Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-07-31
FROM THE RANKS.
By CAPTAIN CHARLES KING.
r<o4. by the J. B. LippineOtt Col
CHAPTER IN.

ter the rest or the mgnI- lie went nome, threw off his sword belt and seated him self in a big easy chair before his fire place, deep ill thought Once or twice he arose and paced restlessly up and down the room, as he had done in his excited talk with Rollins some few hours before. Then he was simply angry and argumentative or declamatory. Now he had settled down into very different frame of mind He seemed awcd, stunned, crushed He had all the bearing and mien of one who, having defiantly predicted a calamity, was thundcrstruck by the verification of his prophecy.
 In all his determined arraignment of MT. Jerrold, in all the harsh things he had said and thought of him, he had never imagined any such depth of scOundreliSm as the revelations of the night fureshadowCd. Chester differed from many of his brotherhood There was no room for rejoicing in his heart that the worst he had ever said of Jer- rold was unequal to the apparent truth He took no comfort to his soul that those who called him cynical, grabbed, unjust, even malicious, would now be compelled to admit he was right in his estimate Like the best of us, Chester could not ordinarily say Wade retro" to the temptation to think, if not to say. Didn't I tell you so?" when in everyday affairs his oft disputed views were proved well founded But in the face of such catastrophe as now ap- peared engulfing the fair fame of his regiment and the honor of those whom his colonel held dear. Chester could feel only dismay and grief What was his duty in the light of the discoveries he had made? To the best of his belief, he was the only man ill the garrison who had evidence of Jerrold's absence from his own quarters and of the presence of some one at her window He had taken prompt measures to prevent its being suspected by others. He purpos ly sent his guards to search along the cliff in the opposite direction, while he went to Jerrold's room and thence back to re- move the telltale ladder. Should he tell any one until he had confronted Jerrold | with the evidence of his guilt, and wringing from him his resignation send | him far from the post before handing it in: Time and again he wished Frank Armitage were here. The youngest cap tain ill the regiment. Armitage had been for years its adjutant and deep in the confidence of Colonel Maynard. He | was thorough soldier, q strong, self reliant, courageous man, and one for l whom Chester had ever felt a warm esteem. Armitagc was on leave of ab- ScncC, hOwevCr-had been away some time on account of family matters and would not return, it was known, until he had effected the removal of his moth CT and sister to the new home he had purchased for them ill the distant east. IL was to his company that Jerrold had been promoted, and there was friction from the very week that the handsome subaltern joined.
 Armitage had long before taken his measure" and was in no wise pleased that so lukewarm a soldier should have come to him ;IS senior subaltern. They had a very plain talk, for Armitage was straightforward as dart, and then, as Jcrrold showed occasional lapses, the captain shut down on some of his most | cherished privileges. and, to the indig nation of society. the failure of Mir. Jer- l TOld to appear at one or two gatherings where he was confidently expected was ] speedily laid at his captains door. The recent death of his father kept Armitage from appearing i'll public, and. as neither he nor the major twho commanded the regiment while Maynard was abroad' voUChsafed the fainteSt explanation, so- Ciety was allowed to form it's own con- clusiOns and did to the effect that MT. Jerrold was a wronged and per. secuted man. It was just as the May nards arrived at Sibley that ArmitagC departed on his leave. and, to his un speakable bliss, MT Jerrold succeeded to the command of his company. Thi: fact. coupled with the charming rela tionS which were straightway establish ed with the colonels family. placed him in position of independence anC gave him opportunities he had nevel known before It was speedily eviden that he was negleCting his military du ties that Company B was running dowI much faster than Armitage had built i up. and yet no man felt like speaking O it to the colonel. who saw it only occa sionally on dress parade. Chester ha' about determined to write to Armitag himself and suggest his speedy return when this eventful night arrived. Nov
 
 done at once and had seated himself a his desk when the roar of the sunris gun and the blare of the bugles warne him that reveille had come and he mus
 again go to his guard Before he return
 ed to his quarters another complication
 even more embarrassing, had arisen and the letter to ArmitaGc was post poned-
 He had received the present" of hi - guard and verified the presence of all hi
 prisoners when he saw Major Sloa
 still standing out in the middle of tn
 parade, where the adjutant usually rt :; ceived the reports of the roll calls SeN a eral company officers, having made thei reports, were scurrying back to quarter Y for another snooze before breakfast tim T or to get their cup of coffee before goin
 out to the range. Chester strolled ov6 Y toward him.
 ) Whats the matter, Sloat?"
 Nothing much. The colonel tol
 me to receive the reveille reports fC :. Hoyt this week. He's on general cou if martial
 "Yes, I know all that 1 mean. whf
 are you waiting for?''
 MT. Jerrold again. There's no n
 port from his company.
 Have you sent to wake him?'' No; I'll go myself and do it tho
 Oughly too" And the little majC
 turned sharply away and walked dire
 to the low range of bachelor quarter
 dived under the piazza and into u
 green doorway.
 , Hardly knowing how to explain h He action, Chester quickly followed al - in less than a minute was standing ,, the selfsame parlor which, by the lig
 of fiickering match, he had search'
 two hours before. Here he halted aI