The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-12-18

! bases them on the report or proIenslonili
detectives. As You knew, gave Ellis
permission to ride over to the railway
ON Gorhaln's report that be had some
important personal matters TO look after.
Has he returned yet!
HE had not up TO stables, sir. but his
| pass does not expire until tattoo, and
almost hope he has not started in face of
this wind. It looks like blizzard coIa-
ing
.'When dill Rolfe get these reports. If
/ may ask" queried Holden. Il sent
telegram day before yesterday to Mrs.
Holden that ought to have reached her
that very evening-it was to forestall
any sensational newspaper story about
the majors wound-and l certainly
looked for reply Of some sort yester-
day."
ssThe wires are down both east and
west, Tn told-cut by 'friendlies' at the
reservation, very probably. No dispatch
has passed either way since Yesterday"
answered the colonel. ''Rolfes must
have come before that. Possibly we
viii have later news when the sergeant
rides back tonight. Igaye him an order
to get any telegraIns that might have ar
rived for the regiment. What time does
the train get IL from the east-do you
know, doctorE'
Somewhere about three, sir, but
fear there will be no mail for Cs for a
day or two. Old hands here say it is
madness TO face a Dakota blizzard on
the open prairie, and some of the officers
think we are in for a gale, to say the
least"
well, Brewster" said the colonel
kindly, your statement is all that
was needed to put an end to any idea
that you knew all about Ellis before his
enlistment. OF course l shall have to
look into Captain Rolfe's charges against
him; but say nothing about the matter
for the present"
The cavalry trumpet, weird and ftful
On the wings of the gale, was sounding
first call for retreat as Brewster left the
-colonel's tent and started down the gen
lie slope to join his troop. Already the
snow fakes were driving almost hori-
zontally with the biting wind. and in
the rapidly gathering gloom the men
came huddling from their rude shelters,
and bundled 10 the ears in their great
coats stood stamping and swinging their
arms, impatient to have roll call over
and done with. The colonel came forth
a moment later, and together he and
Holden tramped over to the turf walled
structure in which their wounded COM
rade lay. The air was now so thick
with snow that objects hundred yards
distant were blurred and those beyond
entirely obscured. Holden softly un-
strapped and raised the canvas flap and
poked his fur capped head within the
aperture.
Sleeping" he quoried Of the hospital
attendant.
Sleeping like baby, sir, whispered
the soldier, as he tiptoed to the entrance.
Captain Hazlett was reading to him
over an hour, and then he just dropped
away, and the captain left at first call"
That's capital" said Holden, turning
to the chief. He has worried so over
wife that 1 couldn't get him to sleep.
Now, if we can only tide him over until
morning and if this beastly gale viii
only subside, wen have good news for
him"
We'll, don't let Rolfe get neI- him, 4"
said FarqUhar with quiet smile. There
isn't better duty officer in all the
Twelfth, but somebody has TO suppress
him once IL awhile"
He ought to be married" laughed
Holden in reply.
That night when the trumpets pealed
tattoo the musicians braced their backs
against the clustering northwest and
blew as best they could, though Boreas
strove 10 silence their lustiest effort, and
no trooper on the windward side could
hear note. Over the whistle and howl
of the gale, far ont on the desolate prairie,
| far to the southeast. however, the STIR
ring. welcoming. hope-reviving strain
was borne to tie frozen ears Of 4 solitary
and well nigh exhausted trooper, bid
ding him pluck up courage. rouse him
self TO renewed effort. and once more
plunge forward into the blackness of the
night.
So long as he kept the gale in his bat
tered face, 50 long would he be strus-
| Cling toward comrades and shelter.
Staggering, stumbling. sometimes crawl
ing few PAGES ON hands and knees,
sometimes turning his back 10 the icy
blast and gaspins for breath, sometimes
burying his face in his arms, sometimes
stretching those arms aloft to heaven
and lifting up a silent prayer for help,
for strength, he had struggled ON afoot
long after abandoning his fallen and
/ crippled horse. No beckoniHg light, no
glimmering star to guide, only the rude
butfets of the cruel. pitiless blast, the
singing, biting. thrashing Of the snow
! pelting him like small shot, TO point the
way, yet savagely TO beat him back-tf
bid him face and force them. yet furioG
! to overwhelm and down. Weak and ex-
hausted, he had wellnigh abandoned the
last vestige of hope. and wailing cry
went moaning aloft from his cracked
and frozen lips: God in heaven guide
me; bear me up; give me strength. Itis
not for myself, but those poor women.
| God IN mercy hear me. God IN pity
| answer"
And over the wrath and fury Of the
mad hurricane, triGmphing above the
shrek and howl of the temptest, ringing
like the voice of archangel through the
vault Of the storm lashed skies, Gods
answer came. The divine pity, riding
indeed upon the storm, spoke to him in
the glad, thrilling, familiar strains of
tie far away trumpets OF the Twelfth.