Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-09-19

just think OF ii, madre. dear, ana yOu Il
all come out. and Wen have grand
Christmas times at Frayne. and we'll
hang fathers picture over the mantel
and fathers sword. I'll wire Leale this
very minute and write my respects to
Fenton- What's he like anyway, moth
err! 1 can't remember him at all, nor
can Kitty
But Mrs. Farrar could not tell. II
was years. too since she had seen him,
but he was always faithful friend Of
your father. Will. and he wrote me a
beautiful. beautiful letter when We
came away"
And so, late in September, the boy
lieutenant left his mothers arms and,
followed by her prayers and tears and
blessings, was borne away westward to
revisit scenes that were once familiar
as the old barrack walls at West Point
Then 1t required long days of travel
over rough mountain roads to reach the
railway far south of the Medicine Bow.
NOW the swift express train landed him
at the station of the frontier town that
hu0 grown up on the site of the prairie
oog village he and his pony had often
stampeded" III the old days. Here at
the station, come to meet the son of their
Old commander, ignoring the fact that
the newcomer was but the plebe lieuten-
ant of the Twelfth, were the luddy
faced old colonel and Wills own troop
leader, Captain Leale, both heartily,
cordially bidding him welcome and COM
ment,ng not a little on his stalwart
build and trying hard not to refer to the
very downy mustache that adorned his
ooyIsh lip. And other and younger Off
GERS were there to welcome the lad to
his new station, and huge was Wills
comfort when he caught sight of Ser.
geant Stein, the veteran standard bear
er OF the regiment, and that superbly
punctlllous old soldier Strengthened up
like Norway pine and saIuted with
rlgld precision and hoped the lieutenant
was well and his lady mother and Miss
tarrar. There's nothing" thought
VIII, like the discipline of the old
regiment, after ALL" as the orderly
came to ask for the checks for the lieu
tenants baggage, and all went well
until the lucklcss moment when the
ers. turned aside TO look mt batch of
recruits sent by the same train. and
Farrar, chatting with some of his fellow
youngsters, was slowing his bags in the
waiting ambulance, and there in the
driver Will recognized Saddler Dono.
vans freckle faced Mickey, with whom
he had had many Il hunt for rabbits in
TIE old, old days, and then an unctuous.
caressing Irish voice fairly blubbered
ont, "Hiven save us if it isn't really
Masther VIII" and there. corporal's
chevrons on his brawny arms, was old
Terry Rorl,e. looking wild to embrace
him. and even as Will, half ashamed of
his own shyness, was shaking hands
with this faithful old retainer of his
fathers household in years gone by, the
squad OF recruits came marching past.
The third man from the front, heay-
lily bearded, with bloated, ill groomed
face and restlessly CHANGING eyes, gave
quick, furtiye lcok at the row lieu
tenant as he passed, then stumbled and
plunged forward against his file leader
The squad was thrown into momentary
disarray. The sergeant, angered at the
mlshap at such a time, STROBE quickly
up to the offender and savagely NUT
tered, keep your eyes to the front,
Graice, and you won't be stumbling up
decent mems backs" And the little de-
tachment went briskly Oh.
Il thought Id seen that man be-
fore, said Leale an instant later, land
now l know it, and l know where"
To be Continued.