The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1900-04-26

lHe inter cOulQ only ODey-an0 OBJ
jurgate.
But Canker's knuckles came in for an
other rasping within the hour. The
brigadier being done with him, the di-
vision commanders compliments came
over per orderly, and would the colonel
please step to the generals tent.
Canker was Tuning to get to town. He
was possessed with insane desire to
follow up that boarding house clew.
He believed the landlady could be bull
lied into telling where her boarder was
taken, and what manner of mar Tor
woman) he was. But down he had to
go, three blocks of camp, to where the
tents of division headquarters were
pitched, and there sat the veteran COM
mander, and placid as ever.
"Ah, colonel, touching that matter
of the robbery of your commissary
stores. Suspicion points very strongly
to your Sergt. Foley. Do you think it
wise to have no sentry over him?"
"Why-general," said Canker, "I've'
known that man Is years-in fact, I got
him ordered to duty here" and the
colonel bristled.
"Well-pardon me, colonel, but you
heard the evidence against him last
night, or at least heard of it. Don't you
consider that co%nclusive?"
Canker cleared his throat and con-
sidered as suggested.
II heard the allegation sir, but-he
made so clear an explanation to me, at
least, and besides, general"-a bright
idea occurring to him-"youk nowthat
as commissary sergeant he is not under
my command"
Tut, tut, colonel" interrupted the
general, waxing impatient. "The
~storehouse adjoins your camp. Your
sentries guard it. Capt. Hanford, the
commissary, says he called on you last
night to notify you that he had placed
the sergeant under arrest, but consid-
cred the case so grave that he asked
that a sentry be placed over him, and it
wasn't DONE"
II dislike very much to infict such in
dignity on deserving soldiers, general"
said Canker, stumbling into a self-made
trap. Until their guilt is established
they are innocent under the law"
apparently You apply a different
rule in case of oficers," calmly respond
ed the general, wide Mr.. Gray. No fur
Their words are necessary. Oblige me by
having that sentry posted at once.
Good morning, sir"
But to Canker's d~ismaythc officer of
the guard made prompt report. The
sentry was sent, but the sergeanI's tent
was empty. The %colonel's pet had flown.
This meant more trouble for the colonel.
Meantime Stanley Armstrong had
hied him to Gen. Drayton's headguar-
tiers. The office tents were we'll Oiled
with clerks, orderlies, aides and other
officers who had come in on business,
but the meeting was by appointment,
and after brief delay the camp COM
mander excused himself TO those pres
ent and ushered Armstrong into his
private tent, the scene of the mer-
ry festivities the evening Of Mrs. Gar
r1son's unexpected arrival. There the
general turned quickly on his visitor
with the low-toned question::
"Well-what have you foundr"
Enough to give M strong reason
for believing that Morton, so-called, is
young Prime, and hat your nephew is
with him. sir"
The old soldiers sad eyes lighted with
sudden hope. Yet as he passed his hand
YEARLY over his forehead, the look of
doubt and uncertainty slowly returned.
sit accounts for the letters reaching
me here" he said, "but--I've known
that boy from babyhood, Armstrong,
and a more intense nature I hnve never
heard of. What lie starts in 10 do he
will carry out if it kills him." And
Drayton looked &, EARLY about the tent
as though in search of something lie
didn't quite know what. Then he set
tied back slowly into his fasoHte old
chair. "Do sit down, Armstrong. 1
want to speak with you a moment"
Yet it was the cc:onel who was the first
to break the ~silerce.
MAY ] ask if you hava had time to
look at any of the letters, pir?"
"Do l look as though I had time to
do anything" said the chief, dropping
his hands and uplifting a lined and hag-
gard face, yet SO refined. Anything
but work, work, morn, noon and night.
The mass of detail one has to meet here
is something appalling. 1t weighs on
me like a nightmare, Armstrong. No,
I was worn out the night after the
package reached me. When next I
sought it the letters were gone"
"How long was that, general?"
Again the weary hands, with their
long, tapering fingers, came up to the
old soldiers brow. He pondered a mo-
ment. ut must have been the next
afternoon, I think, but I can't be sure"
sand you had left them-?"
"In the inside pocket of that old over
coat of mine, hanging there on the rear
tent pole," was the answer, as the gen
eral turned half round in his chair and
glanced wistfully, self-reproachfully
| thither.
Armstrong arose and, going to the
back of the tent, msde close examina-
ton. The canvas home Of the chief
was what is known as the hospital tent,
but instead of being pitched with the
ordinary ridge pole ana upright, a sub
staptial wooden frame and floor had
first been built and over this the stout
canvas was stretched, stanch and taut
as the head of a drum. It was all intact
and sound. Whoever filched that
packet made way. with it through the
front, and that, as Armstrong well
knew, was kept tightly laced, as a rule,
from the time the general left it in the
morning until his return. 1t was never
unlaced except in his presence or by
his order. Then the deft hands of the
orderlies on duty would do the trick in
a twinkling. Knowing all this, the