The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1894-12-14
CHAPTER II.-Continued.

"All right, I think, sor, though il
the captain had asked me that half an
hour ago I'd not have said so. It was
so dark 1 couldn't see me hand afore me
face, sor, but about half past 2 1 was
walkin very slow down back Of the
quarters whin just close by Loot'na
Jerrold shack gate I seen somethin NOV
In, an as I come softly along it riz
up, an sure 7 thought twas the loot'n-
ant himself, whin he seemed to catch
sight o. me or hear me, an he backed
inside the gate an shut it. I was sure
twas he, he was SO tall an slimlike,
an 50 niver said word until I got to
thinkin over it, an then I couldn't
spake, Sure if it had been the loot'n-
ant he wouldn't have backed away from
a sintry-he'd "a come out bold an Civ
en- the countersign-but I didn't think
o. that 1t looked like him in the dark,
an twas his quarters, an I thought it
was him until I thought ag'in, an then,
sor, I whit back and searched the yard,
but there was no one there, 2
''Hmi Odd thing that, Leary Why
didn't you challenge at first?"
''Sure, sor, he lept inside the fnce
quick as iyer We set eyes on each other.
He was bendin down, an thought it
was one of the hound pups when I first
sighted him"
"And he hasn't been around SINGER"
''No, gor, nor nobody till the officer
Of the day came along"
Chester walked away puzzled. Sibley
was quiet and orderly garrison. Night
providers had never been heard from,
especially over here at the south and
southwest fronts. The enlisted men 60
ing to or from town passed across the
big high bridge or went at once to
their own quarters on the east and
north. This southwestern terrace behind
the bachelors row was the most seclud-
ed spot on the whole post, so much so
that when a fire broke ont there among
the fuel heaps one sharp winters night
year agone it had we'll nigh enveloped
the whole line before its existence was
discovered. Indeed not until after this
occurrence was a sentry posted On that
front at all, and once ordered there he
had so little to do and was so compare
lively sure to be undisturbed that the
old soldiers eagerly sought the post in
preference to any other and were given
it as a peace privilege. For months re-
lief after relief tramped around the fort
and found the terrace post as humdrum
and silent as an empty church, but this
night No. leaped suddenly into notori-
ETY..
Instead Of going home, Chester kept
on across the plateau and took q long
walk on the northern side of the reser-
walton, where the quartermaster's stables
and corFals were placed. He was affect
ed by strange unrest. His talk with
Rollins had aroused the memories Of
years long gone by, Of days when he,
too, was young and full of hope and
fsith-aye, full of loYe-all layished on
one fair girl who knewit we'll, but gen,
tly. almost entreatingly, repealed him.
Her heart was wrapped up in another,
the AdOnis of his day in the gay old sea-
board garrison She was a soldiers
child, barrack born, simply taught,
knowing little of the vice and tempta-
tions, the follies and the frauds, of the
whirling life of civilization, A good
and gentle mother had reared her and
been called hence Her father, an ON
Ger whose saber arm was left at Moline
del Rey, and whose heart was crushed
when the loving wife was taken from
him, turned to the child who so resem-
bled her and centered there all his re-
naming love and life. He welcomed
Chester to his home and tacitly favored
his suit, but in his blindness never saw
how few moonlit strolis on the old
moss grown parapet, a few evening
dances in the classmates with handsome,
woOing, winning Will Forester had
done their work She gave him all the
wild, enthusiastic, worshiping love Of
her girlish heart just about the time
Captain and Mrs. Maynard came back
from leave, and then he grew cold and
negligent there, but lived at Maynard's
fireside, and one day there came SEN
sation-a tragedy-and Mrs. Maynard
went away and died abroad, and a
shocked and broken hearted girl hid her
face from all and pinned at home, and
Mr.. Forrester's resignation was sent
from no enc knew Just where, and no
one would have cared to know except
Maynard. Hewould have followed him,
pistol in hand, but Forester gave him
no chance. Years afterward Chester
again sought her and offered her his
love and his name It was useless, she
told him sadly. She lived only for her
father now and would never leave him
till he died, and then she prayed she
might 20 too. Memories like this will
come mp at such times in these sans
''still watches of the night - Chester
was in moody frame Of mind when
about half an hour later he came back
past the guardhouse, The sergeant was
standing near the lighted entrance. and
the captain called him;
There's a ladder lying back of the
colonel s quarters on the roadway. Some
Of those painters left it, I suppose. It's
q wonder some of the reliefs have not
broken their necks over it going around
tonight Let the next one pick it up
and move it out of the way. Hasn't it
been repOrted?'
mot to me, sir. Corporal Schneider