The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1899-09-16

Deg PaNuoA1 SA3 htAtd OEtuSIA''
81 scratched it against the guard-gate
running up to parade"
SCRATCHED i'll Ripped it mp, you
mean. It's half way up your back.
SIT was little tear at first, sir, but
in portin' arms it got stretched, sir, an
can't look behind me. felt it givin',
SIR
"Hal" said Brander. 81 should think
you did feel il give. / thought it was
one of the new draft. You've n good
pair of shoulders, Go onP'
He turned to go. 0uless stepped aft
er him, very white, and said something
in low voice.
"Hey, whay2 What ortheris'--the
voice dropped. / saw Ortheris salute,
say something and stand at attention.
DISMISS" said Brander, CURLY. The
men were dismissed. II can't make
this out You say"-he nodded at Ou-
less, who said something again. orther-
is stood still, the torn flap of his tunic
falling nearly to his waist-belt. He had,
as Brander said, good pair of Shout
ders, and prided himself on the fit Of his
tunic.
beg " pardon, sir" l heard him
say, "but think Lieut.. Ouless has been
in the sun too long. He don't quite re-
member things, sir. l come, on p'rade
with bit Of rip, and it spread, sir,
through porting arms, as / have said,
SIR"
Brander looked from one face to the
other, and suppose drew his own con
ol,,e4c,,s RD ~ 4o1l O,.rIo ,.ss, %<, 90 rr,s4l,
the other men who were focking back
to barracks. Then he spoke to Ouless
and went away, leaving the boy in the
middle of the parade-ground fumbling
with his sword-knot.
He looked up, saw me lying on the
gun, and came to me biting the back Of
his gloved forefnger, SO completely
thrown off his balance that he had not
sense enough to keep his trouble to him
self.
81 say, you saw that, / suppose?" He
ierked his head back to the square
where the dust left by the departing
men was settling down in white cir
Giles.
u did," 1 answered, for 1 was not
feeling polite.
What the devil ought to do2" He
bit his finger again. 81 told Brander
what had done. hit him"
''I'm perfectly aware of that" said,
land don't suppose Ortheris has for
gotten it already"
"Ye-es; but I'm dashed if know
what ought to do, Exchange iato an
other company, ! suppose. I can't ask
the man to exchange, suppose. Iley?"
The suggestion showed the glimmer-
ings of proper sense, but he should not
have come to me or anyone else for help.
1t was his own affair, and told him So
He seemed unconVinced and began to
talk of the possibilities of being cash
iercd. At this Point the spirit moved
me, on behalf of the unavepged orthcr-
is, to paint him beautiful word-picture
of his insigniicance in the scheme OF
creation. He had papa and mamma
seven thousand miles away, and per-
haps some friends. They would feel
his disgrace, but no one else would care
one penny. He would be only Lieut..
Ouless of the old regiment dismissed the
queens service for conduct unbecoming
an officer and gentleman. The COM
nandcr in chief who would confirm the
orders of the court martial would not
know who he was; his mess would not
spealIof him, he would return to Bombay
if he had money enough to go home, more
alone than when he had come out
Finally rounded the sketch with pre-
eision-he was only one tiny dab of rel
in the vast gray field of the Indian en-
pire. lie must work this crisis out
alone, and no one could help him and no
one cared (this was untrue because
cared immensely, he had spoken the
truth to Brander on the spot) whether
he pulled through it or did not pull
through it. At last his face set and his
figure stiffened
"Thanks, that's quite enough. don't
want to hear any more" he said, in a
dry, grating voice, and went to his own
quarters.
Brander spoke to me afterwards and
asked me some absurd questions as to
whether had seen Ouless cut the coat
off Ortheris' back. / knew that Jagged
silver of silver would do its work well.
but contrived to impress on Brander
wy ARASDOAACSS9 NlAC WOIutTIul COM
pleteness, of my disassociation from
that drill. began to tell him all about
my dreams for the new territorial army
in India, and he left me.
could not see Ortheris for some |
days, but was told that when he re-
turned to his fellows he had told the |
story of the blow in vivid Language. |
Samuelson, the Jew, then asserted that
Il was not good enough to live in a repi.
ment where you were drilled off your
feet and knocked about like a dog. The
remark was perfectly innocent one,
aud exactly tailed with Ortheris' ex-
pressed opinions. Yet Ortheris had
called Samuelson an uncomfortable
lew, had accused him of kicking wom-
m on the head in London and howl,
ng under the cat, had hustled him. as a
bantam hustles barn-door cock, from
me end Of the barraclz-room to the 9th.
r aud finally had heaved every single
lrticle IN Samuelson's vahse and bed
ling roll into the veranda and the out
lirt, kicking Sahueison every time that
he bewildered creature stooDed n Mol