Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-01-03

tions had arisen. Alice would not come.
Nina wrote demanding that he should
lead with her and that he should meet
her at St. Croix, and then came the
crash. He owed his safety to her self
sacrifice and now must give up all hope
of Alice Renwick. He had accepted the
announcement of their engagement. He
could not do less after all that had hap
pened and the painful scene at thei1
parting. And yet would it not be a
blessing to her if he were killed? Even
now in his self abnegation and misery
he did not fully realize how mean he
was-how mean he seemed to others.
He resented in his heart what Sloat had
said of him but the day before, little
caring whether he heard it or not: 1T
would be mercy to that poor girl if
Jerrold were killed He will break her
heart with neglect or drive her mad
with jealousy inside of a year. But
the regiment seemed to agree with
Sloat.
And so in all that little band of COM
rades he could call no man friend. One
after another he looked upon the uncon-
scious faces, cold and averted in the OBJ
livion of sleep, but not more cold, not
more distrustful, than when he had
vainly sought among them one relenting
glance in the early moonlight that bat
tie eve in bivouac. He threw his arms
upward, shook his head, with hopeless
gesture, then buried his face in the
sleeves of his rough campaign overcoat
and strobe blindly from their midst.
Early in the morning, all hour before
daybreak, the shivering outpost, crouch
ing in hollow to the southwark, catch
sight of two dim figures shooting sud-
denly up over distant ridge-horse-
men, they know at a glance-and these
two come Looping down the moonlit trail
over which two nights before had
marched the calvary speeding to the
rescue, over which in an hour the regl-
ment itself must be on the move Old
campaigners are two of the picket, and
they have been especially cautioned to
be on the lookout for couriers coming
back along the trail They spring to
their feet, in readiness to welcome or
repel, as the sentry rings out his sharp
and sudden challenge.
"Couriers from the corral, is the
jubilant answer. 'This Colonel May
nard's outfit?"
"Aye, aye, sonny" is tie unmilitary
but characteristic answer. whats
your news?'
"Got there in time and saved what's
left of 'em, but it's hell hole. and you
fellows are wanted quick as you can
come-30 miles ahead. Where's the
colonel?"
The corporal of the guard goes back
to the bivouac, leading the two ar
rivals. One is scout, plainsman born
and bred, the other sergeant Of cavalry.
They dismount in the timber and picket
their horses, then follow on foot the
lead of their companion Of the guard.
While the corporal and the scout pro-
ceed to the wagon fly and tumble at the
opening, the tall sergeant stands silent
ly little distance in their rear, and the
occupants of neighboring shelter-the
counterpart of the colonel's-begin to
stir, as though their light slumber had
been broken by the snothered sound of
footsteps. One of them sits up and peers
out at the 'front.' gazing earnestly at the
tall figure standing easily there in the
Pickering light. Then he halls in low
tones:
"That you, Mr.. Jerrold? What is
the matter?"
And the tall figure faces promptly to-
ward the hailing voice. The spurred
heels come together with click, the
gauntleted hand rises in soldierly salute
to the broad brim of the scouting hat,
and deep voice answers respectfully:
"It is not Mr. Jerrold, sir. 1t is Ser.
geant Mcleod, -th cavalry, just in
with dispatches. "
Armitage springs to his feet, sheds
his shell of blankets and steps forth in
to the glade, with his eyes fixed eagerly
on the shadowy form in front. He peers
uullCr lllc UlOull DIlulJ tlS liiOuSA otli'
ing to see the eyes and features Of the
tall dragoon.
"Did you get there in timer" he asks,
half wondering whether that was really
the question uppermost in his mind
"In time to save the survivors, Sir,
but no attack will be made until the
infantry get there"
"Were you not at Sibley last month";"
asks the captain quickly.
Eyes, sir, with the competitors. "
"You went back before your regi-
mental team, did you not?"
"I- No, sir; I went back with
them.
"You were relieved from duty at Sib-
lev and ordered back before them, were
you not?"
Even in the pallid light Armitage
could see the hesitation, the furry Of
surprise and distress in the sergeant's
face.
'Don It fear to tell me, man. would
rather hear it than any news you could
give me. Iwould rather know you were
not Sergeant Mcleod than any fact you
could tell. Speak low, man, but tell
me here and now. Whatever motive
you may have had for this disguise,
whatever anger or sorrows in the past,
-ox. ,x,,,ef ci,,ly thar, Yo1r, fn couo tho