Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-04-13

arOund ana SQuarcly confronted the
speaker. That he was man Of oduca-
ton and social position in the past, at
least, Dana saw at a glance, and just az
quickly did the companion thought
flash across his mind, "Anothcr case of
the prodigal son. " lncr,dulty as to the
motives of man IN enlisting u those
days was not confined to the rank and
Tile
Captain Ray may or may not be sat
isfed, but in either event, as recruiting
officer of the regiment have to be,
said the young officer, with touch of
asperity in his tone 1t wa' not good to
his ears 20 be told that would be re-
cruit declined to answer questions.
The newcomer, far from looking dis.
concerted, smiled ailably and frankly.
His blue eyes twinklod, his white teeth
cleaned "Thc best looking scapegraco
that ever camo to us. Confound his i'm
pudcnco for grinniug, said Dana to
himself
THAT is why wish to speak with
Captain Ray, sir, y" said the civilian.
"Ile might be able to satisfy you when
!, probably, could not.
II don't know how you make that
ont, " said Dana, curiosity betraying
him into half argument with the APP
piCant. which Dana very well knew
was infra dig
Possibly Captain Ray will explain
il, was the answer, and tho serenity
of the applicant remained unruilled.
"Oh, very well, said Dana, nettled
in spite OF his better nature. go SEQ
Captain Ray if you wish. -
But oven as he spoke the hall door
opened and in burst Major Mainwaring
There is no other way OF describing the
major s method of entering IA room. 1t
has been said that he was blunt both in
speech and III action. a soldier for years
of his life, no amount of domestic pol
ish had ever succeeded in smoothing off
the rough edges of the camp. Mninwar-
ing prided himself on being direct in
everything he said and did, Men and
women who knew him well knew there
was a mine of genuine kindness and
goodness under the rugged surface. Men
and women who heard him speak for
the first time declared him "a brute.
"What yuu got here:' blurted Main
waring glaring at the sergeant major
and his silent companion.
Man wants to enlist, sir, " was the
reply.
Now. Mainwaring was not the re-
Crultng officer of the regiment. He was
in rowise responsible for their sclec-
ton He had been but few months
member Of the regiment himself hav-
ing, as has been explained, been pro
mcted 70 it from another when Major
Barry became lieutenant colonel, but it
was "a peculiarly Of Mainwarng' ) that
he considoro| it his iunlienabc right to
have say IN everything going on, and
1T WASH t 50 much what be ,aid as how
he said 1t that made it obnoxious He
scowled at the very presentablo new
conner as though words were inadequate
to express his disapprobation, then
gruily demanded:
"Where YOU trom?"
a flush went up to the forehead CT
the young man, and there was an in-
stant's hesitation, then in very quiet
tone he replied, Tho east "
Major Malnwaring was studying him
sharply, suspicious light i'll his black
eyes "Ilavcn't | seen you before:" he
presently asked, the words tumbllng all
over enc another heels.
Not out here, certainly" vas the
tempered reply, though the blue eyes
were firing up and looking square into
the Nnlling black.
"Do you moan to tell me you haven't
been in service bet0re:" The major
precipltato style Of questioning left
barely time fer answer
But the civilian took his time and
chose his words. Il DO not mean to tell
you--auvthing, sir
For moment Mainwaring simply
glared as though he could not realize
the full significance of the words
What III thunder do you mean BY
that he finally Growled
Just what have said, sir, twas the
reply Rive minutes ago | wished to
enlist in TINS regiment; now | don t.
Good day to you, gentlemen. And, to
the speechless amaze of the sergeant
major, the suppressed delight of Dana
and the protaIo astonishmcnt Of Main
w0ring, he calmly walked past the two
officers. replacing his bat as he did so,
and stalkcd deliberately into the hallway
and out of the front door
"Well, of all the chip on the shout
der specimens | ever saw " loudly laugh
ed Mainwaring, that fellow beats the
LOT What do You s'pOse fired him off
so; | hgdn t begun to say anything to
HIM. The man > dash dashed double
dashed liar, and | know it I've seen
HIM somewhere before, and he knows
ii, and he's afraid to show up again and
took the first excuse TO get off That
man dash dashed deserter or horse
thief or something He knows me and
didn know Of my promotion to this
regiment or ny being here. You are
we'll rid Of him, Dana. He'll never
show up at Ransom again.
But he did, for just two days later
Captain Ray came cheerily into the Of
flee with enlistment papers i'll his hand
Dana, old boy, I've got a uptop man
to be sworn III This way, please, Hun.
ter And there at the doorway stood
the applicant of two days before.
Dana glanced over the papers AR
thur Hunter, born New York, by occu
pationA clerk, do hereby acknowledges to
have voluntarily enlisted tins sixth day
of November, 1885,, as soldier IN the
army of the United states, etc, and do
so!emnly swear that ! am % years and