The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1895-02-15

study strength goes forth to join the
rescue OF the imprisoned comrades fal
Ia the Colorado Rockies. Have youI
entire command In readiness for imma-
date field service in the department q
the Platte. Special train will be thers
to take you by noon at latest And
though many a man has lost friend and
cOmrade in the tragedy that calls them
forth, and though many a brow clouds
for the moment with the bitter news Of
such useless sacrifice, every eye bright.
ems, every muscle seems to brace, every
nerve and pulse to throb and thrill with
the glorious excitement Of quick assem-.
bly, and coming action. Aye, we art
miles and miles away. We leave the
dear old post, with homes and fresides,
wives, children and sweethearts, all &c
the care Of the few whom sickness o.
old wounds or advancing years render
unfit for hard, sharp marching, and,
thank God, Wen be there to take &
hand and help those gallant fellows out
Of their corral or to have one good
blow at the cowardly hounds who lured
and lied to them!
How the assembly" rings on the
morning air! How quick they spring tc
the ranks, those eager bearded faces and
trim blue clad forms How buoyant and
brisk even the elders seem as the cap.
tains speed over to their company quar-
tiers and the quick, stirring orders are
given; Field kits; all the cooked "a
tions you have on hand; overooat,
blanket, extra socks and underclothes;
every cartridge you've got; haversack
and canteen and nothing else. Now get
ready-liyelyp How irrepressible is
the cheer that goes up! How we pity
the swells Of the light battery who have
to stayl How wistful those fellows look,
and how eagerly they throng about the
barracks, yearning to go, and, since that
is denied, praying to be of use in some
wayi Small wonder is it that all the
hustle and excitement penetrates the
portals of Mr.. Jerrold's darkened quar-
tiers, and the shutters are thrown open
and his bandaged head comes forth.
"What is it, Harris?" he demands Of
alight hatteryman who is hurrying past
"Orders for Colorado, sir. The regi-
ment goes by special train. Major Thorn
toms commands been massacred, and
there's big fight ahead"
"My God! Here stop one moment
Run over to Company B and see if you
can find my servant or Merrick or
somebody. If not, you come back quick
I want to send a note to Captain Armi-
tage.
81 can take it, sir. We're not going.
The band and the battery have to stay. "
And Jerrold, with trembling hand
and feverish haste, seats himself at the
same desk whence on that fatal morning
he sent the note that wrought such dis
aster, and as he rises and hands his
missiYe forth, throwing wide open the
shutters as he does so, his bedroom door
flies open, and whirling gust Of the
morning wind sweeps through from rear
to front, and half a score Of bills and
billets, letters and scraps Of paper, go
-ballOOning ont upon the parade.
by heavenP he mutters, "that's
how it happened, is it? Look at them
gol" for going they were, in spiral ed
dies or fiuttering skips, up the grassy
quad and over among the rose
bushes Of Alice Ronwick' S garden Over
on the other side Of the narrow, old
fashioned frontier fort the men were
bustling about, and their exultaIt, eager
voices rang out on the morning air All
was life and animation, and even IL
Jerrcld's selfish s>ul there rose re5la>s-
siYe echo to ths soldiery spirit th-r
svU--.t,j to peryade the whole command.
1t was their first summons to active field
duty with prospective battle since he had
Joined, and with all his shortcomings
as "duty" officer III garrison and his
many frailties Of character, Jerrold was
not the man to lurk in the rear when
there was danger ahead. 1t dawned on
him with sudden and crushing force
that now it lay in the power of his enc
mics to do him vital injury; that he
could be held here at the post like a
suspected felon, mark for every fin
ger a target for every tongue, while ev-
cry other officer of his regiment was
hurrying with his men to take his
knightly share in the coming onset. Il
was intolerable, shameful. He paced
the floor of his little parlOr in nervous
misery, ever and anon gazing from the
window for sight of his captain. 1t wa;
to him he had written, urging that he
be permitted a few moments talk.
''This is no time for a personal misun
derstanding, be wrote. 81 must SEE
you at once. I can clear away the
doubts, can explain my action; but, fol
heavens sake, intercede for me with
Captain Chester that I may go with the
command -
As lack would have it, Armitage wa,
with Chester at the Office when the let
ter was handed IN. He opened it, gave
a whistle Of surprise and simply helt
it forth to the temporary commander.
Read that. he said.
Chester frowned, bat took the not,
and looked it curiously over.
81 have no patience with the MAJ
now, he said. "Of course, after wha
saw last night, begin to understand
the nature Of his defense, but we don
want any such man in the regimen
after this WHAT'S the use of taking
him with us?''
THAT isn't the point, +" said Armi
tage Now or never. possibly, is thi
time TO clear up this mystery. o
course Maynard viii be up to Join u
BIZ the first train, ana what won't it b
worth to him TO have positive proof tina
all his fears were unfounded?'
Even if it wasn't Jerrold, there !
still the fact that I saw q man chamber
ing out of her window. How is that t
be cleared upg' said Chester gloonily.