The Ravalli Republican., 1898-08-24
THE B BABY: HERO.

UNSI li' ~ yGS'i'S ~ H'ii1A i4''i'@>
possibly could have suited Ailn.
They We're on tie frontier Of n
dia. The ground they then occupied
was doubtful territory. Once OF
twice there had been a whisper Of a
rising among some Of the wilder
Afghans or Afridi tribes, but SO far
nothing had occurred to disturb the
tull monotony.
Mrs. Hindle, the adjutant's wife,
was very much upset. Hitherto she
had reienel supreme. All the devo-
ton Of the garrison had hcc1: freely
offered at hen feet, and Eaby-Weli,
lie went in and out Of the aHjutant s
quarters with the familiar air of a
we'll established family cat.
IN due time tho general, accom-
panied by his wife and daughters,
reached Us. The latter were fine
looking wolnel1. The youngest might
be five and twenty, the oldest Was
certainly so.
To this one Baby, to everybody S
astoniahnont, Immediately attached
himself. Tile old general scoWlGd,
but to no purpose.
Mrs. Hindle g tea parties wero de-
serted, whereas before he WAS al
WAYS there to hand round the cakes
and make himself Of use. We missed
him, for we had to get ll' for what
we wanted ourselves.
Not that Miss Steward encouraged
him-fs,l from it. AT first she had
been kind to him. He was but a boy
in looks and i'll age, SO she had
treated him as & younger brother
until his attentions became the talk
of the station, and then, fancy, the
old general issued an order to his
daughter, and She began to pull him
up gently at first, firmly soon.
Finally the lady herself cut III
rough, and she sent for Baby and
gave him Il bad quarter of an hour.
She pointed out to him how ridic-
ulous his attentions were, and when
he ventu1ed to speak of marriage
she called him a baby, who nceleG
his mother more than q wife, anC
that if she had any more OF his non.
sense she would write to his mother
She told him that they would al
ways be pleased to SEQ him at theil
bungalow, but ncr mother made il
condition that he must give ;
promise not to think OF her ayail
in connection with marriage.
This promise he refused to give
so he was wa1nd off and excluded
from al invitations.
One thing was noticeable. HI
frightened up wonderfully III his
duties. Tie would spend hours al
target practice, and old Sergeant
Hunt and he seemed to spend Il lot
of time together. BY Hunt S account
there never was such a shot as Baby
was becoming under his tuition.
Mrs. HinGlo was in despair. He
had been very useful to her before
this unfortunate affair with Miss
Steward, and at her lat homes he
was missed by all, for he was sure
to do or say something funny.
It was arranged by some one tt
have picnic. This was to lie Il kline
OF winding up to our moderate fes
tivities, for the generals sojourl
with us was now at an end any day
The morning of the start Baby
stood looking wistfully at the prep
arations. and there WIS just sns
picion of tears in his largo blu
eyes-Dut | may be mistaken. Th
Misses Steward made their appear
ance and were soon mounted o1
mules.
"Now, Dora,' shouted the oil
general to his eldest daughter, ''loo1
after your sistcrs.'' =
Baby's eyes followed l:er move
ments with a hungry, mournfu
look His heart ached as the littl
party rode off, which he had nc
been invited 10 join. It was an III
derstood thing now that Baby WA
to be left out of everything.
For some time he wandered abou
in restless, aimless manner. The
he sauntered out again. Here II
was joined by Hunt, who deepl
sympathized with Baby in the ma
tel, and had been prophesying a
kinds OF dark things about til
weather.
Il think it is mistake, sir l.
remarked, with the respectful air {
man who has seen long service.
"What is a mistake, Hunt?' il
quired Baby.
well, this picnic. The count1
is not safe, leastways for lddic
Men cannot fight on equal tern
with women about. There is q L
of them Afridis about over the Iii
md am sure there will he trcub
with shc Afyhans.
Some. hing III Hunts manner s.
Baiy thinking, and, after It bri
visit to his major, he rode off in Il
direction Of the picnic. party. Aft
ridjng some distance he branch
off to the right, and, after dismou1
ing, he began to lead his horse by
bride path, one might almost CO