Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-08

so clear an explanation to me, at least
and, besides, general,"--a bright idea oc-
curing to him--"you know that as COM
missary sergeant he is not under my COM
mand-"
Tut, tut, colonel" interrupted the gen.
eral, waxing impatient. "The storehouse
adjoins your camp. Your sentries guard It.
Captain Hanford, the commissary, says he
called on you last night to notify you that
he had placed 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"
81 dislike very much to innct such in
dignity on deserving soldiers. general" said
Canker, stumbling into a sclf-made trap.
Until their guilt Is established they are
innocent under the law"
Apparently you apply a different rule in
case of officers" calmly responded the gen
eral, wide Mr.. Gray. No further words are
necessary. oblige me by having that SEN
try posted at once. Good morning sir"
But to Cankers dsmay the officer OF the
guard made prompt report. The sentry
was sent, but the sergeants tent was empty.
The colonel's pet had flown. This meant
more trouble for the colonel.
Meanwhile Stanley Armstrong had hied
=.
The office tents were well filled with clerks,
orderlies aides and other officers, who had
come in on business, but this meeting was
by appointment and after brief delay the
camp commander excused himself to those
present and ushered Armstrong into his
own private tent the scene of the merry
festivities the evening OF Mrs Garrson's
unexpected arrival. There the general
turned quickly on his visitor with the low
toned questions
"Well-what have you found?"
Enough to give me strong reason for be-
lieving that Morton, so-called, is young
Prime, and that your nephew is with hicn,
SIR"
The old soldiers sad eyes lighted with
sudden hope. Yet as he passed his hand
wearily over his forehead the look Of doubt
and uncertainty slowly returned. 1T ac-
counts for the letters reaching me here"
he said, "but-Tve known that boy from
babyhood, Armstrong, and a more intense
nature l have never heard of. What he
starts in to do he will carry out if it kills
him" And Drayton looked drearily about
the tent as though in search of something, he
didn't quite know what. Then he settled
back slowly into his favorlte old chair. do
sit down, Armstrong. l want TO speak with
you moment" Yet it was the colonel who
was the first to break the silence.
MAY l ask II you have had time to look
at any OF the letters, sir?"
"Do look as though l had time to do any
thing?" said the chief, dropping his hands
and uplifting a lined and haggard face, yet
so refined. Anything but work, morn, noon
and night. The mass OF detail one has to
meet here is something appalling. 1t weighs
on me like a nightmare, Armstrong. No,
vas worn out the night after the package
reached me. When next / sought it the
letters were gone"
How long was that, general?"
Again the weary hands, with their long,
tapering fingers, came up to the old soldiers
brow. He pondered a moment. at must
have been the next afternoon I think, but
can't be sure
"And you had left them-?'
'1n the inside pocket of that old overcoat
Of mine, hanging there on the rear tent
pole.' was the answer, as the general turned
half round in his chair and glanced visit
fully, sef-reproachfully thither.
Armstrong arose, and going to the back
of the tent, made close examination. The
canvas home Of the chief was what is known
as the hospital tent but instead Of being
pitched with the ordinary ridge pole and
uprights, substantial wooden frame and
floor had first been built and over this the
stout canvas was stretched, stauuch and
taut as the head Of a drum. 1t was all in
tact and sound. Whoever filched that packet
made way with it through the front, and
that, as Armstrong well knew, was kept
tightly laced as a rule, from the time the
general left 1t in the morning until his
return. 1t was never unlaced except in his
presence or by his order. Then the deft
bands Of the orderies on duty would do the
trick in twinkling. Knowing all this, the
colonel queried further
you went in town, as I remember late
that evening and called on the Primes and
other people at the Palace l think l saw
you In the supper room. There was much
merriment at your table. Mrs. Garrison
seemed to be the life of the party. Now
you left your overcoat with the boy at the
cloak stand?"
mo, Armstrong, that's the odd part of it.