The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-02-15


at the Office door, as though to hear what
might follow. Mr.. Mason, the adjutant,
turned quietly, caught the sergeant ma
jor's eye ard gave quick but express
i've jerk of the head in the direction of
the outer room. The sergeant major took
the hint and vanished.
But the clerks had heard the corporals
intimation that some trooper was con-
nected with the transgression for which
the ball playing quartet were confined.
The door was Immediately closed, leav-
ing them to draw their own differences
and make their own comments. They
did not hear the colonel's next remark:
''If any man in the cavalry is guilty in
this matter there is only one whom [ can
suspect. Can you name him."
Corp. Brent flushed again, but finally
replied, 81 beg the colonel not to ask me
to answer, when, as said before, [ have
no proof whatever"
Col Morris turned and pondered a
moment. Finally he whirled about in
his revolving chair:
Corp. Brent, if these four men were
of my own regiment I would certain
ly refuse your request. AS matters
stand will not spoil the chances of the
Rifle nine. They will therefore be
turned over to you to take their part in
the game, and tomorrow must stand
their trial before the garrison court
And when Corp. Brent left the Office,
infinitely rejoiced, the colonel turned
to his staff officer:
''Where do you suppose the recruiting
officers picked up fellow like that? He,
has the language of an educated man."
He was enlisted in New York" was
the reply, land | have frequently noted
him on guard. They tell me he has more
influence over the men in his battalion
than any other non-commissioned officer,
and I am glad he has promised that there
will be no more of this night business"
And yet, two days afterward, the
colonel sent for Corp. Brent to say that
the agreement was being violated. Three
soldiers had been seen running from the
southwest gate across the parade the
night before. The sentry had been
taken off on the strength of the arrange
IntuU. lllS Abillt HlllC udu WOIl UllS S3dI1c
amidst great enthusiasm, and there was
a liberal transfer of treasury notes in
consequence. The infantry and many
of the cavalrymen were rejoicing in I'M
accustomed wealth between pay days,
and applications for passes to visit town
J had been of unusual number. The four
culrrits had pleaded guilty to their of
Tense and been awarded some light fine.
The dough boys" fully approaching
the colonefs consideration in the matter,
as fully meant to stand by their promise
to Brent. 1t was with not little feeling,
therefore, that they received the news
that the compact was violated.
That Saturday evening, in some mys-
terious way, Corp. Mullen Of the guard
sprained his wrist just after tattoo, and
though Brent was not the next man on
the roster. with the adjutant's full con
sent he appeared armed and equipped at
the guard house and reported for duty as
Mullen's successor in charge of the sec
ond relief. Examining the list of mer
absent ON pass, he made mental note OF
l two in his own battalion and looked visi
bly, disappointed when he scanned the
cavalry names. 1t had been ordered
l that all men returning from pass should
: report at the guard house, leave their pa
l pers with the officer of the guard an(
y then return to their quarters, those O
the infantry battalion passing AROUND
outside the officers houses, those of TIN
cavalry entering their barracks by til,
d rear steps at once.
) Three days of sunshine and breeze hac
!, dried the ground so that the paths aroun'
Il the post were in perfect order, and, ex
Ii cept that it made their walk longer b.
o some two hundred PAGES, there was n
U discomfort in obeying the order. Tn
81 first batch of returning soldiers appears
5! about half-past II, surrendered thei
y passes and went quietly away to thei
e barracks. Another squad appeare
IL about ten minutes later, but there wa
y still no sign of the two whose name
% Brent had noted and whose pass expire
, at midnight. 1t was then that the youn
n soldier, with the permission of the office
l. of the guard, strobe quickly over to til
lie southwest gate, a hundred yards away.
10 From here he noted the dispersal {
IL the little party that had been spendin
u the evening at the colonel's: here he ha
l. Strengthened up, and standing under til
10 lamp post rendered his soldierly salut
to Capt. and Mrs. Lane as they passed
- front of him, repeating it an insta1
u after when a young lady, with darl
I, sparkling eyes, looked him quickly Owe
~ as she tripped by on the arm of her e
u cort, and while the latter neld open I'll
y gate of the brick quarters at the corne
y almost within earshot, she inquired:
III "Who is that infantry corporal, M
Hearn?'
10 ''That? Oh, you didn't get here i
''- time for the ball game, Miss Marshal
or you wouldn't have asked. That
ie Corp. Brent, captain of the Rifle nine.
10 Cant we persuade you to, come in
u few minutes, Mr.. Hearn:" called Mr.
y Lane. in her sweet, cordial voice.
o' Yes, do come, Hearn,' chimed in IL
captain, ever ready to second his wife
W motion.
e6 The lieutenant hesitated an instal
is and glanced a. the girl who had jul
III stepped within the gate, but as she sd
"a nothing that seemed in any way pres
81 ing he raised his forage cap, and plea
III ~ antly declining babe them good nigl
~ and went briskly away. Opening h
or window five minutes later to close IL
outer blinds Miss Marshall glanced dow
y from a,bove the piazza roof and saw tt
no corpo1 al of the guard still standing the
ne under the lamp, apparently waitin
Ill He Ii ,la1 o,,icly1, mn of co,,,d IF n