Mower County transcript., 1898-08-03

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~ ~ .kI11ZNKl1/I CO.
| That faithful soldier Of haa county and
'the rosdss' was now stretched on TIM
1at ofshis back on the Aoor OF the bas-''
gage oar,awith ne or seats III mat
tress, pluokily stiRiag the moan Of pain
that would have AToed itself s1tAhhfs Ill: III
his let teeth. 70 Him came tie younger iils
soldier. the sergeant full Of sympathy.
.:..You're badly shaken. Mr. Lopg.
Wouldn't . Att1e whisky help your"
said he,s the cavalry cure all, Of, the Ole
days most naturally suggesting itself: !
~ don't know but what 1t awpuld,"
Egreaned the engineer, ~''The lieutenant
has some, hasn't he?'' ,-= s4~-.. !:
! "Yes, he hal, "was the half hesitant
. reply. Then the freemasonry Of the
Draft seemed to show in the look that
followed, half oomioal, half confiding,
; but all significant. "But-he amt the
sort Of man I'd ask for anything.
'Tain't Like as il it was Captain. Ray or
Blake or Trusoott or any of them was
here, you know. Butt can find you
sope all right 4g~ - 5g~. ,,n
y And, jumping from the car, Sergeant
Kearney went straight to Mr.. Gray.
"Our engineer, sir" said he, lis badly
stove up. Could You 'oblige me with q
little whisky2''
"Certainly,' said Gray, going down
into his pocket and fishing up the silver
topped flask. "Give him q good swig,
and, sergeant, help yourself.
The sergeant grinned. thanked him,
hurried back to his new friend and
gave him what he called an honest cav
airy four fingers. ~&~=
"God" said Long, smaoking his lips,
his eyes swapping. ''That was an old
timer. " Then as the potent liquor, long
stranger to his once case hardened sys.
tenn. began glowingly to assert itself he
blinked hts gratitude and looked admir-.
ingly at the handsome flask. "That's a
swell stopper you We got to that canteen,
sergeant. Where'd you capture it?''
"Tall young fellow in the first Sleep
er: Seems to have money and whisky,
cigars and good nature, till you can t
rest, said Kearney in the vernaoular
Of the day. surprised at Long 8 sudden
interest The engineer .braced himself
upon an elbow, all eagerness.
"Smooth face, with light mustaohe,
regular six footer. slim. broad shoulder
, ed, travelling cap and big ulster?" =.
"That's the Teller. Treated half my
squad to pie and coffee back there at the
Junction. No end Of swell, l. Why,
what's amissl Say, wouAkh't take an.
other drink just now, would you?'' be
broke off anxioualy, for Long was reach.
ing for the flask.
II want to sec the monogram, OF
whatever you call it, On that silver stop.
per! Dye know what think Of that
teller? He's first cousin or twin brother
} to the foxiest gang Of bank and train
robbers in the whole country, and If W.
; hadn't run over or run our nose slal
into No. IL right here at Alkali Flats
I'm betting my bottom dollar we'd have
! found his gang waiting for US back o
} Thunder Gap"
Kearney drew back, startled. Long
had seized the flask and was studying
! the stopper with keen interest. No won
, der he ooaldn't It deoipher it. There wa.
no monogram. Instead there was 6
!, queer shaped shield with diagonal linel
} and odd little figures, like tiny leaves
cut on the surface, and above it was tn,
, paw Of an animal grasping dagger
!. and there was a scroll with some word
: in foreign tongue, Long knew no
! what He searched the cup Of silve,
that fitted on the base, but that wa
1 smooth and polished. The red Russi,
: leather covering also bore no mark. "
"That don't look like train robber,
said Kearney, pointing to the device OF
the top Of the stopper "Ain't tha
! what you call coat of arms, or some
Q thing?''
? EXACTLY, and what's an American
t doing with coat Of arms? He's lifte'
g it from some dook or other, tourin
t through the west for buffalo and In
: dians. He's slick one, sergeant, bu
he can't fool me. Why, be just CAV
! himself dead away when he told me b
wanted to ride Up with me and Scur il
Q the cab, pretending he was out here
3 enlist in the cavalry and wanted to tai
s with me about the officers that wer
= coming there to Ransom. Yes, sir.
Q And Long grinned sardonioally, despit
q his pain. @~'.~
y Kearney's answer was long whistl
t Of amazement. =:
f "You'd never have got me to believ
!. it if he hadn't made that break. Fano
8 swell like him a-grooming horses an
: cleaning out stalls. Hush," suddenl
t lowering his voice, for at the instan
j. Mr.. Gray came briskly into the car.
f The dawn was 80 far advanced tha
Q the night Tights were no longer needle
}, and were burning blear and dim. Th
9 battered baggage man, in no pleasau
J. humor, because an excursionist fro1
= the rear Pullman with i'll timed jocu
d larity had asked him how he liked th
Il taste of bis own medicine, was muttel
a {n<1 r,wof0uo S0Sn1 n1ponf ~, al