The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-07-25

Renwick had retired as soon as the colo
mel arrived. The old soldier seemed
to understand the glance. "She would
not listen" he said proudly.
81 know" explained Chester, 81
think it best that no one but you shoald
hvar anything of the matter 70, the
present until | have investigated fur
ther. 1t was neasly half past 3 this
morning as l got around here on 5's
post, inspecting sentinels, and came
suddenly in the darkness upon a man
carrying a ladder ON his shoulder or
dered him to halt The reply was vio-
lent blow, and the ladder and We're
dropped at the same instant, while the
man sprng into space and darted off
in the direction Of No. 3. / fol-
lowed quick as | could, heard the chal-
lenge and the cries Of halt and shouted
to Leary to fire. He did, but missed his
aim i'll the haste and darkness, and the
man got safely away. OF course there
is much talk and speculation about it
around the post this morning, for sew
eral people heard the shots besides the
guard, and, although I.told Leary and
Others to Say nothing, know it is al
ready generally known"
"Oh, well, come in to breakfast"
said the colonel "We'll talk it over
there.
Pardon me, sir, I cannot. I must
get back home before guard mount and
Rollins is probably waiting to see mo
now. II could not discuss it at the
table, for there are some singular fea-
lures about the matter.
"Why, in Gods name, what?" asked
the colonel, with n sudden and deep
anxiety.
"Well, sir, an officer of the garrison
is placed in compromising position by
this affair and cannot or will not eX-
plain
"Who?"
"NIr. Jerold, sir"
"Jewold! Why, got mote from him
not 10 minutes ago saying he had an
engagement in town and asking per-
mission to go before guard mounting, if
Mr.. Hall was ready. Hall wanted to go
with him, JcTold wrote, but Hall has
not applied for permission to leave the
post"
at is Jerrold who is compromised,
colonel. may be all wrong i'll my sus-
picions, all wrong i'll reporting the mat
ter to you at all, but in my perplexity
and distress I see no other way. Frank
ly, the moment l caught sight Of the man
he looked like Jerrold, and two minutes
after the shots were fired | inspected
Jerrold's quarters He was not there,
though the lamps were burning very
low in the bedroom, and his bed had
not been occupied at all. When you
see Leary, sir, he will tell you that he
also thought it must be Mr.. Jerrold." "
"Tho young scapegrace! Been Off to
town, | suppose.
Colonel" said Chester quickly,
''you-not must decide that. l went
to his quarters after rcveille, and he
was then there and resented my visit
and questions, admitted that he had
been out during the night, but refused
to make any statement to me. "
"Well, Chester, | will haul him up
after breakfast. Possibly he had been
up to the rifle camp or had driven to
town after the Doctors party. OF course
that must bo stopped, but I'm glad you
missed him. 1t Of course staggcrs a
mans Judgment to be knocked down,
but if you had killed him it might have
been as serious for you as this knock
down blow will be for him. That is the
worst phase Of the matter. What could
he have been thinking Of? He must
have been either drunk or mad, and he
rarely drank. Oh, dear, dear, dear, but
that's very bSd-very bad-striking the
officer Of the day! Why, Chester, that's S
the worst thing that's happened in the
regiment since | took command Of it.
It's about the worst thing that could
have happened to us. OF course he must
so in arrest. I'll see the adjutmt right
after breakfast I'll be over early,
Chester" And with grave and wor-
ried face tho colonel bado him adieu.
As he turned away Chester heard him
saying again to himself, "About the
worst thing he could have dono-tho
worst thing he could have done" And
the captains heart sank within him.
What would the colonel say when he
knew how far, far worse was the foul
wrong Mr.. JcTold had done to him and
his?