The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-12-28
-ER0AA<
TAE RANKS.
T. By CAT CHARLE5 KING ( I"
SasG~-e
[coNTINUED.l
CHAPTER XVII.

starlit skies, blessing the grateful dew
that cools the upland air and moistens
the bunch grass that has been bleach
ing all day in the fierce rays of tho sum-
mer sun, little column of infantry is
swinging steadily southwark. Long
and toilsome has been the march; hot,
dusty and parching the day. Halts have
been few and far between, and every
man, from the colonel down, is coated
with gray mask of powdered alkali,
the contribution of two hours tramp
through Dead Mans canyon just before
the sun went down. NoY, however,
they are climbing the range The NOR
row will bring them to the broad and
beautiful valley of the Spirit Wolf. and
there they must have news. Officers and
men are footsore and weary. but no one
begs for rest. Colonel Maynard, riding
ahead on sorry hack he picked up at
the station two days long march behind
them, is eager to reach the springs at
Forest Glade before ordering bivouac
for the night A week agone no one
who saw him at Sablon would have
thought the colonel fit for q march like
this but he seems rejuvenate. His head
is high, his eye as bright, his bearing
as full of spirit as mans could possibly
be at 90, and the whole regiment cheered
him when he caught the column at
Omaha. A talk with Chester and Ar
mitage seemed to have made new man
Of him, and tonight he is full of an en-
ergy that inspires the entire command.
Though they were farther away than
many other troops ordered to tho scene,
the fact that their station was on the
railway, and that they could be sent by
special trans to Omaha and thence to
the west, enabled them to begin their
rescue march ahead of all tho other foot
troops and behind only the powerful
command Of cavalry that was whirled
to the scene the moment tho authorities
woke up to the fact that it should have
been sent in the first place. Old May
nard would give his very ears to get to
Thornton's corral ahead of them, but
the cavalry has 36 hours start and four
legs to two. Every moment no looks
ahead expectant of tidings from the
front that shall tell him tho --th
Even then. he knows. he and his long
springfields will be needed. The cavalry
can fight their way in to the sucoor OF
the besieged. but once there will be
themselves surrounded and too few in
numbers to begin aggressive move
ments. He and his will indeed be well
come re-enforcements, and SO they
trudge ahead
The moon is up, and it is nearly 10
O'Clock when, high up OH the rolling
divide, the springs are reached, and,
barely waiting to quench their thirst in
the cooling waters, the wearied men roll
themselves i'll their blankets under the
giant trees, and guarded by few out
lying piclets are soon asleep. Most of
the officers have sprawled around a lit
tie fire and arc burning their boot
leather thereat. The colonel, his adju-
tant and the doctor arc curled up under
q tent fly that serves by day as wrap
for the rations and cooking kit they
carry on pack mule. Two company
commanders-the Alpha and Omega Of
the 10, as Major Sloat dubbed them
and Armitage by name, have rolled
themselves in their blankets under an
other tent fly and arc chatting i'll low
tones before dropping off to sleep. They
have been inseparable OH the journey
thus far. and the colonel has had two or
three long talks with them, but who
knows what tho morrow may bring
forth? There is still much to settle. One
officer, he Of the guard, il still afoot
and trudging about among the trees,
looking after his s,i!tIioa. Another OF
Ger. also alone, is sitting III silence
smoking IL piur Il is G!r. Jerrold
Cleared though hp il OF tie charges
originally broGslt ag2inSt Vim in the
minds OF his colGlol "Gl Captain Chcs-
ter, lac has lost caste With his fellows
and with thom OHly tJSo ca three men
have been made awar" OF the statement
which acquitted him, bGt every ono
knows instiDgtirIy tu.t h1 >J.s save'l
by Nina Bc..u5i'2, a.G that in accept
ing his release az her hantjS he had put
her to u cruel cHreI'c Every man
among his brother oi.icers knows in
some way that ic has been acquitted Of
having compton, .AliCc Rcnwick's
fair fame only by al abb that CORE
spondiugly harmed another. The fact
now generally kIOwn--that they We're
betrothed ard that the engagement was
openly annOunced--;N;,uc no difference.
Without being able To malyze his
conduct, che regiment WIS satisfied that
it had been selfish and contemplate,
and that was enough to- warrant giving
him the cold shoulder. He was quick
to SEQ and take the hint and in bitter
distress Of mind to Withdraw himself
from their companionsliip. He had
hoped and expected that his oagerness
to go with them on thcwild and sudden
would reinstate him in their
good graccs, but it failed utterly. ANY
man would seek that" was the verdict
Of the informal council held by tho Off
GERS. He would have been poltroon
il he hadn't sought to go, but while nc
isn't apoltroon he has done contempt
iblc thing" And so it stood. Rollins |
had cut him dead, refused his hand and |
denied him chance to explain Tell |