Omaha daily bee., 1899-09-10

night. Canker even recovered most of the
stolen money, for there was a woman In the
case, and she had safely slowed
1t away. Carson was cleared and
Canker triumphant. 'see what the man
can do when his sense OF Justice is
aroused" said the optimists of the army.
Justice be bowed" answered the cynlcs'
"He never would have raised his niger
to help Carson but for the Joy Of proving
the general unjust, and a regimentai pet
the sergeant-a thief
Yet Gray reverted to this episode as ex-
PLANTATION of his tolerance Of Canker's
harshness, and thereby gave rise to a re-
joinder from the lips OF a veteran com
pany commander that many a fellow was
destined to recall before the regiment was
two months older.
I'm order to settle It, somebody's got to
find his life or his commission In jeopardy.
+ Maybe it1 be you, Billy, and I'm betting
you won't find Squeers a guardian angel
Yet on this sunshiny summer morning,
with hope and sunshine and confidence In
his handsome, boyish face, Lieutenant
Gray came bounding up to the presence
of the regimental commander as though
that sour-visaged soldier were an in
dulgent uncle who could not say him nay.
A stylish open carriage in which were
seated two remarkably pretty girls and a
gray-haired, slender gentleman had refined
up in the street opposite the entrance to
the row of officers tents and Canker nao
ripped out his watch with an ugly frown
on his forehead, for three OF his companies
had just marched in from drill, and three
Of their young lieutenants, on the instant
Of dismissal, had made straight for the
vehicle, and he half hoped to find they
had Topped off a minute or SO of the al
-. 49,. nM- 1000 ~ nnIntnr
seemed to crate on his ears. The sight of
Gray's beaming face seemed to deepen the
gloom in his own. Instinctively he knew
uhe youngster had come to ask q favor,
and he stood ready to refuse.
Colonel, I'd like nightly to go over and
see that review this morning, sir; and Mr..
Prime Is good enough to offer me a seat in
his carriage. May l go, sir?"
you can't go anywhere, sir, with the
tents of your company In that disgraceful
condition. Just look at them, sir-as ragged
as a wash line on a windy day!" And
Canker scowled angrily at the young fellow
standing s~quarely at attention before him.
II know that, colonel, but the sun did
that while we were out at drill, and the
men will stralghten everything in ten min
utes. I'll give the order now, sir" And
Billy looked as though refusal were out Of
the question.
You'll stay and see It done, sir, and
when it's done-to my satisfaction-will be
time enough to ask for favors. Mr.. Gordon,
send word to the company commanders l
wish to see them here at once continued
the senior officer, whirling on his heel and
terminating the interview by so doing. 1t
was In Gray's mind for a brief minute to
follow and plead. He had made 1t tell
many a time with an obstinate university
Don, but he knew the carriage was waiting
the carriage load watching, and deep
down In his heart there was keen disap-
pointment. He would have given a big
slice of his monthly pay to go with that
particular party and occupy. the seat OPP
posite Amy Lawrence and gaze his fill at
her fair face. He we'll nigh hated Squeers
as he hurried away to hail his first SER
geant and give the necessary orders before
daring to return to the carriage and report
his failure. His bright blue eyes were
! clouded and his face flushed with vexation,
for he saw that the rearmost regiment was
even now filing into the Preside reserva-
ton afar off to the north, and that no
time was to be lost II his friends were
to see the review. The distant measured
boom OF guns told that the general in whose
honor the ceremony was ordered was al
ready approaching the appointed spot, and
away over the rolling uplands toward the
boiuSh q Vol eSCOTt Toue luIO
view. Billy ground his teeth. run and
tell them 1 cannot get leave,' he called to a
fellow sub. "Squeers has set me to work
Strengthening up camp. Turn out the COM
pany, sergeant! Brace the tent cords and
align tents" and a mournful wave of his
forage cap was the only greeting he dare
trust himself to give, as, after a few min
utes Of ~fruitless waiting, the vacant seat
was given to another officer and the car
riage rolled rapidly away. A second or
two 1t was hidden from his sight behind
the large wall tents along the line of fence,
then shot into full view again as he stood
at the end Of the company street looking
eagerly for 1t temperance. And then oc-
CURED a little thing that was destined to
live in his memory for many a day, and
that thrilled him with a new and strange
delight. He had never been of the so-called
'spooney" set at the varsity. Pretty girls
galore there were about that famous insti-
tute, and he had danced at many a student
party and romped through many a reel. but
the nearest he had ever come 10 something
more than a mere jolly friendship for a girl
was the regard in which he held his part
ner In the Mixed Doubles" but that was all
on account of her exuberant health, spirits,
Y general comeliness Of face and form, and
3 exquisite skill In tennis. But this day a new
and eager longing was eating at his heart;
z a strange, dull pang seemed to seize upon
4 1t as he noted in a flash that the seat that
was to have been his was occupied by an
a officer many years his senior, a man he
. knew only by sight and an enviable repu-
tation, a man whose soldierly, clear-cut
= face never turned an instant, for his eyes
were fixed upon a lovely picture on the
opposite seat-Amy Lawrence bending
= eagerly forward and gazing with her beau
!, tiful eyes alight with sympathy, interest
y and frank liking In search OF the sorely
a disappointed young officer. "There he ISL
a she cried, though too far away for him to
I hear, and then, with no more thought OF
a c~oquetry than a kitten, with no more motive
. In the world than that OF conveying to him
= an Idea OF her sorrow, her sympathy, heT
a perhaps pardonable and exaggerated indig-
a nation at what she deemed an act OF tyr
! amy on the part Of his commander, with
only an instant in which to express 1t all
, her sweet face flushed, her eyes famed with
5 the light of her girlish enthusiasm and In
that instant she had kissed her hand to him.
Colonel Armstrong, turning suddenly and
sharply to see who could be the object OF
interest so absorbing, caught one fitting
glimpse OF Billy Gray lifting his cap In
quick acknowledgment. and the words that