The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-08-24
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Had he said anything Or asked anything
about Mrs. VIM? He had. He express
ed the utmost sympathy with poor Mr..
Winn. He told Major Brooks Of a SINH.
lar experience that occurred in the ID
cavalry only the year previous and how
it would probably take tho defrauded
officer years to square the account He
most delicately inquired as to the gen.
eral health and we'll being of Mrs.
VIM, whom he had had the pleasure,
he said, of meeting several years before,
but more particularly he had asked
about Lawrence and Lawrence's chill
dren and who was in charge of them 1t
was evident that he was deeply concern
ed about them and most anxious to meet
Captain and Mrs. Blythe.
"Well, that's one thing at least in
his favor. - was the verdict, for through
out Brooks battalion, as it was then
called, or squadron, as we should call
it today, there existed an indefnable
feeling of antagonism toward this
stranger within their gates thus coming
to usurp the place Ned Lawrence held
In their hearts and homes, if no longer
on their rolls. Some one slipped out
and brought in Mrs. Blythe, for whose
benefit Mrs Brooks not unwillingly
went over all she had told about Cap
tain Barclay queries as to the children
and their benefactors, and that sweet,
tender hearted, motherly woman ought
to have softened to him, but didn't.
He could have heard it all at San An
tonic for the asking,' she declared,
"but he didn't stop two days at San
Antonio,'' explained Mrs. Brooks.
"The moment he heard that Colonel
Riggs was going on by special ambu-
lance he begged to be allowed to go with
him, and Riggs couldn't see a way to
say No and later confessed he was very
glad he had said Yes. -
Brooks, you were all growing at
the idea Of having any outsider, much
less doughboy, take Lawrence s
place." were the bluff old veterans ex-
act words, ''but you mark what I say.
I was rather prejudiced against this
young fellow myself, and it has just
taken this jolt together from San An
tonic to satisfy me he is grita to the
backbone and you are in big luck to get
him.
At least a dozen men called at the
majors that evening to pay their re-
spects to the new comrade. It was long
after taps when the last one left, but
almost to a man they gathered at the
clubroom later to compare notes. Hodge,
of course, had called among the first,
his claim of intimate or at least old &C.
quaintance rendering it necessary. Bar
clay's brown eyes certainly lighted at
the sight of the face he had known in
the far northwest. He chatted for a mo-
ment with the infantryman and ex-
pressed his pleasure at meeting him
again. Then Blythe entered, with his
grave, massive face and courteous yet
reserved manner, and Brooks spoke of
the fact that Barclay seemed to shake
hands moro earnestly with him than
with any Of the others, and to look at
him oftener, though striving to slight
no one. They sat there, as men will at
such times, somewhat awkwardly, only
one speaking at once, and generally the
same one. Hodge, for instance, had
much to say and many questions to ask
about fellows he had known in Wyo-
ming, and when he left and others came
in, three or four went at the same time,
having sat stolid listeners, calmly study
ing Barclay with their eyes and finally
saying good night and "hope to see
you when you get settled,' etc.
They were talking of him at the
store and wondering when and where
he would settle and whether he would
take Lawrence's quarters and what
would then become of Ada and little
Jim, who with Old Nanny still occu-
pied their rooms there and had all the
furniture as poor daddy left it, but who
went over to the Blythes' three times
a day to take their rations with their
army chums and playmates, the little
Blythes. "What godsend it would be
If he would buy poor Ned's books and
furniture!' said De Lancy. cit would
yield enough to send those poor babies
hOme.''
"Home!' said Blythe sadly. "What
home has child whose kith and kin
are all of the army? They have neither
home nor mother.''
But no man made the faintest com.
ment on facts the women remarked in.
stanter, that Barclays watch was only
silver and his guard an inexpensive lit.
tie cord or braid of fine leather, worn
about his neck; that his travelling suit
s7as of rough gray mixture, and his
shirt flannel negligee. But then, as
Mrs. De Lancy explained in extenua.
ton Of their blindness, he had donned
his aniform by the time they called
that second evening, and it became him
very we'll.
CHAPTER V.
A week went rapidly by. Captain
Barclay had gone on duty, and Mr..
Brayton, his sub, had not yet "size6
him up" Lieutenant Trott, the new
regimenta] quartermaster, had arrived
by the Saturdays stage and was ready
to receipt to Lieutenant VIM for all
property he had to turn over, but VIM
had broken down under his weight Of
woe and taken to his bed. From Wash
lngtOn came tidings, teleQraphed AZ fa1