Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-09-01

1ad your experience III mining III SeefnS
10 me I'd find something different from
staying in the regular army"
Captain Gorham,' was the unex-
pected reply, IF you had had anything
like my experience you would be very
glad of berth in tho army or out of it
preferably in"
1t was conceded after this episode that
Ellis had history and the faculty of
keeping it to himself. The colonel was
glad to have him re-enlist, even while
wondering that he should do so. Many
remembered how he had come to them
haggard and travel worn three years be-
fore and offered himself as recruit.
This was far out in the mountains. His
language and manners We're such that
every one knew it to be q case of man
whom fortune had betrayed, and who
"tool1 the shilling" as many another
has done, somewhat as last resort.
But before he had won his first chev-
rons the men knew we'll 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 bloodod and unprovoked
murdcr-aud Currie's wife and children
had not where 10 lay their heads now
that their support was gone, officers and
men "chippcd in and bought them n
little cottage ON the banks Of Rapid
run, Just at the edge of town.
Ellis had planked down five dollar
bin as his share on the subscription list,
but did not Kate Currie, the eldest child,
! tell how he had come all by himself af-
| forward and given her an envelope
which he babe her hand to mother from
a friend-au envelope which was found
to hold fifty dollar treasury note?
| Sporting characters in the regiment who
sought to borrow from Ellis met with
cold, even curt, refusal. Neither would
| he ever gamble OF bet with them. Neither
| did ne 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 fronticr-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 i'll a neat, unobtru-
sive, but remarkably well cut and well
fitting suit, and, far better dressed than
most of the toWnspcoplc 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 UaZlctt, 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
I utation to his superior officer. Both
were in civilian dress, both on temper
airy leave of a 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 illusions to "the slavish
Difference demanded by the aristocratic
commissioned force of their enlisted but
, far worthicr 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,
chat consists ont here in showing ones
hands deeper into pockets, tilting the
cigar higher in the mouth and giving
just half a nod" II was finally con-
coded, however, that il cOurteously rails
ing his hat Sergeant Ellis had done about
the right thing, and that in as punctili-
ously raising his own III recognition the
captain bad 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 frehouse. But Ellis signed the
papers with ready hand, asked for and
got a months furlough, with permission
to leave the department, and was back
in two weeks ready to resume duty, his
dark face a tritie paler, his heavy beard
becomingly trimmed, just three DAYS
after Mia Guthries arrival, lust three
days before she was to have gone home.
Rolfe turned from the sentry and
gazcd away eastward. How many q
long mile down that beautiful valley
were the lights Of the rushing train by
this time, and what meant this light Sc
close at hand shining family but clear
ly through the slowly FLASHING rain
After one, and the sergeant still MP anG
reading? No, it burned too dimly for 6
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 frehouse OF
his way. A breast-high wall Of rough
stone ran diagonally over toward wha
was left Of the old blockhouse, one,
perched on the brow of the cliff, and
as the captain reached the point Of the
bluff, he became aware of dim figure
standing silent and motionless between
him and the southern face Of the an
tiquated work Another man who's,
thoughts were following the eastward