Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1895-06-08
AN ARMY PORTIA.
By CHARLES KING, q. s. A..
AuthorOf THE Coloncl'S Daughter" "Ths
LeSertCr, From the Ranks" Dun.
rdpen RdHch," "TtrO Soldiers"

at was some OF our men that did 1t,
sir" said Wallace regretfully, "and I'd
give a month pay to prove 1t on them
I'd give more than that if | thought |
could prove that no cavalryman had
anything to do with 1t.
Then the colonel had sent his orderly
to ask the doctor how Brent was coming
on. and the doctor replied that he was
still unconscious and he really could not
tell how the case would end. 1t was
from this message the orderly had just
returned. Old Morris was greatly dis
turbed. He had proposed having re-
view of the entire command, cavalry
dismounted. and treating his guests to q
stirring and martial sight. but when the
assembly sounded he had completely
changed his mind and so informed his
wife I'm AZ upset about this affair."
he said, and impatient to begin an in
vestigation."
The band was ordered back to quar-
tiers, the captains were notified to i'll
spect their companies on their own pa
rades, and merely exchanging his helmet
for forage cap and laying aside his saber
the colonel strobe over to the office, pass
ing by ths three cavalry troops that were
nearest him, even cutting across the
parade as though to avoid salute, and
appeared directly in front of G troop,
that was drawn up in double rank and
at open order fartheSt to the south side.
Lieut.. Hearn, temporarily in command,
was engaged in inspecting carbines, but
at sight of the regimental commander
l., Il h
hand to the visor Of his helmet.
go on. go on, Mr.. Hearn, said the
colonel gruif1y Il did not mean to in
terrupt YOU" Nevertheless, he who had
paid no attention to the other companies
plainly halted IN front of G, and was
scanning the mems faces with eyes that
were full of gloom. Next he strobe
around the right Of the line and passed
down III front OF the rear rank until he
reached the center, where the tallest
men were standing, and where he fixed
his gaze upon one soldier. Il tall, slender
but muscular fellow: he looked him over
from head to foot. but passed him slowly
without one word. A sergeant file closer
noted that the fingers of the soldiers left
hang twitched and closed as the colonel
approached, and that a lump seemed to
rise in the brawny throat, but was quick
" gulped down. There was no other
symptom, though, and Lieut.. Mason,
the adiutant, who had joined his colonel,
saw that the mans eyes never wavered
from their look straight to the front. al
though he might have paled II trit1e un-
der that stern, searching gaze,
Hale an bo1,. 1utar hano
over, the colonel sat in his Office, holding
an investigation. The captain Of Z
troop was absent on sick leave at tue
time, and the command had devOlved
upon Young officer who had won fine
record in their Arizona days, and who
WAS regarded throughout the regiment
rs perhaps the most promising Of all the
subalterns. He was an excellent horse
man. a fine tactician, and Il drillmaster
Of whom his men had become vastly
proud Under the mild hammered sway
of their captain. war veteran Of UNI
certain years. G had fallen about to the
foot in proficiency in drill and hOrseman-
ship. But the moment young Hearn got
command they began the turning over
of a very new leaf. Little instruction
of any kind except mountain scouting
had been impaired in Arizona but wher
they came eastward. and old Riggs
their former colonel. made way for
much better soldier, discipline and drill
began on the instant.
For few weeks G. troop had to take
all the raspings, and the men We're dis,
heartened as much by the jeers Of theil
comrades as by the sharp rapS of thei1
colonel. Hearn, too, was fretting him
self half to death, but when his captain
was taken i'll and was compelled to turn
over the troop to his subaltern, the
youngster took hold III ii way that
filed Mason's soul with delight and
that speedily enchanted the men. From
being the worst, G troop soon challenged
all corners for the right to be called the
best drilled troop at the post. and Capt
Lane, of d, had cordially congratulated
Hean on the result of his excellent
effort. The young fellow had that facul
ty, i'll which SO many are lacking. of in.
spring the men with enthusiasm anG
interest: and by the time April was
ushered in there WAS nothing the troop
ers of G would not do for their young
commander
Black sheep, they say, exist i'll every
flock and while fifty or more of Their
men swore by their lieutenant. and were
proud to serve under him, there were
perhaps two soldiers in the troop who
seemed to lose no opportunity of de
flaming him. One of these was II mar
named Goss. who had long been on extra
or daily dutY as clerk for the uuarter