Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1897-07-08
GRPTRIN CLOSE
By CAPTAIN CHARLES KING.
icspyrisht. 1894, by J. n. Lippincott Col
lI.-CoNTINTEn

l--tONTlNl I'D.
This" said Lambert TO himself. sis
possibly one of the scrub oaks. I as
sumo he doesn't imagine me to bc an
officer, and, in any event, he could say
50 and l couldn't prove the contrary.
Ergo, I'll let him into the secret with
out letting him imagine I'm nettled."
They were made by my tailor, cor
poral," said he. He also made the uni
form which !, perhaps, should have put
on before coming out TO camp" c"That
ought 70 fetch him." thought he)
will I find Capt. Close"
Hes over there" said the corporal.
with a careless jerk of the head in the
direction of the opposite wall tent.
Then s'pose you're the new lieuten-
ant the fellers have been talking
about -
"a am; and would you mind telling me
bow long you've been in service?"
Me? oh, reckon about two months
longer n you have, anyhow. You
Amt joined yet, have you?" And the
corporal was nibbling at a twig now
and looking up in good-humored inter
est. Then. as Lambert found no words
for immediate reply. he went on:
Caps awake, Il you want 10 see him."
And. amazed at this reception, vet not
knowing whether TO be indignant or
amused. Lambert sprang down the
pathway. CROSSED the open space he
tween the tents, a dozen Of the men
starting up TO stare at but none 10 sa-
lutte him, and halted before the tent OF
his company commander.
Sitting Just within the half-opened
-. a ;hick-se;, hurly man of middle
>,-e las holding in his left hana e-';:se
ne,>---wS.s--x his right he was
making unsuccessful jabs with some
black thread at the eye thereof. So in
tent WAS he upon this task hat he never
heard Lambert's football nor noted his
coming. and the lieutenant. while paus-
ing a moment iTresolute, took quick OBJ
seryation Of the SirarGrr and his sur
rcundincs. IT.. was clad ir the gray
-rnrs and liaht-hlne trousers such as
were worn by the rank and file. An or
binary soldiers blouse was thrown over
the back OF the camp-stooi on which he
~oarse wooden socks and heavy brogans
and lesthern thongs, Just exactly such
as the soldier cook was wearing at the
kissing fire few PAGES away. His sus-
penders were hung about his waist. and
in his lap seat uppermost and showing
a rent three inches in length. were a
pair Of uniform trousers, with narrow
welt OF dark blue along the outer seam
They were thin and shiny like bomba-
zine. in places. and the patch which
seemed destined TO cover the rent was
five shades too dark for the purpose.
His hands were brown and knotted and
hard. lie WORE a silver ring on the
third finger OF the left His face was
brown as his hands, and clean shaved
(barring the stubble of two DAYS
growthl everywhere. except the heavy
''goatee," which. beginning at the cor
ners of his broad. firm mouth. covered
tricky his throat and chin. His eyes
were large. clear. dark brown in hue,
and heavily shaded. His hair. close
cropped and sp-inkled with gray. was
almost black.
rhe morning air was keen, yet no
fire blazed in the little camp stove be-
hind him. and the fittings Of the tent. so
far as the visitor could see. were Of the
Flainest description. Not caring TO
stand there longer. Lambert cleared his
throat and began:
II am looking for Capt. Close"
Whereupon the man engaged n
tareading the needle slowly opered the
ltft eye he had screwed tight siut, and.
ss slowly raised his bead. calmly looked
his visitor over and at last slowly re-
.-Slied:
That's my name"