The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1899-01-21
TIE SILENT TROOPER.
By W. L. Comfort, Fifth u. S. Cavalry.

to cover his troubles, so he did not
confde in men. Heroes can hate well.
Why my eyes wandered to the op-
posite side OF one Of Lander's letters
while he was holding it up, and there
fingered for single disgraceful =
ond, is something more than I can ex-
plain. I can only regret it. At any
rate, T saw these words:
ooh, Charlie, do let me come to
you!"
A lady-killer is my silent friend,
thought I; but didn't mean to read
part Of his letter-really, didn't.
After five weeks the troops were
ordered to the barracks. No enc was
sorry, for life on target range IN Ari-
zona is tedious, putting itwith studied
mildness. And then they have mos
quito netting in the barracks.
\ tragedy was enacted on those
moonlit foothills at Old Baidy's base
the last night on range. ] am not a
handy man at tragedies. 1t IVES this
way:
"Say, old chap" said Lande: in a
light manner the morning before, "do
! a little favor for me, will you? I want
you to meet lady for he. I believe
+ will have another engagement to-
nigatr'
"a lady in this country!" Iwhis-
pered excitedly. Nothing but greaser
maidens and squaws had 1 seen for
I~months-it seemed.
Reluctantly he handed me note,
part OF which is below:
"I could not help coming. was frantic
when / learned that he was transferred to
YOUR troop. You must meet me tonight.
Did you think 7 could forget you. Oh,
Charlie, may be acting unwomaniy, but
| am desperate. No one kncws mo here in
the village. will be near the last adobe,
but on the norta. Oh. why did you go
; away? Thought y Come Tonight.
ELSIE"
ssIt's common yarn" said Lander
! rervously. s'SEe knew me up North
as civilian. Grim and I were sta
toned there, but he did not know me.
I was only private. She was lovely
to us both. The queer thing about it
is that won ont. Then it occurred
| to me that T was only common SOL
dier, who had funked at everything
else he tried, and hardly fit to marry,
SO I applied for transfer and chased
out. She woul.:n't have Grim any
how.
':Now Grim turns up again in the
attitude of my superior officer, which
is very dramatic, and the little wom-
an is here, which is also very dramat-
ic; and as T can't see them both, I
want you to go to her. I must keep
the other engagement. Tell her I'm o
deserter or dead or any old thing"
Fer the second time I heard Ian
der laugh low and meloaiously. I can
hear it yet.
"Thsre'll be show down tonight"
he said.
Asterretreat, the elieutenant called for
his horse and lopea slowly downward.
The sun was red and low, and the
silken Aag over headquarters was
cased for the night. A little later
Lander entered the tent, threw his
cartridge belt about him and saun-
tered carelessly out
Don't keep the little woman wait
ing long" he whispered to me. I
watched bis form grow dim in the
shadows toward the village. Then I
stepped into my cartridge belt, looked
at my six-shooter and became one Of
the mysterious downward procession,
Something is going to drop on the vii
lage road this night, I thought.
Lander was sitting by the road side
a mile from camp. He smiled, but
did not speak to me. While T waited,
I wondered why Ihad dnotremembered
to shake hands with Lander that
night.
It seemed a long time before the
lieutenant's horse was heard down
the road. I hoped that Lander would
not pick off his man from ambush. I
hated to think he would do it.
"Dismount, lieutenant" sang out
| the man who had been kicked, and he
did not salute his superior officer.
What Grim said as he obeyed is
rather important but not necessary to
this narrative. But Grim knew then
that he was only common human
man, like the being before him, whom
he had kicked. He saw in the faded
twilight private i'll the regular army
who IL the presence Of other men was
his slave: but. who alone, in the foot
! hills of Arizona, was cool, deter
mined, smiling foe. He saw before
him the handsome Charlie Howard,
who WAS loved by woman he loved.
He saw the reckless light in Howard's
eyes which boded no good. And in
spite OF all these things, Lieutenant
Mat Grim was game.
The moon was looking over old
Be!ay's icy crown low and the great
lone above and the sand below were
.i:led with its wh;tencsss.
You acted tic coward once, little
otiicer--try 70 be 4 mali Tonight, I
ueard Lander say. 1T Was imprac-
,ib!e to procure seconds, so you will
lave TO rely upon the honor Of g COM
mon soldier. Perhaps you never as
Snciated such sentiments with an en-.
. l;sto1 mon sa: thot v1,, ho-a c0nr