Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-07

! better from the other end. Take a fresh
! one
| Armstrong quickly withdrew the ill-used
! weed from between his strong, white teeth
| gave it one glance, and a toss into the
! waste basket.
No. I've smoked enough. But how can
! they see him? How about that sentry over
| Grays tent"
! ly he heard of it, grinned Gordon. Moses
! But didn't Squeers blaspheme- And the
| adjutant threw his head back and laughed
| joyously over the retrospect Yes, there $
that curly pate of Billy's at the tent door
now. Reckon he was expectin 'em. There
! they are, ole Prime. too. Don't be in a
| hurry, colonel"
| They had known each other years, these
| two, and 1t had been Armstrong" and
| Gordon when they addressed each other
| or ole man" when Gordon lapsed into the
| seni-affectionate. To the adjutant's south
ern sense Of military propriety 'ole man
| soldierly solecism
II am to see the general before noon,
| said Armstrong gravely. land it's time /
| started. If you should hear of YOUR run
| away let me know. If you shouldn't keep
| our views to yourself. There's no use in
! 1ousing false hopes" With that Armstrong
! turned up the collar of his overcoat and
| lunged out into the mist.
| GORDON watched him he strobe away
| the orderly following at the conventional
| distance. The shortest way to general
| headquarters was up the of company
! officers tents in front of the still incar-
cerated Billy; the longest was around back
| of the mess tent and kitchen. Armstrong
| took the latter
That escape Of prisoners was still the
| talk of camp. Men had come by battalions
| to see the tunnel observing which Cam
ker promptly ordered it closed up Opinion
| was universal that Canker should have re-
leased the officers and men he had placed
under arrest at once, but he didn't In
| his bottled wrath he hung on to them un
| til the brigade commander took a hand
| and ordered 1t. Canker grumblingly obey-
| ed so far as the sergeant and sentrias were
| concerned, but entered stout protest as
| to Gray.
! Il still hold that officer as having knowl-
edge Of the scheme and aiding and abet-
ting. can prove that he telephoned for
| that carriage" he said.
AT least there's nothing to warrant
the posting of that sentry at Mr.. Gray's
tent, Col. Canker,.. said the brigadier. with
That's all for today SIR and the man
| with the starred shoulders held over;
him with the silver leaves The latter
/ could R,,i only Gay oReyL3nd d. o5bjurgate.
| other raspilk within the hour The brig
| adler eingwdone with him. the dfvisien
commander compliments came over per
orderly, and$weuld the colonel please step
to the gene3eis tent Canker was fun
| with insane desirs1o follow I'D that hos rdl
ing mouse clue He believed the landlady
could be bullied sinto telling where her
boarder was taken and what manner of
man Cor womanEhe was But down he
mad to go, three locks OF camp, to where
the tents nNPion headquarters were
ptcned, ane tnef4 sat the veteran COM
mander, suaxe ana placid as ever.
An, coionei tochlng that matter of the
roDpery OF pur Pmm1ssary stores. Sus-
picion poin14 VerA strongly to your Sergt
foiey DO lou INK 1t wise to have no
sentry over i'm Z?
'Why-ge1 Eral. &said Canker 1--WE known
that man f4een 3ears-in fact. got him
! ordered to DUTY here,' and the colonel
bristled
"Well-pardon me. colonel, but you heard
least heard of it. Don't you consider that
conclusive?"
Canker cleared his throat and considered
as suggested.
| II heard the allegation, sir, but-be mazda
so clear an explanation to me, at least
and besides. general" "a bright idea oc
curing to hfm-"you know that as com
missary sergeant he is not under my com.
mand-''
'Tut, tut, colonel" Interrupted the ren-
eral, waxing impatient. '.The storehonse
adjoins your camp. Your sentries guard II.
Capt. Hanford. the commissary, says he
called on you last night to notify you that
he had place. the sergeant under arrest.
but considered the case so grave that he
asked that a sentry be placed over him,
and 1t wasn't DONE"
IT dislike very much to inf1ict such in
dignity on deserving soldiers, general" said
Canker. stumbling into a self-made trap.