The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1895-03-08
CHAPTER XYn.

+k4S btA4SAA k5-s-S5 t-1eEb tAess uOOl b4DstOil-
ing ali day IN the fierce rays Of the sum
mer sun, q little column Of infantry is
swinging steadily southwark. Long
and toilsone has been the march; hot,
dusty and parching the day. Hats have
been few and far between. and every
man, from the colonel down, IS coated
With a gray mask Of powdered alkali,
the contribution Of two hours tramp
through Dead Mans canyon Just before
the sun went down. Now, however,
they are climbing the range The NOR
row will bring them to the broad and
beautiful valley Of the Spirit Wolf. and
there they must have news. Officers and
men are footgore and weary, but no one
begs for rest. Colonel Maynard, riding
ahead On sorry hack he picked up at
the station two days long march behind
them, is eager to reach the springs at
Forest Glade before ordering bivouac
for the night A week agone no one
who saw him at Sablon would have
thought the colonel cit for march like
this, but he seems rejuyenate. His head
is high, his eye as bright, his bearing
as full Of spirit as mans could possibly
be at so, and the whole regiment cheered
him when he caught the column at
Omaha A talk with Chester and Ar.
mitage seemed to have made new man
of him, and tonight be is full Of an en-
ergy that inspires the entire command.
Though they were farther away than
many other troops ordered to the scene,
the fact that their station was on the
railway, and that they could be sent by
special trains 20 Omaha and thence to
the west, enabled them to begin their
rescue march ahead of all the other foot
troops and behind only the powerful
command Of cavalry that was whirled
to the scene the moment the authorities
woke up to the fact that it should have
been sent in the first place. Old May
nard would give his very ears to get to
Thornton's corral ahead of them, but
the cavalry has SO hours start and four
legs to two. Every moment he looks
ahead expeotant Of tidings from the
front that shall tell him the til
were there and tho remnant rescued.
Even then, he knows, he and his long
springfelds will be needed. Tho cavalry
can fight their way in to the succor Of
the besieged, but once there will be
themselves surrounded and too few in
numbers to begin aggressive move
ments. He and his will indeed be vel
come re-enforcements, and so they
trudge ahead.
The moon is up, and it is nearly 10
o'clock when, high up on the rolling
divide, the springs are reached, and,
barely waiting to quench their thirst in
the cooling waters, the wearied men roll
themselves i'll their blankets under the
giant trees, and guarded by q few out
lying piokets are soon asleep. Most Of
the officers have sprawled around lit
tie fire and are burning their boot
leather thereat. The colonel, his adju-
tant and the doctor are ourled mp under
tent fly that serves by day as a wrap
for the ratiOns and cooking kit they
carry on pack mule Two company
communicable Alpha and Omega of
the 10, as Major Sloat dubbed them
the senior and junior III rank. Chester
and Armitage by name, have rolled
themselves in their blankets under an
other tent fly and me chatting in low
tones before dropping of to sleep They
have been inscp~rGble Oil the journey
thus far, and the colonel has had two or
three long talks with them, but who
knows what the morrow may bring
forth? There is still much to settle One
officer, he of the guard, is still afoot
and trudging about among the trees,
looking after his sentTies, Another Off
Ger, also alone, is sitting in silence
smoking a pipe 1t is Glr. Jerrold
Cleared though he is of the charges
originally brought against him in the
minds Of his colonel and Captain Ches-
ter, he has lost caste with his fellows
and with them. Only two Or three men
have been made aware Of the statement
which acquitted him, but every one
knows instinctiyely that be was saved
by Nina Beaubien, and that in accept
ing his release at her hands he had put
her to a cruel expense Every man
among his brother officers knows in
some way that he has been acquitted Of
having compromised Alice Renwiuk's
fair fame only by an alibi that CORE
spondingly harmed another The fact
now generally known-that they were
betrothed and that the engagement was
openly anpounoed-made no difference.
Without being able to enalyze his
conduct, the regimentwa satisfied that
it had been selfish and contemplate.
and that was enough TO warrant giving
him the cold shoulder. he was quick
to see and take the hint and iii bitter
distress Of mind to Withdraw himself
from their companionship He had
hoped and expected that his oagerness
to go with them on tkewild ard sudden
campaign would reinstate him il their
good graees, but it failed utterly. ANY
man would seek that, was the verdict
of the informal council held By the Off
GERS. He would have been a poltroon
if he hgdn't sought to go, bat while he
isn't a polT0on he has done contempt
lille thing, And so it stood. Rollins
had cut him dead, refused his hand and
denied him a chance to explain. Tell
him he can't explain, y was the savage
reply he sent by tho adiutant. who con
ssptea to carry Jeirold's message in
order that he might have fair play.
He knows, without explanation, the
wrong no has done to more thaa enc. ]
Won t have anything to go with hi;l. p
Others avoided him and only colby
spoke to hil wEsm speech was n6oes-
salg. Chester treated him with marked
aversion; the ealonel would net lock al
nlra; oniy ATr.ltage-tiis eaptaiB-ha0
2 tseeent Eord for him at any time, ana