Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-09-22
Has he retnrned YetY9

lie nau not up 10 stables, sir, but his
pass does not expire until tattoo, and |
almost hope he has not started in face of
this wind. it looks like blizzard com
ing"
when did Rolfe get these reports, if
! may asky' queried Holden. II sent
telegram day before yesterday to Mrs
Holden that ought to have reached her
that very evening-it was to forestall
any sensational newspaper story about
the majors wound-and | certainly
looked for reply of some sort yester-
day"
'The wires are down both east and
west, I'm told-cut by 'friendlies Mt the
reservation, very probably. No dispatch
has passed either way since Yesterday"
answered the colonel. "Rolfc's must
have come before that Possibly we
will have later news when the sergeant
rides back tonight gave him an order
to get any kilograms that might have ar
rived for the regiment. What time does
the train get III from the cast-do you
know, doctor:"
somewhere about three. sir. but |
fear there will he no mail for us for
day or two old hands here say it is
madness to face Dakota blizzard on
the open prairie, and some Of the officers
think we AIS i'll for gale, to say the
least"
"Wcll. Brewster said the colonel
kindly, 'Nour statement is all that
was needed TO put an end to any idea
that YOU knew all about Ellis before his
enlistment. OF course | shall have to
look into Captain Bolfe's charges against
him; but say nothing about the matter
for the present
The cavalry trumpet, weird and fitful
on the wings of the gale. was sounding
first call for retreat - Brewster !eft the
colonrl's tent ANA started down the gen
tie slo," to join his troop. Already the
snow fakes were driving almost hori-
&ontally with the biting wind, and II
the rapidly gathering gloom the men
came budding from their rude shelters,
and bundled 10 the ears in rhcir great
coat, stood stamping and swinging their
arms impatient to have roll call over
and done with. The coloucLtame forth
n moment later. and together he and
Holden tramped over to the turf walled
structure in which their wounded COM
rade lay. The air was now so thick
with snow tnat objects IA hundred yards
distant were blurred and those beyond
entirely obscurcd. Holden softly un-
strained ana raised The canvas fan ana
loicd his fur CARRIED head within the
aperture.
''Slecpng*" he qu,ried OF the hospital
attendant.
''$leepug like baby. sir" whisuorco
the soldier, a. lie tiptopd to the entrance. |
"Captain Ilazlett was reading TO him
over an hour. ana then he Just dropped
away. and the captain left at first call.
THAT : e. tai" said Holden. turning
to the chict. He has worried so over
the effect the news misht have on his !
wife that l c'lldn't get him to sleep. |
Now, if we can only tide him over until |
morning and if this beastly gale will |
only subside, we'll have good news for
him"
"Well. don't let Rolfe get near him"
said Farquhar with quiet smile. There |
isn't a better duty officer in all the |
Twelfth, but somebody las to suppress
him once in awhile"
lie ought to be married." laughed !
Holden in reply.
That night when the trumpets pealed
tattoo the musicians braced their backs |
against the clustering northwest and |
blew as best they could, though Bcrcas
strove to silence their lustic-t effort, and |
no trooper on the windward side could |
hear note. over the whistle ana howl |
Of the gale, far ont ON the dcsolate prairie. |
far to the southeast, however. the etir-
ring, welcoming. hope-reyiviug strain
was borne TO the frozen ears Of a solitary |
and wcll nigh exhausted trooper, bid |
ding him pluck up courage. rouse him
self to renewed effort, and once more
plunge forward into the blackness of the
night.
So long as he kept the gale in his pat
tered face, so long would he he strrg- |
Cling toward comrades and shelter. |
Staggering, stumbling. sometime, crawl |
inc a fnN- 1,.r.. n,, L.,I. .-,l 1-,,,,., |