Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-03-31
CHAPTER VII.

Billy Gray was indeed in close ar
rest and The grim prophecy was full
filled-Col. Canker was proving any
thing but guardian angel to him." III"
whole regiment, officers and men. bar
ring only the commander, was practi-
cally in mourning With sorrow for him
and chagrin over its own discontinue.
Not only one important prisoner was
gone, but two; not only two, bat four.
No man in authority was able 10 say
Just when or how it happened, for il
gas Canker's own order that the pris-
oners should not he paraded when the
guard fell in at night. They were here
at tattoo and at taps all right. The OF"
mad quite long talk with one OF n rs 'no
pflSOnerS-NOIn~ NJ '''N~i
tattoo, at which time the entire guard
had been inspected by the commanding
officer. But at reveille four most i'm
portant prisoners were gone, and such
was Cankers wrath that NOT only was
Gray in arrest, but the sergeant Of the
guard also, while the three luclless
men who were successfully posted as
scntries during the night al HE back of
the wooden shell that served as guard
house--were now in close confinement
In the place of the escaped punrtctte.
Yet those three were men who had
hitherto been above suspicion. and
there were few soldiers in the regiment
who would accept the theory that any
one of the three had connived at the es-
cape. AS for the sergeant - he had
served four enlistments in the -~teenth,
and without flaw in his record beyond
nh occasional alteration in the now
distant past, due to the potency of the
poteen distilled by certain 1Iibernian
experts not far from an old-time plain,
fort, where the regiment had rested on
lts march cross continent AS for the
otlicers-but who would suppose an
officer guilty of anything of the kind
IL fragrant military crime? And yet
men got to asking each other if it were
SO that Bugler Curran had carried a
note from the prisoner. Morton, TO Mr..
Gray about 2:30 that afternoon? And
what was this about Gray's having
urged Brooke to swap tours with him
an hour later, and what was that story
the headquarters clerks were telling
about Mr.. Gray's coming to the ad.u-
tant and begging to be allowed to
march on" that evening instead of
Brooke? 1t wasn't long before these
rumors, somehow, got to Canker's ears,
and Canker seemed to grow as big
again; he fairly swelled with tndigna- |
ion at thought of such turpitude on
port of an officer. Then he sent for Gray
1T was the afternoon following the !
sailing Of the ships with the big brigade
and with pain and bewilderment and |
Indignation in his brave blue eyes the
youngster came and stood before his |
stern superior. Gordon, who sent the
message, and who had heard Canker's
remarks, had found time
to scribble q word or two: admit
say nothing; do nothing but
hold your tongue and temper. If {.
insists on answers say you decline ex-
cept in presence of your legal adviser
So there was q scene in the command
ar's tent that afternoon. The morning
had not been without its joys. Along
about ten o'clock as Gray sat writing
10 his father in his little canvas home,
he heard voice that sent the blood
Gaping through his veins and filed his
eyes with light. Springing from his
and capsizing it as he did
30, he poked his curly head from
he entrance of the tent and
here she was - only dozen feet
away 1890 Maj. Lane in courteous at
enhance, Mr.. Prime sadly following,
md Miss Prime quite content with the
levotions of Capt. Schuyler. Only a
lozen feet away and coming straight to
lin, with frank smiles and sympathy
n her kind and winsome face-with
land outstretched the moment she
aught sight of him. 1--WE wanted to
ONE when we heard of 1t yesterday,
[r. Gray" said Amy Lawrence, but
was dark when we got back from see
ne the fleet off, and uncle was too tired
n the evening. Indeed, we are all very,
cry sorry!" And poor Billy never
card or cared what the others said. So