Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-11-22
FROM THE RANKS.
BY CAPTAIN CHARLES KING.
Copyright, 1894, by the ]. B. Lippincott Co
CHAPTER VI

CHAPTER VI
A lovely morning it was that beamed
on Sibley and the broad and beautiful
valley Of the Cloudwater when once the
sun got fairly above the moist horizon.
Mist and vapor and heavy cloud all
seemed swallowed up in the gathering,
glowing warmth, as though the king OF
day had risen athirst and drained the
welcoming cup of nature. 1t must have
rained at least little during the dark
ness of the night, for dew there could
have been none with skies so heavily
overcast, and yet the short, smooth turf
on the parade, the leaves upon the little
shade trees around the quadrangle and
all the beautiful vines here on the trel-
liswork of the colonel's veranda shone
and sparkled in the radiant light. The
roses in the little garden and the old
fashioned r'orning glory vines over at
the east side were all aglitter in the
flooding sum- hine when the bugler came
out from a glance at the clock in the
adjutant's Office and sounded "sick
call" to the Indifferent ear of the garri-
son.
Once each day at 7:30 a. m. the doc
tor trudged across to the hospital and
looked over the half dozen "hopelessly
healthy" but would be invalids who
wanted to get off guard duty or morn
ing at the range. Thanks to the search
ing examination to which every soldier
must be subjected before he can enter
the service of Uncle Sam and to the dis
ciplined order of the lives of the men at
Sibley, maladies Of any serious nature
were almost unknown. 1t was glori-
ously healthy post, as everybody admit
ted, and, to Judge from the specimen of
young womanhood that came singing
"blithe and low" out among the roses
this same joyous morning, exuberant
we'll being was not restricted to the men.
A fairer picture never did dark beau
ty present than Alice Renwick as she
bent among the bushes or reached high
among the vines in search Of her favor
ite fowers-tall, slender, willowy, yet
with exquisitely rounded form; slim,
dainty little hands and feet; graceful
arms and wrists, all revealed in the
flowing sleeves Of her snowy, weblike
gown, fitting her and displaying her
sinuous grace Of form as gowns so sell
dom do. today. Aud then her face-a
glorious picture of rich, ripe, tropical
beauty. with its great soulful, sunlit
eyes, heavily shaded though they were
with those wondrous lashes; beautiful,
too, in contour, as was the 1.-THE body,
and beautiful in every feature, even to
the rare and dewy curve of her red lips,
half opened as she sang. She was smil-
ing to herself as she crooned her soft,
murmuring melody, and every little
while the great dark eyes glanced over
toward the shaded doors of bachelors
row. There was no one up to watch and
tell. Why should she not look thither
and even stand one moment peering un-
der the veranda at darkened window
half way down the row, as though i'm
patient at the nonappearance Of some
familiar signal? How came the laggard
late? How slept the knight while here
his lady stood impatient? She twined
the leaves and roses in a fragrant knot,
ran lightly within and laid them on
the snowy cloth beside the colonel's seat
at table, came forth and pluclied some
more and fastened them, blushing, bliss
full, in the lace fringed opening of her
gown, through which, soft and creamy,
shone the perfect neck.
Daisy, tell my fortune, pray:
He loves ME nol-he loves me-"
she blithely sang, then, hurrying to the
gate, shaded her eyes with the shapely
hand and gazed intently. Twas near
ing 8-nearing breakfast time. But
some one was coming. Horrid! Captain
Chester, of all men! Coming, of course,
to see papa, and papa not down yet, and
mamma had headache and had decid-
ed not to come down at all-she would
breakfast in her room. What girl on
earth, when looking and longing and
waiting for the coming of graceful
youth Of 26, would be anything but dis
mayed at the substitution therefor Of a
bulky, heavy hearted captain of 46, no
matter if he were still unmarried? And
yet her smile was sweet and cordial.
"Why, good morning, Captain Ches-
ter. I'm so glad to see you this bright
day. Do come in and let ME give you a
rose. Papa will soon be down." And