Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1895-01-24


''oH! OF COURSE, ALL MEN ARE NNo-
CENT UNTIL PROVED GUILTY"
they had struck out for town. Very
possibly they had business there; and
they were not under my jurisdiction,
anyhow"
mo; they're under mine," said the
sheriff. Men need funds, as a rule, to
transact business in Butte, and soldiers
without money have little business so
far off their track. If they have money
when their comrades haven't, where'd
they get it?'
"Wen, Schultz, the sergeant, has been
in service some twenty years, and is
reported to have saved up much more
money than ever hope or expect to"
said Rhett. 81 presume his bank-ac-
count can be ascertained at the First
National. Schramm, the other, isn't a
year in service"
''Schramm?" exclaimed the sheriff.
ga good-looking, blue-eyed little
Dutchman?''
y
sized, slender young German, if you
like, Mr.. Sheriff." said Morgan.
What have you to say about hirn?''
''Oh, I'm saying nothing. 1 want
you gentlemen to talk. That young
fellow gets nearly thirteen dollars a
month, doesn't he, major?'
well, rather less than that, Mr..
Sheriff.
Does he own mine or faro bank
hereabouts, or is he in cahoots with
Curran?" asked the civilian.
''If he is, he's dead loser this time,''
said the post adjutant, shortly-he be-
ing a young officer deeply imbued with
the proper idea of Difference to COM
handing offer and resentful of civilian
imper Thence, even on the part of a
sheriff. "Old Curran was. at Allzai
waiting for first pick at the pay
masters dollars. Now his beggars on
horseback are off for six months SER
vice against the Sioux, and he'll lose
most of their accounts
$50 he has no means outside of his
pay, this young Deutscher? Well,
that's what wanted to know"
fortunes outside of the pay are not
often to be found in the army"
you think Schramm has one?'
''Oh, DON'T said the sheriff. ''Rut
believe he has more money than he
can easily account for, and the sooner
he is overhauled the quicker We'll
know something of this mornings
work. And with that the sheriff
whirled his cayuse about, and, giving
him a touch with the quirt, went
bounding lightly away to the corrals.
''That fellows a BRUTE" said Mr..
Woods, presently. you don't sup
pose he really suspects Schramm, do
you, Morgan?'' But Morgan, grip
ping his stick, was already trudg1ng
angrily away.
That night the paymaster himself
arrived at Fort Ransom, leaving his
faithful clerk in conference with the
officials of the town. Graves was soon
the center of an eager gathering at
Rhett's quarters. By this time, too,
Curran was back, coming up on the af-
ternoon freight. He had gone down to
AlkaH by the east-bound express the
previous evening. The escort was al
ready there, bivouacked for the night
at the edge of the stream. They were
up betimes and had hot breakfast all
ready LOT (EdVOS, anu were surprised
to see the train shoot past instead OF
stopping to let him off. Not until the
engine sent out from Butte came steam
ing down at noon did they know what
had taken place at Minden. Then there
was nothing left him but to return by
the first opportunity. The sergeant
and detachment remained awaiting
orders, as the paymaster might draw
funds from the bank at Butte and come
on again. Just as he was leaving on
the afternoon freight courier came
to Alkali with orders for the sergeant.
and the messenger said that the bat
talon had reached Willow Springs and
was surprised to find no paymaster
there. News from the lower valley
was so threatening that Col. Winthrop
had determined, after resting a couple
of hours, to push on for Painted Lodge,
upon the supposition that the paymas-
ter had missed No. 5. The escort was or
dered to wait for him until the next train
from the east, and then, whether he
came or not, to rejoin the battalion by
the shortest route, following down the