Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-09-01

coming places, lie rotting still perhaps
in the adjutant generals oficesl
He got up shivering and kicked the
logs into "A blaze. then returned with
stern determination to the study of the
veXing questions in hand What could
he say for Billy Thompson The lad
had the temper of a bull terrier. the
tact and judgment OF a Newfoundland
puppy and about as much ability and
requirement as the average schoolboy.
The thought Of Billy Thompson as or
namented with the complete list Of
confidential Report" virtues was
nothing less than grotesque.
He glanced down the list Why. that
very morning he had spent a bad half
hour in wigging the younster for short
comings In almost every item. Late
again for parade. Violent with a
Sepoy. Hadn't the faintess notion of
his drill. and so on
What on earth am & say for you,
sirr' be had asked angriIy, tapping the
bundle Of incorporating papers at
which Billy glanced with rueful de-
spair in his honest eyes. you are dis
tinctly careless, wanting in tact use
less at Office work-what's the use OF
complaining of your writers. sir-inat-
tentive and argumentative. Ride7 OF
course; and that's about all you're at
for. That and tennis but unluckily
these won't advance you In your pro
f~ession, nor gain you respect nor at
you for a command"
Then the colonel had stolen a look
at the frank. bright face, and thought
for the millionth time how ridiculous IL
all was The lad was honorable and
brave. Why not trust TO time and
training TO do the rest7 He wanted a
tight hand owe him of course. but why
be forced TO send up a nasty. disparag
ing report of him to headquarters
Somehow the colonel could not find
it in his heart TO do it. and was still
worrying over il when a telegram was
brought ia addressed To the officer
commanding This was followed
shortly by a knock at the rough door
opening outward on to the cold. wind
swept in~closure, a struggle TO shut the
same, and a tall, smart looking officer
entered. helmet in hand
'Oh, that's you. Hamertonl | was
just going to send for you There's a
row mp Khunaz way. James. Of the
police, wounded Ghazis again killed
a lot Of people. I'm ordered to send
an intelligent officer to investigate the
thing and report You'll have a tick
hsh job, but ! can rely upon you I've
been thinking whom you had better
take. You see. | can only spare one of
two-either Bates or Thompson. Bates
has the longest head, and yet Thomp-
son-well. If it csmeTo blows. somehow
l should prefer Thompson. But do as
you like"
As he said this the colonel instinc-
lively glanced at the pile Of papers be-
side him. Bates name happened to
lie uppermost, with its every question
sInugly and neatly answered. Thomp-
sons had frisked of gayly in the
draught of the open door, and was but
just saved from being chewed under
the table by Hamerton's puppy, who
had followed his master In.
ut shall be little Billy" said Major
Hameron to himself; and proceeding
to the discussion Of further details con-
corning escort and comnissariat ar.
engagements for the small expedition.
A little before nightfall they started,
a party of fifteen In all: the two Eng
lish oficers-Blly in a state Of the
widest joy and bursting with import
ance-a duffedar, and twelve Sowars of
the Khunaz Horse. A second telegram
had been received after the first
saying that the Ghazis, who were few
in number. kSd taken themselves of;
that a native hospital assistant was In
charge Of James, the wounded police
officer; and that he was to be brought
back here, because there was no other
European doctor nearer than Quota
Hope we come across the beggars,"
Billy said, gleefully.
But the colonel who had ridden out
a little way with the party, and had
them good luck" found him
self saying something Ike a prayer In
his heart for the safe return Of the two
men. who were. In his opinion. the very
pick Of the regiment
In times of peace these inglorious
little brushes with sneaking Ghazis are
not among the p~leasantest features Of
In Afghanistan- To an old sol
der they " too much Of that pot
from behind hedges with which
the Irish peasantry have famiiarized
us, and TO which no military glory is
attached. He does not care about
gu good men to furnish tar
gets for skuIking devils. who have no
Of quarrel but are merely pos
Of a fanatical desire to spill Fer I,
blood Wherefore the com /,
handing officer was IN at ease, and for f,
he next two days there fell a dullness !
md a malaise upon everybody in camp.
Like the influenza it attacked them all.
rom the colonel downward. only. as
says. that Is another story. Z