Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-12-12
copyright, 1899. by F. Tennyson N.ely.l

That does not give his name-nor
identify him as one of my men," said
Armstrong, coolly.
"Oh, well, didn't say he belonged to
your command" was the staff officers
response. you devoted good deal
of time to him, that's all Possibly you
suspected him."
"If you mean the young soldier in
Gordon's office, -teenth infantry, 1
would be slow to suspect him of any
crime" said Armstrong, with some
thing almost like drawl, so slow and
deliberate was his manner, and now the
steel gray eyes and the fair, clear-cut
face We're turned straight upon the
swapping black eyes and dark features
OF the other. There was no love lost
there. One could tell without SO much
as seeing.
You're off, then! That commissary
sergeant gave him away the very even
ing you were looking him over-he got
wind of it and skipped, and to-day came
back in handouts"
"Ail of which may be as you say, and
still not warrant your reference to him
as one of my irreproachables." an
swered Armstrong, "and it will take
more than the evidence you refer to
to make me believe him guilty"
BY this time much of the crowd and
most of the vehicles had driven away.
The generals still sat in saddles chat
ting earnestly together, while their
staff officers listened in some impa-
thence to the conversation just record
ed. Everybody knew the fault was not
Armstrong;, but it was Earring to have
to sit and hearken to the controversy.
Don't ever twit or try funny business
with Armstrong" once said regi-
mental sage. He had no sense of hui
mor~of that kind. Those who best
knew him knew that Armstrong never
tolerated unjust accusations, great or
small. In his desire to say an irritat-
ing thing to a man he both envied and
respected, the staff officer had not con-
fined himself to the facts, and it proved
boomerang. 1t was true that two
days before, calling at Gordon's official
tent while several other officers were
on, Armstrong was seen to be greatly
interested in the appearance and testi-
mony of Gordon's young, dark-eyed
clerk, and after the conference asked
many questions about and finally asked
to speak with him. Then young Nor
ton was again missing when he was
wanted, and the next heard of him he
aif al
deserter.
/ And now once again Armstrong;
/ eyes had lighted on that boy. Seated
! opposite Miss Lawrence MS the carriage
whirled across Point Lobos avenue, and
watching her unobtrusively, he saw the
sudden light of alarm and excitement
in her expressive face, heard the faint
exclamation as her gloved hand grasped
the rail of the seat, felt the quick sway
of the vehicle as the horses SHE'D in
fright ut some object beyond his vision
Then as they dashed on he mad seen
the running guard and, just vanishing
within the portals of the corner build
ing, the slim figure of the escaping pris
oner. He saw the quivering hands
tearing at their fastenings. lie knew
he had seen that figure before now
He turned to the driver and babe hin
stop minute, but it took so yards o.
effort before the spirited horses coult
be Gained and brought to halt at the
curb To the startled inquiries of Mr.
Prime and his daughter as to the caust
of the excitement and the running ant
| ha t,tv 4 .;.-
oner escaped, think" and sent pass
ing corporal to inquire the result. Thu
man came back i'll n minute.
"They got him easy, sir. He had n,
show. His hands We're tied behind hi
back and he couldn't climb" was tn
brief report.
"They have not hurt him, hope,
said Armstrong.
mo, sir. He hurt them-one of 'en
at least, before he'd surrender whe1
they nabbcd him in town. This time h
submitted all right-said he only ran il
for glass of beer. and was laughing
like when got there"
Every well. Thatll do. Go on, driver
We haven't minute to lose if we are
see the review" he continued, as h
stepped lightly to,his: seat. 81 say
nothing of this affair."" said Miss Prime
what was it all about?"
"Nor could I see," added her father
II heard shouts and after we passed sa,
the guard, but no fugitive
ut is just MS well-indeed, I'm gla
you didn't. uncle" answered Miss Law
renee, turning even as she spoke an
gazing wistfully back. lie looked S
young. and seemed so desperate, an
had such al don't know--hunted loo
on his face-poor fellow"
And then the carriage reached the er
trance to the reservation and the sui
ject, and the second object of Miss Law
rence's sympathies evoked that da,
were for the time forgotten. Possibl
Mrs. Garrison was partly responsible
for this, for hardly had they rounde
the bend in the road that brought the1
in full view, from the left, or souther
flank, of the long line of masses j
which the brigade was formed, tina
there came cantering up to them, a
gay good humor, all smiles and sauc
: coquetry, their hostess of the evening q
: the generals tent. She was mounted O
a sorry-loolsing horse, but the "habit
was triumph of art. and it well becam
her petite, rounded figure.
No one who really analysed Mr.
: Frank Garrison's features could So
, that she was pretty woman. No or
e who looked merely at the general effet