Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-04-27
The tall recruit nodded.

LHB tuIl recruit uOuucu
Take your post" said the corporal.
"Fall in, Scully. Darned lot Of uso
you'd be tonight. You smell ASH you d
been drinking"
IL wish / had, bedad," shiverod No
2. go on, corporal, or we'll never get
thawcd." And in moment more the
tramp of the footsteps died away and
Hunter was alone
He was warmly clad, for in addition
to tho fur cap and gauntlets heavy over
shoes had been added to the soldiers
equipment for winter duty dismounted,
and as there was every indication Of
snow the guard had been ordered to
wear them this night. Then in Rays
troop they had knack of keeping hot
coffee in the kitchen on tho bitter win
ter nights for the benefit Of their
guards, and though it reminded him
but feehly of the fragrant Mocha Of
other days and climes it had cheered
him not u little, and he felt alert and
vigorous and independent as he began
patrolling his lonely post. Along the
bluff to the westward the black bulk of
the barracks doomed up against the star
ry sky. Between him and them were
close at hand the huge haystacks, and
then the scattered huts and cottages Of
the married men. In ono or two Of
these faint night lights were glowing.
| Several children had been ailing, and
there were anxious hearts among the
lowly. But there were no little ones at
Merriweather' yet dim light shone
, from tho southwark window.
What manner Of man was Merri-
weather anyway? pondered the sentry,
as, pacing briskly up the open space
before the stables, he went over in mind
the adventure now nearly two weeks
! gone by. Never once, by word or act,
had the sergeant shown tho faintest in
| tenton to seek satisfaction for the blow
that had hoored him. True, he never
| spoke to Hunter never seemed to see
him, and the accident to Stella and
himself might, despite all the sergeant S
protests to his captain, have been the
result Of his design. Once, twice, Hun
ter had seen Mrs. Merriweather, but at
such distance that speech with her
was out of the question, even had he
sought it. But she had seen him and
looked long and Weaningly. at him, and
be could not but know it. For some
reason Merriweather saw fit to hide the
facts connected with his absence from
tattoo that night, and, so long as no
one in authority questioned, it was not
Hunters province to explain.
Keeping vigilant lookout on every
side as he paced up and down, the sol
der gave his thoughts free rein. He
was glad to be alone to think and plan.
There was no glamour about soldering
as he had found it, and it was useless
denying even to himself that he would
gladly have recalled his rash enlist
ment, but that being impossible grit
and pride asserted themselves and babe
him stand to his guns and give no sign.
Barring the inquisitive proddings Of the
men, he had had no active annoyances
after the first few days. Would be tor
mentors respected man who was sc
free with his fists-and his money. His
officers except Mainwaring, had treated
him with grave and distant courtesy,
for of Brady he had seen nothing at al
until this day. News from home and
abroad he had had none and wanted
none 1t was his purpose to shut him
self out from the old world for good and