Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1892-09-19

remembered now ne naQ come TO Jnem
haggard and travel worn three years be-
fore and offered himself as a recruit.
This was far out in the mountains. His
language and manners were such that
every one knew it to be case of man
whom fortune had betrayed, and who
'ttook the shilling" as many another
has done, somewhat as a last resort.
But before he had won his first chew
rons the men knew well that from some
source or other Ellis was beginning to
receive good deal of money. When
Sergeant Currie was killed by that
tough in the public streets of Sheridan
City-a cold blooded and unprovoked
murder-and Currie's wife and children
had not where to lay their heads now
that their support was gone, officers and
men ''chipped in" and bought them a
little cottage on the banks of Rapid
run, just at the edge of town.
Ellis had planked down five dollar
bill as his share on the subscription list,
but did not Kate Currie, the eldest child,
tell how he had come all by himself af-
terward and given her an envelope
which he bade her hand to mother from
a friend-an envelope which was found
to hold a fifty dollar treasury note?
Sporting characters in the regiment who
sought to borrow from Ellis met with
cold. even curt, refusal. Neither would
heever gamble or bet with them. Neither
did he seem to care to go TO town at all
when first the regiment moved into this
its most delightful station after years of
service on the distant frontier-not until
the order was issued permitting merito-
rious soldiers to wear civilian dress
when on pass. Then he was almost the
first to appear on the streets of the
bustling county seat in a neat, unobtru-
sive. but remarkably well cut and well
fitting suit. and. far better dressed than
most of the townspeople, Sergeant Ellis
became an occasional visitor but no one
ever heard of his patronizing any other
establishments than the bank, the post
and express offices and the bookstores.
Captain Hazlett. calling at the post
Office one day, was surprised TO find
Ellis at lock box, the key of which he
calmly placed in his waistcoat pocket
and then as calmly raised his hat in sal
utation to his superior officer. Both
were in civilian dress, both on temper
ary leave of few hours only, both,
from the point of view of the correspon-
dent of very enterprising paper. occu-
pied at the moment the same social
plane. and his allusions to ''the slavish
Difference demanded by the aristocratic
commissioned force of their enlisted but
far worthier men" gave rise to some dis
cussion at the fort One or two officers
held that Ellis should have given the
military salute and no other, but the
mass of opinion was in favor of Elliss
action: being entirely in civilian dress
himself. the civilian custom should pre-
vail.
''Well. damn it." said Mr.. Randolph,
that consists out here in showing ones
hands deeper into pockets, fitting the
cigar higher in the mouth and giving
just half nod" 1t was finally con-
ceded. however. that in courteously rails
ing his hat Sergeant Ellis had done about
the right thing. and that in as punctili-
ously raising his own in recognition the
captain had fittingly and scrupulously
acknowledged the courtesy, the sneers
and lashings of the Spasm City Chimes
to the contrary Notwithstanding.
Still no one supposed that Ellis was
going to re-enlist when his time expired
They had already begun casting about
for somebody else to place in charge of
the trehouse. But Ellis signed the
papers with ready hand, asked for and
got months furlough, with permission
to leave the department, and was back
in two weeks ready to resume duty, his
dark face a trife paler. his heavy beard
becomingly trimmed, just three days
after Nita Guthrie's arrival, just three
days before she was to have gone home.
Rolfe turned from the sentry and
gazed away eastward. How many a
long mile down that beautiful valley
were the lights of the rushing train by
this time, and what meant this light so
close at hand, shining family but clear
ly through the slowly plashing rain?
After one, and the sergeant still up and
reading? No. il burned too dimly for
student lamp: neither was it in the SER
geants room. Following his thoughts.
Rolfe, wrapped in his macintosh,
moved slowly out to the eastern edge Of
the bold bluff, passing the irehouse on
his way. A breast-high wall Of rough
stone ran diagonally over toward what
was left of the old blockhouse, once
perched on the brow of the cliff, and,
as the captain reached the point of the
bluff. he became aware of a dim figure
standing silent and motionless between
him and the southern face of the an
tiquated work. Another man whose
thoughts were following the eastward
windings of that misty valley, was it
not? Another keeping sleepless vigil?
who's thatY" in low tone, he sudden
ballad cfo frr1