Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-11-20
FROM THE RANKS.
BY CAPTAIN CHARLES KING.


said: I think l won't stay out here.
It's too chilly or something like it,
and went right III, and then Jerrold
dropped Miss Beaubien and went after
her. He just handed the young lady
over to me- saying he was engaged for
the next dance, and skipped.
"How did she like that? Wasn't she
furious?"
"No. That's another thing that got
me. She smiled after him, all sweet
ness, and-well, she did say: I count
upon you. You'll be there and he nod
ded Oh, she was bright as button
after thatr'
"What did she mean? Be where do
you suppose? Sloat, this all means more
to me and to us all than can explain.
II don't know. I can't imagine. "
"Was it to see her again that nights"
II don't k1lsw at all If it was, he
fooled her, for he never went near her
again. Rollins put her in the carriage.
"Whose? Did she come with the Sut-
tons?"
"Why, certainly. thought you knew
that"
"And neither old Nine. Beaubien nor
Mrs Sutton with them? What was the
old squaw thinking OFF,
By this time they had neared the
guardhouse, where several of the men
were seated awaiting the call for the
next relief. All arose at the shout OF
the sentry on No. turning out the
guard for the officer of the day. Chester
made hurried and impatient acknowl-
edgment of the salute and called to the
sergeant to send him the sentry who
was at the bridge at o'clock. 1t turned
out to be a young soldier who had en-
listed at the post only six months before
and was already known as one of the
most intelligent and promising candi-
dates for corporalship in the garrison
"Were you on duty at the bridge at
o'clock, Carey?" asked the captain.
81 was, sir. My relief went on at
l1:45 and came off at 1:45."
"What persons passed your post dur
ing that time?'
"There was a squad or two Of men
coming back from town on pass halt
ed them, sir, and Corporal Murray came
down and passed them in
II don't mean coming from town
Who went the other way?"
"Only one carriage, sir-Mr SUIT
ton s."
could you see who were in it?'
Certainly, sir. 1t was right under
the lamppost this end of the bridge that
I stood when 1 challenged Lieutenant
Rollins answered for them and passed
them out. He was sitting beside Mr..
Sutton as they drove up, then jumped
out and gave me the countersign and
bade them good night right there. "
Rollins again." thought Chester
"Why did he keep this from me:"
"Who were in the carriage?' he ask
ed.
"Mr. Sutton, sir, on the front seat,
driving, and two young ladies on the
back seat.
NOBODY else.
mot soul, sir. Icould see in it plain
as day. One lady was Miss Sutton and
i the other Miss Beaubien. l know was
surprised at seeing the latter, because
she drove home in her own carriage last
evening right after parade. was Oh
post there at that hour,.too, sir. The Sec
ond relief is on from 5:45 to 7:45."
THAT will do, Carey. see your re-
lief is forming now.
AS the officers walked away and Sloat
silently plodded along beside his dark
browed senior the latter turned to him:
Il should say that there was no way
in which Mr Jerrold could have gone
downward last night Should not you?'
He might have crossed the bridge
while the third relief was on and got a
horse at the other side -
He didn do that, Sloat L had al.
ready questioned the sentry on that re-
lief. 1t was the third that inspected
and visited this morning"
"Well, how do you know he wanted
to 60 to town? Why couldn't he have
gone up the river or out to the range?
Perhaps there was a little game of
draw out at camp"
"There was no light in camp, much
less little game Of draw, after
o'clock You know well enough that
there is nothing Of that kind going on
with Gaines in command. That isn't
Jerrold's game, even if those fellows
were bent on running their eyesight and
nerve and spelling the chance of getting
the men on the division and army teams.
/ wish it were his game instead Of what
it is. "
STILL Chester, he may have been out
in the country somewhere. You seem
bent on the conviction he was up to mis-
chief here around this post. I won't ask
you what you mean, but there's more
than one way of getting to town if
man wants to very bad"
"How? Of course he can take skiff
and row down the river, but he'd never
be back in time for reveille. There goes
o'clock, and I must get home and
shave and think this over. Keep your
own counsel, no matter who asks you.
If you hear any questions or talk about
shooting last night, you know nothing
heard nothing and saw nothing"
Shooting last night?' exclaimed
Sloat, all agog with eaRerness and eY-