Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-02-24

NC was tuat sntes1lat cuttiiroat of n
brother Of his wasn't FAR away. told
them 1t was taking chances to let Jule.
Gillette and that infantr,< quartermas.
ter try 20 go through without escort. I
begged to throw up the job that very
night, but they held me to my contract.
and had to 60. We werc iumped not
10 miles out of town, ard before npv.
ono could draw dcrringer every man
OF us was covered. Tho judge might
have known they'd shoot him on sight
ever since that greaser from Hermosilio
was lynched. But they never harmed
the quartcrmaster.
Huh! The devil they dida't!"
laughed the lieutenant. "Thay tool,
his watch and his money ard eyerv-
thing he had on except his ,lndercloth-
ing. How long had you been driving
when that happeIfed:''
just eight months, sir, between
Tucson and Grant"
And did You never serve with the
cavalry before! You ride as though
you had"
Most men hereahouts served on one
side or other. said Bland calmly. as
his horse finished his long pull at the
water.
And your side was''-
Confederate, was the brief replv.
Il was born in Texas. Here comes the
troop. sir"
Come ON. then. want to asl, you
about that trail 70 Crittenden as we
ride. We make first for tho Picacho
pass from here
why. that's south of west. SIR" an
swered Bland. II had thought perhap,
the lieutenant would want to 20 north
ward toward the ella to head off any
parties of the Apachcs that might he
striving to get away eastward with
their booty. They must have picked
up something over 1t the Bend"
They're more likely to go south
ward. Bland. for they know where
we've been scouting all the week. No.
III march straight to the signal. There
they must know where the Indians
have gone
Aye. aye. sir. but then you can only
pursue, and stern chase is a lon,;
| one
Drunmond turned in his saddle az
they rode fortl, upon the dark frlda and
gazcd long and iixcily at the trooper by
his side. Inperturbabiy Bland con-
tinuod to iool, straight ahead. Queer
stories had been aiioat Regarding this
new acquisition. He mingled hut lit
tie with the men. He affected rather
the society OF the better class of nom
commissioned officers. an oifcnse not
! likely to lie condonsd in recruit. Ec
| wis already distinguished for his easy
mastery OK every detail of Il cavalry
mans duty, and fer his readiness to go
at any or all times ON scout. escort or
\ patrol. and the more hazardous or lonely
| Che task the better he seemed TO like it.
Then he was helpful ahou. TIE Offices
ia garrison. v.rc,e q ncat hand. was Of
ton pressed INFO service Ia aid with the
quartes1uastSr or conmiasary papers.
and haG been offered permanent daily
| duty as company clerk, hut begged off,
| saying he loved horse and cavalry
| worl. too well TO be imlnured in IN Office.
| He WIS silcncS and reticence itself on
| matters affecting other people. but the
soul of franlSness apparently where
he. was personally concerned. Any
body was welcome to know his past. he
said. He was raised in Texas: had
lived for years on the frontier; had
! been through Arizona with ball team
in the 1iftic5. and had listed under the
banner of the Lone Star when Texas
went the way Of all tho sisterl,ood OF
southern mot lorter) states. and then,
being stranded after the war. had bull
whacked' again through New Mexico
had drifted again across the Mimbres
and down To the old Spanish Mexican
town OF Tucson: had tried prospecting.
mail riding. blackboard driving. gam
bling: had been one OF the sheriff posse
that cleaned cut Sonora Bills little
band of thugs and cutthroats and had
expressed entire willingnc~s 20 ofiiciate
as that lively outlaw 5 exscutioner in
case of his capture.
He had twice been robbed while driv-
ing the stage across the divide and had
been loft for dead in the Maricopa
range, an episode which he said was
the primal cause of his designations
later. Finally, after summary dis
charge he had come TO the adjutant at
Camp Lowell. presented two or three
certificates of good character and brav-
cry in the field from officers who bore
famous names III the southern army.
and tho regimental recruiting officer
thought he could put up with an occa-
sional drunk in q man who promised to
make as good q trooper under the stars
anu Stripes rs he had made under the
stars and bars. And SO he was enlisted,
and to the surprise OF everybody hadn' I
taken drop since.
Now this. said the rank and file, was
proof positive OF something radically
wrong. either in mis- disposition or his
record. II was entirely comprehensive
and fully liz accordance with human
nature aid the merits OF the case that a
man should quit drinking when he quit
the amy. hut tina. man with the blot
of an occasional spree ON his escutcheon
should enlist for any other cause than
sheer desperation and should then be.
come tectotalef was nothing short OF
prima facic evidence OF mora. Gepray'