San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-11-26

known enough to steer clear of it. You
know those facts as well as do. You
know those Indians had been numbering,
robbing, burning, pillaging, for two
| years. You know how all Montana
begged and implored General Sheridan
to put a stop to it. There was no catch
| ing them until winter, and then when
| he sent those Second cavalry fellows up
| there with orders to thrash sbeol out of
them, what was the result? Didn't the
papers east and west turn to and damn
him and, them? Didn't they dub him
'Piegan Phil from that time forth? No,
sir, no cavalry service for me. There's
only one thing harder than the knocks
that they have been getting for the last
twenty years on the frontier and that's
the knocks they've had to bear at home"
But toward the end of January the old
post was beginning to pluck up heart
again, and to the keen delight of Mrs.
Berrien and Winifred their particular
major was able to drive with them,
bundled up in his furs, and lolling back
in the cushions of Berengaria's barouche,
as he termed his wifes comfortable car
riage, with that rejoicing matron by his
side distributing smiles and sunshine
and joyous mods of recognition wherever
she went, everybody waving hand or hat
or handkerchief as they bowled along,
and Winifred-bonny Winifred-beam-
ing upon her father from the front seat
Very, very sweet Miss Berrien was look
ing just now, said all who saw her; yet
there was shade of usefulness in her
face, constant expression about those
deep, dark eyes that seemed to tell they
were ever on watch for one who never
came. Shattered as was his saber arm,
Curly Brewster had scoffed at the idea
of being sent back to Pawnee.
whats the use?" he said. 81 would
be utterly alone there, while here have
all the fellows about me. What better
care do | need?"
In the midst of all their trials and an
noyances, in the thick of the whirl of
events that followed their sharp and
sudden fight, the officers and men of the
Twelfth found themselves more closely
drawn together even than before Very
little was said when outsiders were by
as to the depth of feeling aroused in
their ranks by the unaccountable crit
icism of the press. Very little had to be
said in the official investigation of the
affair to clear them, one and all, of the
array of allegations lodged at their
doors. But that every man, from the
colonel down, bore away from the field
of their winters travail a sense of in
jury beyond the scar of savage missile,
who could doubt, who could blame? 1t
did not prevent their having some quiet
fun of their own, however. GRAY haired
FarQuhar was whimsical in his SYM
pathy with Rolfe, whose scalp had been
saved by the man of all others he had
most acknowledgement Ellis. Randolph
from the recesses of the hospital tent
poked no end of gibes at Ridgeway, who
had lost his eyeglasses in the morning
fight and had been nearly run off with
by the Sioux. As for Rolfe's plight, she
lost all the skin from the side instead of
the top of his head" laughed Gorham.
1t was pitiable enough to make the
boys forget the austerity of his past, for
to his dying day Role would carry the
marks of his involuntary "scrap with a
squaw," as Randolph termed it. "Rolfe's
scars have come to the surface" chimed
in Warren, who never could get along
with him. They all hoped that he would
go back to Pawnee with the wounded
train, and he did. So, too, did Ellis,
wearing on the arm in sling the new
chevrOns of first sergeant, won, as said
his colonel in presenting them, together
with the heartiest recommendation for
medal of honor l could write, for
! bravery on the field of battle" Role
turned his bandaged head away When
Holden gave him all the story. He knew
not what to think, much less what to
say. Ellis had leaped through the swarm
of fighting braves and with the butt Of
his carbine dashed aside the unsexed
fiend whose clutching claws were in the
captains hair, and then had fought like
a tiger over the PROSTATE body and saved
| the life of the man who had maligned
him.
zone half second more and you were
| gone, ROlfe," said Holden gravely.
Il never said he wasn't fine soldier"
answered Rolfe family. sPerhaps
didn't know him Alright"
THAT isn't all there is to it, Rolfe."
was the doctors reply. He is more
than soldier. He is gentleman, and
! | know it."
Yet when Rolfe expressed a desire to
see and speak with Ellis later he calmly
begged the doctor to excuse him.
But just why Brewster would not go
home with the wounded the boys could
noe quite understand. He would be off
duty for months. He might not swing
J Gu har nmnin for n Nnar Mis- Rar,.in,n