Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-23

stopping the way back" he added--well
aware how much in need his assistant stood
OF creature comfort of some surreptitious
and forbidden kind, The man was back in
a moment, the coat rolled on his arm.
III take IT." said Gray simply. You
needn't come"
Go on with it," ordered the sergeant az
the soldier hesitated. Dye think the SER
vice has gone to the devil and officers are
runnin errands for enlisted men? An get
back inside two minutes, too" he added
with portent in his tone. The subaItern of
hardly two months service felt the implied
rebuke Of the soldier of over twenty years
and meekly accepted the amendment but
thought occurred to him: He had prom
lsed Morton paper, envelopes and stamps
and the days newspapers-the lad seemed
strangely eager to get all the latter. and
vaguely Billy remembered having heard
that Canker considered giving papers to
prisoners as equivalent to aid and comfort
to the enemy.
Take it by way of my tent" said he as
they started, and once there it took time
to find things. Go back to the sergeant
major and tell him l sent YOU" said Gray,
those papers,
And when the officer of the guard return
ed to the guard house and went in to the
prisoner, the sergeant saw-and Others sa1u
that, rolled in the soldiers overcoat he
carried on his arm, was bundle done I'D in
newspaper Moreover, scrap of conyersa-
ton was overheard.
Iheres no one at the generals" said
the officer: Il see no way of-tixing it be-
fore morning."
My God, lieutenant. There must he
too late " 'e
Then III do what I can for you tonight )"
SAID Mr.. Gray as he turned and hurriediv
le Ia, me guard room-a dozen men standing
stliny about the walls and doorway and
staring with impressive faces straight to III =
front. Again, the young officer had left tho
post OF the guard and gone up into camp
while far and near through the dim foo
swept dlSleS OF score of he
and trumpets Were wailing the signal for
nights out and shadowy forms with coat
collars collars turned up about the ears or capes
muffed around the neck scurried about
the company streets ordering laughter and
talk TO cease. A covered carriage Vas
sta1dlng at the curb outside the officers
gate-as a certain hole in the fence was
desisnated-and the sentry there posted re-
membered that the officer of the euard
came hurrying out and asked the driver if
major, was the answer.
Weii' where can one order a carriage to-
night without going clear to town. IN
tuilea cray want one-that is, 1 wish
TO order one at once
ana the driver. who knew very well
there were several places where CARRIAGES
could be had. preferred loyalty to his own
clared there was none. u
sir he added. '--'
Nj And O.. wait TIL morning for it to get hersr
And that he did get it somehow was CIR
rent rumor on the following day, for the
sentries on the guardhouse side Of camp
sWore that closed carriage drove down
from McAilistef street for all the world as
though 1t had just come out Of the parix
ana rolled on past the back of the guard
house. the driver loudly whistlfng XII
larney. so that 1t could be heard above the
crunchlng OF the wheels through the rough
loose rock that covered the road, and thar
carriage drew up not a hundred wards
away, while the lieutenant was out visit
ing sentries. and presently they saw him
coming back along the walk, stopping to
question each sentry as to his orders
Then he returned and inquired II all was
quiet among the prisoners. and then went
and put out his light in the tent reserved
left his post. briefly informing the sergeant
OF the guard he was going to the officer of
the day. Then 1t was ascertained that he
mad visited half dozen places in search of
that veteran captain. and appeared much
disturbed because he could not find him. In
hair an hour he was back, asking excitedly
OF the sentry in rear of the guardhouse II a
carriage had come that way. 1t had. said
the sentry, and was waiting down the
street. Gray hurried in the direction indi-
Gated. was gone perhaps three minutes.
and returned, saying that the sentry must
be mistaken. that no carriage was there
But the sentry reiterated his statement
that it had been there and had been wait
Ing fer some time and must have disap-
peared while he was temporarily around
at the opposite side of the building. This
was about IL pm.
Then when Gray appeared at reveille
Morton had disappeared.
Its not the sergeant let them fellers
ont, md the resimentA orAcles- This