all possibility of
that three days ago, major. when you
showed her whit = cynical old party
you Were. No wonder the young officers
In our regiment lose all love for their
profession after hearing you talk If |
were Col. Morris l wouldn't have you
COMMUNICATING the lieutenants of the
Eleventh the way you were trying it on
Mr.. Hearn the o-her day"
Where is Mr. Hearn, by the way
asked Mrs. Lane, eager to put an end to
such an .rlnprottlble controversy He
hasn't been in here for nearly two days.
Come maiOr-cCm me doctor walk in and