Omaha daily bee., 1899-09-10
CukpTER III.

N/NY
fconvrlght 1899, by f. Tennyson Neely)
CHAPTER III.
A day had dawned on the Preside
Heights as brilliant as its predecessor had
been dismal. A soft south wind had swept
the fogs OF the Pacific far out to sea ana
cleared the summer sky OF every wlsp Oh
yapor. The sun of early August shone not
and strong upon the sandy wastes De-
tween the westward limits of the division
camps and the foamy strand beneath the
low bluffs and beat upon the canvas homes
OF the rejoicing %soldiery, Stacking cloth aud
cordage so that the trim tent lines had be-
come broken and jagged, thereby setting
the teeth of "Old Squeers" on edge, as ne
gazed grimly from under the brim OF MS
unsightly felt hat and called for his one
faithful henchman, the orderly. EVen MS
adjutant could not condone the regimeutal
commanders Objectionable traits, tor a
crustier old villain OF a veteran lived not
in the line Of the army. "Ould CanHer
the troopers had dubbed him during the
few years he had served In the cavalry,
transplanted from u foot regiment at the
time Of the reorganization, so-called,
of the army In Il; but a 1e"
years OF mounted duty in Ar!-
IONA anu later III lut plOuA NONhNiy N"N
sickened him of cavalry life and he gladly
accepted a chance to transfer back to the
infantry. Now, twenty years after, risen by
degrees to the grade Of lieutenant colonel.
he found himself in command OF a famous
old regiment OF regulars, whose colonel mad
donned the stars OF a general offlcer OF VOL
unteers, and the pet name-save the marx
of cavalry days had given place to the I'M
fattering sobriquet derived from that horror
of boyish readers-the i'll favored school
master of Dotheboys Hall. He had come TO
the -teenth with a halo of condemnation
from the regimen In which he had served
as major and won his baleful name, and
"the boys of his new command soon learned
to like him even less than those who had
dubbed him "Squeers,' because, as they eX-
planned, there wasn't any privilege or pleas
ure he would not do the boys out of If he
possibly could. Gordon had promptly ten
dered his resignation as regimental ad1utant
when his beloved colonel left the post to
report for duty in the army destined for
Cuba. but Lieutenant Colonel Canker de-
rlined to accept, and fairly told Gordon that,
rs he hadn't a friend among the subalterns,
there was no one else to take it. Then, too,
the colonel himself wrote a word or TWO
and that settled the matter.
A big review had been ordered for the
morning. An entire brigade Of sturdy vol
unteers was already forming and marching
out by battalions to their regimental pa
rades, the men showing in their easy stride
and elastic carriage the effects OF two
months hard drill and gradually increasing
discipline. The regulars were still out III
the park, hidden by the dense foliage and
busy with their company drills. The adju-
tant and clerk were at their papers In the
big Office tent, and only the s%entrles. the
sick and the special duty men remained
about the body OF camp. There was no one
said Private Noonan to himself, as he paced
the pathway in front of the colonels tent
after having scrupulously saluted MIN on
his appearance, mo wan for the ould man
to whack at, barrin' It's me-" but even
Canker could find nothing to "whack at In
this veteran soldier who had served In the
ranks since the days of the great war and
had borne the messages of such men as
Sheridan, Thomas and Mcpherson when
Canker himself was sweating under his
knapsack and musket. Like most men,
even most Objectionable men. Canker had
some redeeming features. and that was one
of them-he had been a private soldier, and
O brave one, too, and was proud of it.
But life had little sunshine in 1t for one OF
his warped, ill-conditioned nature. There
was q profound conviction In the minds Of
the company officers that the mere sight OF
happiness or content in the face of a sub
ordinate was more than enough to sci
Bankers wits to work to wipe 1t out. There
was no doubt whatever in the minds of the
yubalterns that the main reason why Squeers
was so manifestly clown on" Billy Gray
was the almost indestructible expression Of
good nature, jollity and enthusiasm that had
shone in the little fellows face ever since
he Joined the regiment. If we call the ole
man SQueers we should dub Billy MARI
Tapley,'' said Gordon one day, when the Lao
had laughed off the effect OF an unusually
acrimonious rasping over a trivial error II
the guard report book. Hes no end kline
when n fellows in a FIX" said Gray. II
explanation, "and all the time he was soak
ing me l was thinking how he stood b!
Jimmy Carson In his scrape"-a serious
Bcrape It was. too, for young Carson. de
tailed to escort certain prisoners TO Alcatrai
and intrusted with certain funds to be turned
over to the chief ouartermaster OF the de
partment, had unaccountably fallen into
deep sleep aboard the train and awoke t
find both funds and prisoners gone. Elk
plantations were useless, The commanding
general would listen to no excuse; a court
martial was ordered and a very worthy younl
oricer's military career seemed about +
close under a cloud. when "Old Canker'
threw himself into the breach. He had lont
suspected the sergeant who had accompanies
the party In immediate command of the littl
guard. He hated the commanding genera
with all his soul, and how 1t came about n
one could thoroughly explain, but one da,
Canker turned Up with indubitable proc
that the sergeant was the thief-that h
was brlbed to bring about the escape OF tn
prisoners and that he had drugged the fires
spring water he brought in 10 the youni