The Press., 1900-11-08
! THE GENTLEMAN CORPORAL. :"
BY M. Quad.
Copyright. 1900. by c. B. Lewis.


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They were going to make ride to
the foothills and back-Captain Cline
and the colonePs daughter. That meant
a gallop of 80 miles. 1t was straight
away down the stage road for ten
miles, then across scrub and plain for
five more to hit the natural curiosity
called the Devils basin.
'Not an Indian has been seen this
side Of the range for four months"
said the captain as he talked over the
proposed ride with the colonel, land
the trip is perfectly safe. will detail
an escort from my own company, but
1t will be only for Appearances sake"
eyes, it will be safe, and May will
enjoy the gallop," said the colonel, and
no more was said about 1t.
At sunrise all were ready to set forth.
AS the girl stood on the veranda wait
ing for her horse six Of the men Of A
troop came riding up under command
OF Corporal Haynes. They halted 80
feet away, and as she looked them over
she gave start Of surprise, and flush
overspread her face. Next moment
her cheeks went white, and she gasped
as If choked for breath. The corpo-
RAILS hand slowly lifted, and his head
was uncovered for an instant, and Pri-
vate Harkins whispered to Private
O'Brien:
"And did We see that, Jim? By
smoke, but if our corporal and the
colonePs daughter haven't met before
then don't know Jack rabbit from a
long drink of whisky!
''But how can it bew asked O'Brien.
GLOW can the grass grow, We thick
head? Don't we call Haynes the Gen
tleman CorporalY Isn't it agreed in
Troop A that he has the education and
manners of any officer from West
Point and that he's seen the day when
he trained with the tiptoppersY
"And they may have lovedY' unused
O'Brien.
"That's 1t, but it's all over now, me
boy. If me own sister was married to
the second lootenant, I'd not dare to as
much as wink me eye at her. It's a
big gulf 'twixt officer and man, and If
the man tries to bridge 1t he gets drop
ped to the bottom. See the girl walk
ing to and fro? She's doing some think
ing, and don't We forget it,"
"And the corporal isn't bit easy in
his mind" added the other.
It all took place in a minute, and
then Captain Cline rode up, followed
by the girls horse. She called out a
good morning and announced that she
was ready, and when the captain raj
lied her on being a bit nervous she
forced laugh and charged him with
being four long minutes behind the
hour agreed. AS she was lifted into
the saddle she caught one more glance
Of the corporal, and the watchful Pri-
vate Harkins again whispered to his
chum:
"Jim, we've got a mystery here or
I'm an old woman. The girl is flushing
ag'in. Who knows but what we may
have a marriage between our Gentle
man Corporal and the coloners daugh-
terw\
Remember the gulfy' growled
O'Brien.
'I'd find a way to fly over it if l was
in love-"
The two riders went galloping away,
| followed at distance Of 100 yards by
the escort. 1t was beautiful morning
in summer, with the blue haze lying
thick over the distant mountains and
an exhilaration in the air to make the
| blood of both horse and man tingle.
Now and then the pace was slackened
down a bit to breathe the horses, but
no halt was made until the Devils
basin was reached. Close up against
the base Of Fire mountain was a natu-
raj dip, and in this dip, or basin, were
half a doZea spouting hot water
springs. There was also a circular
lake which steamed and dubbed, and
now and then from the crevices of the
rocks at the west end of the basin
steam was forced out, with the notes
of a fog horn. The escort halted 40
yards from the riders, and the men sat
about on the rocks and ate the break
fast they had brought with them and
smoked their pipes and gossiped. Mean
while Corporal Haynes climbed to the
| top of a great bowlder and surveyed
the country about with his keen eyes.
It was three-quarters Of an hour be-
fore he suddenly started and looked
fxedly into the north beyond the basin
and after three or four minutes came
sliding down the rock and said to the
lounging troopers:
"Men, see to your arms and lie close.
I'm going up to report to the captain"
Captain Cline and the coloneps
daughter were breakfasting on a fiat
topped rock overlooking the basin,
while their horses were fastened to a
tree near by. They saw Corporal
Haynes approaching, and the captain
likewise noticed that the girl flushed
and became nervous. He was a single
man, and, though not exactly in love
with her, a spark of jealousy blazed up
in his heart. The corporaps past was
| sealed book to his troop commander
as well as his comrades. He had been
made corporal because of his atten-
ton to duty, his soldierly carriage and
the moral influence an educated man
always exerts, and the captain had
| been rather proud Of his Gentleman
| Corporal" In a flash it came to him
that this soldier and the colonels
daughter might have been something
to each other in the past, and the
| thought angered him.
Did 1 call your he harshly asked
as the corporal came to halt and sa.
luted.
mo, SIR" was the reply, 'but ]
thought it best to tell you that have
made out Indians beyond the basin to
the north"
"It's all nonsense. Not an Indian
has been seen hereabouts for months
But there are Indians skulking
about, sir" persisted the corporal. II
made sure of it before came to you"
go back to your menv' was the sui
len reply.
The corporal had looked straight at
his officer and seemed unaware of the
presence Of the girl. She was flushing
and Mailing faI o-1 oc