The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-10-21

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".Sorr." he said, 81 am the bccrer of a
Terrbdl Tntssige"-
commissioned officer was suddenly nab
bed, and SO was wagon load of forage,
going off to neighboring ranch at A
O'Clock in the morning. Meantime the
men noted that their coffee and rations
were better and more bountiful, and SOL
diers are quick to receive impressions
that come by way of the stomach. "The
new captain is knocking out the old
abuses, y said they, and it was wonder
full how soon the ex-doughboy made his
way into their good graces. There had
been some disposition on the part of
the wits i'll other companies to refer to
Barclays men as the "Parson's Own"
when it was announced that tho cap
tain had attended the chaplain's even
ing service but even that was begin
ming to die out, when all of sudden it
was noised abroad this evening that the
redoubtable Bralligan had been felled
by single blow OF that Quaker fist.
Brayton was fairly quivering with
excitement this night of nights and
F, could not sleep. He longed to see his
+, captain and hear his version Of the
affair, but the door was tightly closed
instead Of being invitingly open, and
he dared not intrude. Not one word had
been said about the matter at the ma
jor's, but Brayton knew it would soon
be known even to the officer in COM
mand. So long, however, as it was not
reported to him officially Frazier would
probably let the affair take its course
Bralligan deserved the Touchdown, and
doubtless would be glad enough to let
the matter end there. But, thought
Brayton, if he should demand satisfac-
ton and Barclay religious or conscien-
tious scruples were to prevent his &C
ceptance, "then comes my chance for
the youngster himself proposed to take
it up. He had no scruples. He had been
longing for chance to kick that cad
Bralligan for over a year, and after all
it was Barclay that got it.
Eleven O'Clock, and Barclays light
still burned. even-thirty. and still,
reading or writing, the captain seemed
occupied in the old poker room and the
i door remained closed Once or twice
Brayton heard him moving about, and
in his own excitement and interest the
! boy found it impossible to think of any
thing else. Twelve o'clock came. He
was beginning to undress and prepare
for bed, still uneasily Watching the
light shining through the crack of the
door, when his straining ears caught
the sound of football underneath his
window. Itopened OH the yard, and the
sill was only five feet or so above the
ground. A hand was uplifted without
and tapped gently on the sash, and as
Brayton drew aside the curtain Harry
Winn' face was revealed in the moon
light.
"Come to the porch in 'front.'" he
muttered low. II must speak with
you. I"
Brayton was out on the dark piazza
in half a minute. He found Winn nerv-
ously pacing the boards.
II told my wife had to come out
and think quietly awhile, he said as
he extended hand to his silent class.
mate. "She heard of this-this damna-
BILE business almost as quick as it hap
pened. That girl of ours hears every
thing and tells anything. There's no
doubt about it, suppose. You were
there! You heard it at once, didn't you:
What does-he say?" And VIM 8 nod
1 indicated that he meant Barclay.
Nothing" said Brayton briefly. 81
| haven't seen him''-
"But he's up. The lights in his
window. He's writing-or something.
Look here, Brayton, you know what's
got to come Of this. That Id Irish
man must challenge him or be cut and
kicked about by all his kind in the cav
airy. 1t isn't Barclays fight; it's mine.
The moro think of it the more know
that, contemplate blackguard as
Bralligan is, he is still an officer of the
regiment. He has been knocked down,
and has the right to demand the only
satisfaction there is FOR blow. You
know it as we'll as do. What I've got
/ to do right here and now is to take that
fight off Barclays hands, and you've
got to help me.
dispose he don't want it taken off
his hands, said Brayton sturdily. "Hs
told him plain enough he was ready to
meet any demand"-
Winn Redeemed even in the pallid
moonlight 81 say no man in this gar
rison fights on my wife account except
me-or with me- They're up with Bral-
ligan now, two or three of them, and
want you to go there with me at once
as my witness. mean to cowhide him
tonight. Then if he wants Il meeting in
the morning Pm his man " And as he
spoke Winn thrashed neryously at the
railing with the stout whip he carried
in his hand.
THAT won't fix it, answered Bray.
ton, "and you ought to have sense
enough to know it. Barclay has the
precedence. The Mick couldn't chal-
lenge you until he'd fought him--or