The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-08-26


among the bales of hay, and nearly
fell over the origin of the strange
sound. He picked it up and looked at
it in the dim moonlight.
"White, eh? How the deuce did the
child get here?" he demanded of him
self. Say, kid, who are you?"
But the child was crying too steadily
to admit of its doing anything else. 1t
had probably been asleep, and now,
barely awake, was frightened by I'M
wonted surroundings. 1t was cold, too
Myers could not get rational reply.
The child simply chung to him, and
cried with loud voice. To Myers
mind it drowned all other sounds, and
he wondered that the guard did not
come down and see what had occurred
on post No. 3.
soldier to alarm the guard. He was too
much of soldier to leave his post and
run with the child to the cottage Of
Corporal Bond, but few rods away.
What he did was to strip off his over
coat, wrap the child in, and talk in a
roughly comforting way. Presently he
made hollow space among the bales,
sheltered from the wind, and warm.
In it he put the quoted child, pulling
another bale over the nest; and the
child went to sleep, like the vigorous,
healthy little animal that it was.
The officer of the guard came stun.
bling sleepily about on tour Of in
spection. "An right on your post?" he
demanded.
''All right, sir"
Every foolish of you not to wear an
overcoat. You're likely to get pneu-
monia," said the officer.
The sentinel made no reply. The re-
mark had been unofficial, and did not
require any.
At the end Of two weary hours, Cor
poral Bond came down to relieve the
sentinel. He had been warm and COM
Portable in the guardhouse, and was
possibly in little worse humor at hav-
ing to turn out for SO trifling duty.
Still alive, eh?" said he. well, 1
didn't expect it. see they took your
overcoat, though"
mo, they didn't. I've got it down
here" said Myers. He went to the
place. and pick ed it up tenderly.
The more fool you for not wearing
it." growled the corp oral ''Why, what
have you got in it?''
Just kid found down here crying"
Corporal Bond looked at the sleeping
child and gave little start as of sur
prise. well, l swear!" said he. But
he didn't.
They marched together without an
other word from the lower end of the
beat and passed the corporals set
of quarters. Suddenly the corporal
stopped.
I'm take the kid" said he. And
then he held out a hand in a friendly
way. 1--WE might shake" he ventured.
Myers was carrying the child close to
his breast with a warm feeling of ten
der possession. He did not fancy let
ting the corporal take the helpless
charge from him and spoke with un-
usual resentment.
"I'll keep the kid for tonight" said
he. sturdily. Il found it, and I'll take
care OF it'll somebody claims it. And
l don't know any reason why we should
shake hands. We haven't had any oc-
casion to. so far"
WELL" said the corporal, Il thought
I'd like to because-because seem TO
have made 4 mistake in sizing you up.
I'm willing to admit my fault But it's
just as you say"
"Oh, that's it, eh?" said Myers
well, here's my hand. Shake and
shake hearty. And. by the way, the
kid here; you've got women-folk, and
they can take care of it better than I
can - just for tonight You know
whose it lisp"
YES" said Corporal Bond. 'It's
mine"