The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1896-08-06

aller, completeu HIS eNbrauruihaIN
The group were so alb
sorbed in him that they did not perceive
the approach of their chief and his
orderly, and Brant, with sign to the
latter, halted only few PAGES from the
central figure, His speech was asingu-
lar mingling Of high-tlown and exalted
epithets and inexact pronunciation,
with occasional lapses of western slang,
''Well, / amt purtendin' to any
stratutegical smartness, and l didn't
eradicate at West Point as one of
these Apochryphal engineers; l don't
do much talking about flank move
ments or 'recognizances in force or
'Ehellon skirmishing,' but when it
comes down to square Injin tightin',
i reckon kin have my say. There are
men who don't know the army con
tractor" he added, darkly, who mebbe
have heard of Red Jim / don't men
tion names, gentlemen, but only the
other day man that you oil know says
TO me: If ! only knew what you do
about scoutin' / wouldn't be wanting
for information as do Iain't going
to say who it was, or break any con-
iidence between gentlemen-by saying
how many stars he had on his shoul-
ltr strap, but he was man who knew
hat he was saying. And / say ag'in.
antlcmen, that the curse of the north
N army is the want of proper scoutin'.
hat was it caused Bulls run? Want
! scoutin'. What was it rolled up
,'ope? Want o scoutin'. What killed
Baker at Balls Bluff? Wanto' scoutin'.
What caused the slaughter at the VIII
lerness? Want o scoutin'. Injin
eoutin', Why, only the other day,
entlemen, | was approached to know
shat I'd take to organize a scoutin'
nrce. And what did say? no, gem
ral, it amt because i represent one
i the largest army beef contracts in
he country says /; it amt because
| belong. so to speak, to the "Sinews
of War;" but because Id want about
10000 trained Injins from the reserya-
tionsl And the regular West Point
high-toned, scientific inkybus that
weighs SO heavily on our army don't
see it-and won't have it! Then Sher-
man, he sez to me-"
But here aroar of laughter interrupt
ed him, and in q cross-fire of sarcastic
interrogations that began, Brant saw
with relief a chance of escape. For in
The voice, manner and, above all, the
characteristic temperament of the
stranger, lie had recognized his old
playmate and the husband of Susy-
the redoubtable Jim Hooker! There
was no mistaking that gloomy audacity
That mysterious significance-that
magnificent lying. But even at that
a0ment Clarence Brant's heart had
zone out-with all his old loyalty Of
teeling-toward his old companion. He
new that public recognition of him
hen and there would plunge Hooker
into confusion He felt keenlg the
ironical plaudits and laughter OF his
officers over the manifest weakness and
ganity of the ex-teamster, ex-rancher,
* actor and husband of his girl sweet
cart, and would have spared him the
nowledge that he had overheard it
Turning hastily TO the orderly he bade
him bring the stranger to his headquar'
tiers, and rode away unpcrceived,
/ lie had heard enough, however, to ac
count for his presence there, and the
singular chance that had brought then
again together. He was evidently on'
OF those large civil contractors of sup
1 plies whom the government wa'
obliged to employ, who visited tht
camp, half officially, and whom th'
army alternately depended upon ant
abused. BraDt had dealt with his un
| aerlings in the commissariat. and ever
row remembered that he had heard HI
was coming, but had overlooked tn
Significance of his name. But how h
rame to leave bis theatrical profession
how he had attained position whicl
implied command of considerahl
capital-for many of the contractor
had already amassed large fortunes
and what had become of Susy and he
ambitions in this radical change o
circumstances, were things to b
learned. In his own changed cond
tions he had seldom thought Of her;
was with strange feeling of irrita
ton and half responsibility that h
now recalled his last interview wit
her and the emotion to which he ha
snccumbed.
He had not long to wait. He ha
scarcely regained the quarters at hi
own private office before he heard tn
step of the orderly upon the yerand
and the trailing clank of Hooker
saber. He did not know, however, ths
Hooker, without recognizing his nam
had received the message as persont
tribute, and had left his sarcastic con
panions triumphantly, with the air {
going to a confidential interview I
which his well-known military col
. nection had entitled him. 1t WI
with bearing Of gloomy importanc
and his characteristic sullen sidelon
glance that he entered the apartmen
and did not look up until Brant ha
signaled the orderly to withdraw an
. 4 ! i u :