The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1894-12-07


whom such close communion with
watehful senior would have been most
embarrassing, and Mr.. Rollins prede-
eessor as second lieutenant Of Chester's
company was one Of these Nh. Jerrold
was happy man when promotion took
him from under the wing Of Crusty
Jake and landed him In Company B.
More than that, it came Just at q time
when, after four years Of loneliness and
isolation at an up river stockade, his
new company and his old one, together
with four others from the regiment
were ordered to join headquarters and
the band at the most delightful station
in the northwest. Here Mr.. Rollins had
reported for duty during the previous
autumn, and here they were with troops
Of other arms of the service, enjoying
the close proximity Of all the good things
Of civilization.
Chester looked up, with a quizzical
smile, as his 'plebe" came in:
well, Sir, how many dances had you
with Sweet Alice, Ben Bolt? Not many,
l fancy, with air. JerTold monopolizing
everything as usual By gadI some good
fellow could make a colossal fortune in
buying that young man at my valua-
ton and selling him at his own.
"Oh, come, now, captain, laughed
Rollins, "Jerrold's no such SLOUGH as
you make him out He's lazy, and he
likes to spoon, and he puts up with
good deal of petting from the girls
who wOuldn'tif he could get it?-but he
is jolly and big hearted and don't put
on any airs-with Us, at least-snd the
mess like him first rate. 'Tain't his
fault that he's handsome and a regular
lady killer You must admit that he
had pretty tough four years of it up
there at that cussed old Indian grave
yard, and it's only natural he should
enjoy getting here, where there are the
aters and concerts and operas and dances
aud dinners 49,
Eyes, dances and dinners and daugh-
tiers, all delightful, I know, but no ex-
cuse for a mans neglecting his mani
fest duty, rs he is doing and has been
ever since We got here. ANY other time
the colonel would have Strengthened him
out, bat no use trying itnow, when both
women in his household are as big fools
about the man Us anybody in town-
bigger, unless I'm born idiot And
Chester rose excitedly.
4 suppose he had Miss Renwick pref
ty much to himself tonight?" he pres
emily demanded, looking angrily and
searchingly at his junior, as though half
expecting him to dodge the question.
"Oh, yes Why not? It's pretty evil
dent she would rather dance and be
with him than with any one else. So
what can a fellow do? Of course W ask
her to dance and all that, and I think
he wants Us to, but l cannot help feel
ing rather bore to her, even if she is
only 10, and there are plenty of pleas
ant girls IL the garrison who don't get
any too much attention, now we're so
near a big city, and like to be with
them.
eyes, and it's the right thing for you
to do, youngster. That's one trait de-
spise i'll JGrold. When we were up
there at the stockade two winters ago
and Captain Gray's little girl was there,
he hung around her from morning till
night, and the poor little thing fairly
beamed and blossomed with delight.
Look at her now, mani He doesn't go
near her He hasn't had the decency to
take her a walk, a drive or anything
since we got here. he began from the
moment we camo with that gang in
town. He was simply devoted to Miss
Beaubien until Alice Renwick came
Then he dropped her like a hot brick
By the eternal, Rollins, he hasn't got
off with that old love yet, you mark
my words. There's Indian blood in her
veins and a look in her eye that makes
me WTiggle sometimes. l watched her
last night at parade when she drove out
here with that copper faced old squaw,
her mother. For all her French and
Italian education and her years in New
York and Paris that girls got wild
streak in her somewhere. She sat there
watching him as the officers marched to
the front, and then her, as he went up
and joined Miss Renwick, and there
was a CLEAN of her white teeth and
fash in her black eyes that made me
think Of the leap Of a knife from the
sheath. Not but what 'twould serve
him right if she did play him some dew
IFS trick It's his own doing. Were any
people out from town." he suddenly
asked.
"Yes, half a dozen or so, 4" answered
Mr.. Rollins, who was pulling of his
boots aud inserting his feet into easy
slippers, while old "Crusty" tramped
excitedly up and down the floor Most
of them staid out here I think. Only
one team went back across the bridge "
Whose was that:"
1.-THE SuttOns', l believe. Young
Cub Sutton was out with his sister and
another girl.
There's another id fool"
growled Chester. THAT boy has $40, 900
a year of his own, a beautiful home that
viii be his, a doting mother and sister
and everything wealth can buy, and yet,
b. CAD, he's unhappy because he can't
be a poor devil of a lieutenant with
nothing but drills, debts and rife prac-
tice 10 enliven him. That's what brings
him out here all the time He'd swap
places with Won in q minute. Isn't he