Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-01-24

breakfast, and while she paused, uncer-
tain about entering at such time, he
rushed angrily forth and nearly col
ided with her. Mrs. Frost was in
tears when the nurse finally entered,
and the breakfast was left untouched.
Late that afternoon, just after the
various trunks and boxes OF the Frosts
that were to go by the transport were
packed and ready, and Mrs. Frost, look
ing stronger at last, though still frsg-
lie, almost ethereal, was returning from
drive with one of her friends, the at
tention OF the two ladies was drawn to a
crowd gathering rapidly on the side
walk not far from the Baldwin hotel.
There was no shouting, no commotion,
nothing but the idle curiosity OF men
and boys, for young soldier, hand
some, slender, dark-eyed, darkroom
plexioned fellow of Fl or %, had been
arrested by = patrol and there they
stood, the sergeant and his two sol
diers fully armed and equipped, the
hapless captive with his arms half filled
with bundles, and over the heads of
the little throng the ladies could see
that he was pleading earnestly with
his captors, and that the sergeant,
though looking sympathetic and far
from unkind, was shaking his head.
Mrs. Frost, istless and little fatigued,
had witnessed too many such scenes in
former days of garrison life to take any
interest In the proceeding. "How
stupid these people arel" she irritably
exclaimed; running like mad and
blockading the streets to see soldier
arrested for absence from camp with
out pass. Shan't we drive on?"
"oh-just one moment. please, Mrs.
Frost. He has such nice face-a gen.
tleman's face, and he seems 30 troubled.
Do look at i'll"
Languidly and with something very
| like pout, Mrs. Frost turned her face
again toward the sidewalk, but by this
time the sergeant had linked an arm
in that Of the young soldier and had
led him pace OF two away, 30 that
his back was now toward the carriage.
He was still pleading, and the crowd
had begun to back him up, and was ex-
postulsting, too.
| awe, take him where he says, ser
geant, and let him prove it,"
Don't be hard on him, man. If he's
taking care of sick friend, given q
chance"
Then the sergeant tried to explain
matters. 81 can't help myself, gentle
men," said he; "orders are orders, and
mine are to find this recruit and fetch
him back to camp. He's two days over
time now"
"Oh, l wish l knew what 1t meantl
anxiously exclaimed Mrs. Frost's com.
panion. "I'm sure he needs help" Then
with sudden joy in her eyes: "Oh, good
! There goes Col. Crosby. He'll see what's
amiss," and as she spoke tall man il
: the fatigue uniform OF an officer of in
fantry shouldered his way through tn,
crowd, and reached the blue-coatec
quartetts in the center. Up went thu
hands to the shouldered rifles in salute
and the young soldier, the cause of thu
gathering which the police were nov
: trying to dispense, whirled quickly, ant
with something suspiciously like tear
+ in his fine dark eyes, was seen to b'
eagerly speaking to the veteran officer
J There was a brief colloquy, and thel
the colonel said something to the ser
geant at which the crowd set up cheer
The sergeant looked pleased, heyouns
soldier most grateful, and away wen
: the four along the sidewalk, many o
!. the throng following.
y And then the colonel caught sight o
the ladies in the carriage, saw that on
was signaling eagerly, and heard hi
: name called. fastening to their side
), he raised his cap and smiled cordia
!. greeting.
q "oh, I'm so glad you came, colonel
we are SO interested in that young sol
n der. Do tell us what it all means. Oh
q 1 beg your pardon, Mrs. Frost, I surel.
d thought you had met Col. Crosby-le
y me pre- Why, Mia! What's Ar
It you ill? Here, take my salts, quick!
y "No-no-go on-I-I want to hear
!, Where are they taking him?" faintl.
d murmured Mrs. Frost"
n TRY to control yourself" said he
Is companion. .1'll tell you in one me
| WCAks 1ASoAAAo 4AOH "1lAOut III
# carriage the colonel continued, address
n ing Nita's companion:
+ HE tells . perfectly straight story
% He says he has an old friend who is S
II desperately i'll and out of money-tha
d he got doctor for him and had bee
r nursing him himself. Those things b
d carried are medicines and wine that tn
d doctor bads him buy. All he asks is t
i take them to his friends room and &c
nurse, then he is ready to go to cam
and stand for his trial, SO told tn
sergeant I'd DO responsible"
"Oh, thank you SO much! Do see tina
the poor fellow isn't punished. We
drive right round. Perhaps we can
something. 1t is Red Cross business
you know. Good afternoon, colone
Please tell our driver to follow Them
But, to her CONSERVATION, no soone
had they started than she felt Nita'
trembling hand grasping her wrist, an
turning quickly saw that she was in a
almost hysterical condition.
my poor child, I had forgotten 20
were 20 worn out. I'll take you hon
at once-but then we'll miss them Ell
tirsly. Oh, could you bear"
"Ohl Mol Mol" moaned Mia, wiring
ing her little hands. "Take mean,
l. where. Mol Take me home-take m
3. home! and promise me not to-not t
e tell my husband what we saw"
i. CHAPTER XI.
d For . man ordinarily absorbed in hi
a own command, Col. Stanley Armstron
n had become all on sudden deeply Ell
e crossed in that of Col. Canker. Th
is Frosts had been gone week via Var
r couyer-the expedition only about ]
n hours-when he appeared at Gordon
: tent and frankly asked to be told a
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