Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1895-01-31
SERGEANT CRGSUS,
~ CAPT. CHARLES KING, U. g. A
Copyright. 1905 BY J. B. LIppncott c..
IcoNTINUED FROM LAST WEEK. /
CHAPTER XIII.

the undisputed custody of the person
OF Trooper Schramm, and by that time
the sheriff began to wonder whether
he really wanted him or not. To begin
with, the young German lay at Pawnee
for nearly week in about the hottest
fever DR.. French had ever encountered.
The infantry went on home to Ransom
with most of Thornton's little squad
and the wounded, but Col. Thornton's
influence with his old comrade, the ad-
Jutant general of the department, was
amply sufficient to have the doctor and
some attendants remain there with his
son and Schramm. There were days of
delirium in which the young Prussian
babbled of the Rhineland, of home and
mother, of old days in saddle with the
hussars on the sunny slopes beyond
Metz, of mad envy at sight of Bredow's
squadrons riding away eastward from
the heights of Tronville, down the
sheltering ravine, then up the slopes
again and, in headlong charge, full on
the front of the battling French. Then,
exultant, he seemed to hear the longed-
for order for his own fellows, to recall
the keen soldier rivalry between Uhlan,
cuirassier and hussar, as the three regil
ments lined up for their charge, with
dragons and hussars in support, and
with the August sun just sinking in the
west they swooped down upon the ar
rayed divisions CT Montern and Cleram-
bault to the north of Marshal Tour.
And then he lived again the perilous
hours of his first experience with the
Sioux, and poured out his heart in gra.
titude to the officer who SO pluckily
saved him. Old Thornton, sitting by
his camp cot, his father-heart yearning
over his own boy lying in placid slum-
Der close at hand, learned enough to
guide him in letter to the American
legation at Berlin,-a soldier fathers
letter to another soldier father in q
foreign land, angered at and estranged
from the son of whose very existence,
perhaps, he was in doubt. The letter
was posted before Thornton heard him
babble of other names, and tell Of the
gnadige Fraulein, Morgan's oldest child,
and with grave face the colonel rose
and looked at his sleeping boy, and
went out upon the breezy prairie, walk.
ing for hours before his return. Many
things did Schramm mutter and MUIR
muir and reveal that Thornton could
not understand at all, but he knew
enough German to divine much of the
soldiers past, and to demand of his son
what letter was that he sent to Con-
stance Morgan; whereat Perry, looking
much amazed, answered with all
promptitude: Letter to Connie Nor
gan? Why, certainly! wrote to her
the second day out from Ransom to tell
her what you told me about promotion
and to ask her to send us the measures
for her fathers belt and helmet. The
men of the old troop were bound to
send him his captains shoulder knots
and some one suggested that it might
be pious idea to chip in and order a
new outfit, helmet and knots
and belt and ADJUST to surprise him.
Some thought he might take offence,
but old Tintop swore he shouldn't"
And Thornton pere walked out again.
Perry had never lied to him in his life.
Would it be fair to ask the boy If he
had been making love to Morgan's
daughter?
But within the week the crisis was
was out of danger. |
Mother and sisters were clamoring for |
Perry at home, so eastward went the
colonel and his boy, and presently, by
easy stages, westward went Schramm,
his escort camping at Alkali, crossing
10 the north bank and going on to Min
len, where camp was made again, and
where Mr.. Fisk, the agent, came over,
,stensibly to see if he could be OF any
service, and then went back to his
office and said to deputy sheriff that
4 that was one of the men who came
n with the dispatch that Friday morn
ng of the LIST of June he'd changed SO
le couldn't tell him.
Meantime, Rand had been clear
around to the agency by the other
quite, and turned up again at Butte
he day Schramm was returned to
Ransom. Don't you disturb him, Mr..
Sheriff" said he, 'and just take my adj
nee now, don't go too fast on this trail;
,ou may get in SO far you cant get
,ack-with credit to yourself" And
,ut at the post the doctor had given
trict orders that nobody should breathe
n Schramms hearing what everybody
he was wanted" for the
,Iinden robbery. "My first duty is to
ee him restored to health and
trength," said he; "then the law
must take it's course" And SO,
With the regiment long miles away,
,chramm lay patiently in hos
,ital, tenderly thought for by every
me, frequently remembered through
he mails by the distant family OF
rhorntons, promoted corporal OF his
room in regimental orders promulgated
rom headquarters in the field and read
/ the whole assembled command both
here and here at Ransom, reciting the
,eroic nature Of his conduct in the az.
air at Slaughter cove and the skill
nd bravery with which, his superiors
,eino disabled by wounds, he had con-
noted the defense. All this was very
,leasant to Schramm, whose eyes
irhted with Joy when Morgan his
4 1xyl