Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1900-05-04
those of the officers.

now, and no stopping on the way
back" he added, well aware how much
/ in need his assistant stood Of creature
comfort Of some surreptitious and for
hidden kind. The man was back in
moment, the coat rolled on his arm.
I'll take it, said Gray, simply.
you needn't come"
go on with i'll" ordered the SER
geant as the soldier hesitated. "D'ye
the service has gone to the devil and
officers are runnin' errands for enlist
ed men? An get back inside two min
utes, too" he added with portent in
his tone. The subaltern of hardly two
months service felt the implied rebuke
of the soldier of over 20 years and
meekly accepted the amendment, but
"A thought occurred to him: lie had
promised Morton paper, envelopes and
stamps and the days newspapers-the
lad seemed strangely eager TO get all
the latter and vaguely Billy remem-
berd having heard that Canker consid-
cred giving papers to prisoners as
equivalent to aid and comfort to the
enemy.
Take il by way of my tent" said he
as they started, and, once there il took
time 10 find things. go back TO the
sergeant major and tell him | sent
you" said Gray, after another search.
He needs you on those papers"
And when the officer Of the guard
returned to the guardhouse and went
in TO the prisoner, the sergeant saw
and others saw-that, rolled in the
soldiers overcoat he carried on his
arm, was bundle done up in news
paper. Moreover, scrap of CONVEX
sation was overheard.
There's no one at the generals"
said the officer. Il see no way of-fx.
ing it before morning"
My God, lieutenant! There-must
be some way out of it! The morning
will be too late"
Then I'll do what | can for you to-
night" said Mr.. Gray, as he turned
and hurriedly left the guardroom-a
dozen men standing stillly about the
walls and doorway and staring with
impassive faces straight TO the front.
Again, the young officer had left the
post Of the guard and gone up into
camp, while far and near through the
dim, fog-swept aisles Of a score Of
camps the bugles and trumpets were
wailing the signal for lights out" and
shaGowy forms. with coat collars
turned up about the ears or capes muf-
fled around the neck, -curried about
the company streets ordering laughter
and talk TO cease. \ covered carriage
was standing at the curb outside the
officers gate-and the sentry Their,
posted remembered that the officer OF
the guard came hurrying ont and
asked the driver If ne was engaged.
"I'm waiting for the major" was the
answer.
well, where can one order n car
rage tonight without going clear TO
town." inquired Gray. IL want-one;
that isl wish to order one at once"
And the driver, who knew very well
there were several places where car
riages could be had preferred loyalty
to his own particular stable away in
town, and so declared there was none.
you can telephone there, if you
wish. sir" he added.
And wait till morning for it to get
here? No! III get it-somehow."
And that he did get il somehow was
current rumor on the following day,
for the sentries on the guardhouse side
Of camp swore that closed carriage
drove down from McAllister street for
all the world as though it had just
come out Of the park and rolled on past
the back of the guardhouse, the driver
loudly whistling Killarney" so that
it could be heard above the crunching
Of the wheels through the rough, loose
rock that covered the road, and that
carriage drew up not hundred yards
away, while the lieutenant was out Wis
ting scntries and presently they saw
him coming back along the walk, /
TO question each sentry as to /
his orders. Then he returned and in /
luired if all was quiet among the pris-
0ners, and then went and put out his
light in the tent reserved for the Of
icer Of the guard, and once more left
his post briefly informing the sergeant
IF the guard he was going to the officer
- 'he 10y. Then il was asceri aimed
hat he had visited half dozen places
II search of that veteran captain and
Ippeared much disturbed because he
ould not find him. In half an hour he
vas back, asking eXcitedly of the
entry in rear of the guardhouse if a
arriage had come that way. 1t had,
aid the sentry, and was waiting down
he street. Gray hurried in the direc-
ion indicated, was gone perhaps three
minutes and returned saying that the
entry must be mistaken. that no car
iage was there. But the sentry reit-
rated his statement that il had been
here and had been waiting for some
ime, and must have disappeared while
e was temporarily around at the oppo-
tie side of the building. This was
bout IL y. m.
TO be Continued
Last Tuesday was the Day
} begin taking DR.. Caldwell's Syrup