The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-04-09


and efficiently did all the homework Of
lieutenants humble quarters and was
generally employed in that capacity in
almost every garrison of the fur west.
She flew to the rear door and locked
that, then up to the second story where
were the pretty guestrooms as well as
their own-hers and Randy's, with all
their closets and hooks and corners.
She took one rapid survey through
them, and then one fierce, wild look at
herself in the mirror of her dainty
dressing table. Are you Floy Ire
maine? Are you the little girl who was
reared in the Rit'crs? Are you to make
q lifelong fool for any man? And as
she spoke she began to open the dress
she had been wearing for Randy's ben
eft. The folds of the stylish skirt, one
of Mrs. Haynes planning when in Chi
cago, were tossed in reckless disorder
upon the snowy covcrlct of the bed, and
her precious locket-Randy's lockct-
was as suddenly unclasped from the
round, white throat, and in the tumult
in her soul she heard no sound of the
sudden stir and sortie at the guard
house. She never knew that there was
no sentry faithful to his watch along
the rear of officers row, TO take up and
pass on the stirring, reassuring cry that
no army girl can hear without rejoicing
or miss without alar1n--''Two o'clock
and alfs Well"
The dawn was breaking over the far
Jornada and turning the distant Quad
aloupe into gold when the Riflers rolled
&way-otlicers and men, BARRING the
band and company Ike rby war de-
partment orders few years ago COM
pnnies 81" and ok" of each regiment of
infantry We're "skelctonized" by trans
fer of their men to other companies,
leaving those two merely paper com
mands. Just as Go. @" has been for
years the derisive title of the guard
house prisoners, SO does "Co. Ike" be-
gin to appear as name for the be-
reaved and friendless commands re-
fcrrcd to] at Sedgwicl," as the cavalry
trumpeter remarked to the gunner
when they We're going out TO stir the
echoes with their revcille; only these at
Sedgwick, and one stalwart old captain
with his devoted half-hundred, Ire
maine, still doing duty at the canton
ment-fond, lonely old father, whose
heart was wrapped up in that one child,
yet could not deny her to the man she
loved so we'll. Sedgwick was begin
ming to yawn and stir. The night owls
in the canyons were hootihg back to
their nests, dismaycd by the howlings
of the human night owls lacking home
to duty, already half regreIul of the
whisky wasted, while before them was
that. remorseiess wrath to come. The
cooks were astir in the barracks, and
tilmy smoke-veils were sailing straight
aloft from the chimneys of half dozen
company kitchens. Already, too, the
household servants along the row of
cavalry officers quarters. that which
backed to the south, were lighting their
little morning blazes, for Sedgwicls lay
beyond range and anthracite. In the
good old days of 20 years before, the
cocktail, not coffee, was the necessary
prelude TO reveilie and morning stables.
Now, with the wisdom that comes long
after war, only case-hardened, handy
legged old dragons ever dreamed of a
drink at that hour of leap from sleep
to life; the inner cavulryman Graves the
juice of Mocha and mocks at rye. From
every "set" of cavalry quarters then the
kitchen chimney sent aloft it's feathery
plume, with one exceptional sub
nltern's house we'll over toward the
western end of the row; and toward
the gate thereof, edging away from the
ribald homewurd-bound of the main
road and shutting stolidly across the
mesa. Hop Ling was making his rapid
way. Fan-tan had gone against him,
and but for his hands his pockets were
empty Hop bore with him an air Of
depression, and was followed by faint
fragrance is fmandragorn. His bleary
little eyes were searching furtively
along that line of fence and stables for
the CLEAN of the scntry's carbine and
cap ornaments. He must place That
watchman Of the night and know his
ground before he entered post. 'Spose
the officer Of the guard had happened
to meet him during the night. 'Spose
somebody sick. dispose Mise Mel
lium she wanttee chow-chow?" Bang!
the morning gun roared lis lusty sum-
mons to be up and doing, and skulking
coyotes squatted lower as they sneaked
away from the outlying quarters, no
chicken the richer, and the guard
turned out with 20 additions to COM
pany Q and more still a-coming and the
telegraph instrument in the clerks Of
fee began to call Laarrup-Lalarrup
-Lalarrup," and the soldier operator,
washing his face in tin basin outside,
glanced up and said: 1.-THE deuce with
you. You always call when I'm wash
ing. What's up now?" md had to drop
additions, and. wringing his hands as
l,e ran, to answer the sharp, insistent
summons; and as he listened his face
grew keen and excited, and, checking
the rapid clicking of the key one in
slant, he yelled to the drowsy clerk in
the adjoining office: "Billy-quickl
Tumble up and see II Lieut.. Merrinm's
back. I've a message for him." and
then clicked and listened and noted
again; but the reveille was chirruping
its merry music, and the sweet, cool,
morning air rang with the melody, and
the troopers were tumbling out from
the barracks and ever across the parade
officers came stalking forth from their
doorwnys. for the til were sticklers
about morning stables and roll call;
and. most prominent figure of all,
streaking across the mesa with pig
$on Il n