The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-11-10

home-f0lkS, and directions as to their none
and what they wanted bought.
But Shorty showed that he was over
powered with nervous dread of pickpockets
He saw possible hght-fingered thief il
everyone that approached He would lie
nobody touch him. stood off little distano
from the rest of the squad, and when any
body wanted to shake hands would hold hin
stiffly at arms length.
Gittin' mighty stuck-up just because tn
Colonel patted you on the back a little, ant
give you a soft detail,n sneered one of Co. Q
Well, you'd be stuck up, too, answered
Shorty, if your clothes was padded anC
stuffed with other folks greenbaclls, and yor
was in the midst o. SIGH talented lot o
snatchers as the 200th Injianny Mind,
amt maxim no illusions nor references, and
9 think the 2O0th Injianny is the honestest LOT
. o. boys in the Army o. the Cumberland; but
> If wanted to steal the devils pitchfork
{ right out o. his hand, I'd make detail from
{ the 2OOth Injianny to do the job, and I'd be
sure o gittin' the ptchfork. I'll trust you
, all-when you're 10 feet away from me-"
The others grinned and gave him a cheer.
When they went to get on board the train
Shorty had to change his tactics. He got 81
on his right, the Lieutenant Immediately in
front of them and two trusted boys Of the
u,
to press up close, allow nobody between, and
keep hawks eye on everybody. But both
81 and Shorty were breathless with appre-
hension till they got through the crowd and
were seated in the car, and hasty feeling of
various Jumps about their persons assured
them that their charges were safe. They
were in passenger car, for luck. The Lieu
tenant sat in front, 81 and Shorty next and
the two trusty boys Immediately behind.
They breathed sigh of relief AS they stood
their guns over against the side of the car, ST
suddenly asked:
Shorty, did you draw your charge before
you rammed that money in "a
Shorty jumped to his feet in shudder
of alarm, and exclaimed:
" Great Jehosephat, no. forgot all about
| it.'
| What's that you're saying about guns?"
inquired the Lieutenant, turning around.
You want to load them, and keep them
handy. We're liable to strike some guer-
rillas along the way, and we must be ready for
| them'
| "You fellers'll have to do the shootin', !"
whispered Shorty to 81. ''It'lI be cold
day when bang $3.50 in greenbacks at any
| rebel that ever jumped. I'm goin' to take
the cap often my gun. The jostlin' o. the
| trains likely to knock it off at any time and
send a small fortune through the roof o. the
car. I'd take the money out, but Pm afraid
o tearin' it all to pieces, with the train
plungin' 500
He carefully halfcocked his piece, took off
the cap, rubbed the nipple to remove any
stray fragments of illuminate, and then let
the hammer down on piece OF wadding
taken from his cap.
The long ride to Nashville over the ground
on which they had been campaigning and
fighting for nearly year would have been of
deepest interest to ST and Shorty, as it was to
the rest, If they could have freed their
minds of responsibilities long enough to
watch the scenery. But they would give
only cursory glance and say,
We'll look at it as we come back"
In the crowded depot at Nashville they
had another panic, but the Provost-Guard
kept a gangway clear as soon as it was dis
covered that they were on duty.
. You can stack arms there, boys" said
the Sergeant Of the Guard, ''and go right
over there and get warm supper, with
plenty of coffee"
All but Shorty obeyed with alacrity, and
stacked their guns with the quickness of old
and hungry veterans.
Shorty kept hold of his gun and started
with the rest to the supper-room.
Here, Indianny,n called out the Ser
geant, stack your gun here with the rest. /"
Don't want to-aint a-goin' to" answer
ed Shorty.
" What's the reason You amt ?" asked
the Sergeant, catching hold of the gun.
- Nobody's going to take it, and il they did,
You can pick up another. Plenty of 'em,
jest as good as that all around here"
Don't care. This is my own gun. think
more of it than any gun ever made and
amt goin' to take any chance of losin' it"
well, then, you'll take chance of losing
your SUPPER answered the Sergeant, ''or
rather you'll be certain of it, for the orders
are strict against taking guns into the sup
per-room. Too many accidents have hap
pened."
Well, them" said Shorty stoutly, "I'll
do without my supper, though | am hungrier
than wolf at the end of long Winter.
Well, if you're so Internal pig-headed
you'y got to, answered the Sergeant, nettled |
at Shorty's obstinacy. eco back beyond !
the gunstack, and stay there. Don't you
come nearer the door than the other side OF
the stack"
Shorty's dander rose up at once. At any
other time he would have conclusions with
the Sergeant then and there. But the re-
membrane of his charge laid repressive
hand upon his quick choler, and reminded |
him that any kind Of row would probably |
mean a night in the guard house, his gun in |
some other mans hands probably lost for
ever, and SO on. He decided to defer thrash
ing the Sergeant until his return, when he
would give it to him with interest. He