Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1894-03-08


them it was taking chances to let Judge
Gillette and that infantry quartermas-
ter try to 20 through without escort.
begged to throw up the job that very
night. but they held me TO my contract,
and | had to 20. We were jumped not
10 miles ont of town, and before any
one could draw derringer every man
of us was covered. The judge might
have known they'd shoot him on sight
ever since that greaser from Iiermosillo
was lynched. But they never harmed
the quartermaster.
"Huh The devil they didn't"
laughed the lieutenant. They took
his watch and his money and every
thing he had on except his undercloth-
ing. How long had you been driving
when that happcned?'
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 hereabouts 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 reply.
II was born in Texas. Here comes the
troop, sir.
Come or, then. l want to ask You
about that trail to Crittenden as we
ride. We make first for the Picacho
pass from here"
why, that's south Of west, sir y an
swered Bland. IL had thought perhaps
the lieutenant would want to go north
ward toward the ella to head off any
parties of the Apaches that might be
striving to get away eastward with
their booty. They must have picked
up something over at the Bend. "
'They're moro likely to go south
ward, Bland, for they know where
we've been scouting all the week. No,
Ill march straight to the signal. There
they must know where the Indians
| have gone.
AYE, aye, sir, but then you can only
pursue, and a stern chase is Il long
one. -
Drummond turned in his saddle as
they rode forth upon the dark falda and
gazed long and txedly at the trooper by
his side. Imperturbably Bland con-
tinued to look straight ahead. Queer
stories had been ahoat regarding this
new acquisition. He mingled but lit
tie with the men. He affected rather
the society of the better class of nom
commissioned officers. an otferse not
likely to be condoned in a recruit. Ho
was already distinguished for his easy
mastery OF every detail OF a cavalry
man s duty, and for his readiness to &C
at any or all times on scout, escort OF
patrol and the more hazardous or lonely
the task the better he seemed to like it.
Then he was helpful about the Offices
- ,,.IAia,.u, wrote a neat hand, was Of
D.. 4 pressed into service to aid with the
Quartermaster or cOnmissaTy papers,
and had been offered permanent daily
duty as company clerk, but begged off,
; saying he loved a horse and cavalry
work too well to be immured iii an Office.
, He was silence and reticence itself on
) matters affecting other people, but thC
| soul of frankness apparently where
he was personally concerned. ANY
body was welcome to know his past, he
? said. He was raised in Texas; haC
: lived for years on the frontier; haC
l been through Arizona with a bull team
in the ffties. and had listed under the
7 banner of the Lone Star when Texas
went tho way of all the sisterhood Of
southern mot border states, and then
g being stranded after the war, had bul
whacEed" again through New Mexico
= had drifted again across the Mimbre'
t 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 poss
that cleaned out Sonora Bills ittlt
t band of thugs and cutthroats and hat
) expressed entire willingness to officiat,
as that lively outlaws executioncr il
e case of his capture.
4 He had twice been robbed while driv
e ing the stage across tine divide and hat
:, been left for dead in the Maricop
: range, an episode which he said wa
the primal cause of his dissipation
] later. Finally, after summary dis
e charge he had come to the adiutant a
e Camp Lowell, presented two or tire
O certificates of good character and BRAY
4 cry in the field from officers who Dor
9 famous names in the southern army
It and the regimental recruiting Office
l. thought he could put mp with an occa
e siOnal drunk in Il man who promised I
e make as good a trooper under the star
s and stripes as he had made under tn
stars and bars. And so he was enlisted
- and to the surprise Of everybody hadn'
= taken drop since.
r Now this, said the rank and file wa
proof positive of something RADICAL
t. wrong, either in his disposition or hi
record. 1t was entirely comprehensive
Is and fully in accordance with huma
It nature and the merits of the case that
q man should quit drinking when he Qui
II the army, but that a man with the bio
of an occasional spree on his escutchco
o should enlist for any other cause tina
Y sheer desperation and should then be
l.. Z. l