Omaha daily bee., 1900-12-30

lIts
synopsis of Preceding Chapters.
Norman Holt. favoritc son OF an old
Eentucky family. is reprimanded at West
Point for dueling and is Withdrawn by his
high-spirited father. His home coming In
the. winter Of 1860, is celebrated by an old
fashioned Kentucky Christmas gathering
Among the guests are Daisy Lane, daugh.
Ter OF Or. HOlts lawyer, and J. Burnett
Malloy,, both Of Cincinnati. The latter
brings letters OF Introduction from Lane 3
partner. Mr.. Mcintyre. and Is courteously
received; but arouses the jealousy of Nor
man Holt by his attentions to Daisy Lane.
Malloy separates Miss Lane from the main
party during a fox hunt and NJ the Christ
of proprietorship distasteful to Daisy and
obnoxious TO his rival, Norman Holt But
al III feeling Is forgotten when at midnight
mas punch, which ceremony Is interrupted
by a midnight messenger, who announce9
Investigation reveals his financial affairs
In a hopeless tanglc and the Holt fortune
dIssipated. Henry and Norman Holt enter
Lanes law office in CINCINNATI. Normnn
Holt enlists private in the Ohio infantry.
Malloy through political influence, Is Hen.
tenant In the same company and Henry
Holt Joins the confederate forces. Norman
is ordered TO conduct skirmishing party
under Captain Wing to Bclleview in search
of prominent rebels. Belevlew raid fails.
Wing captured and Norman accused OF
ttreachery B12in 1 fever Eyer saves him bos6,a fT9n
Charges against Norman are disproved by
Enyart. Norman rejoins his regiment.
Sergeant" rang out the high tenor as
that noncommissoned officer came hurrying
from his tent, thrusting both arms at once
into the roomy blue blouse, II want guide.
The colonel says you have two or three men
who know the country south and east. Who
knows It best?"
Trott glanced about him. The lieutenant
was not In sight and hearing. The answer
was prompt and with salute
Private Holt SIR
And at the sound OF his own name Holt
dropped the Springfield and stepped for
ward through the muddy company street.
"You the man." snapped the colonel. Can
you ride?"
Norman felt almost like smiling. Yes
sir" said he, hand at cap and heels together.
"Dsmount one of your men, captain. Come
1ust as you are, Holt We won't be gone
an hour. Tell your captain it's all right.
sergeant. It's the colonel's order. I'm
my names Sheridan" and evidently the
speaker had not yet become accustomed to
his new rank. In two minutes the little
cavalcade, a squadron in all, had disap-
peared IN the woods to the southeast, and
for twenty minutes nothing more was heard
OF them. The Emmets drifted back to
poker and camp politics-then presently
came scrambling again into the company
street.
Somewhere out to the southeast. not more
than a mile away by the sound, there burst
upon the moist heavy, sodden air the
sputter and crackle of musketry. Colonel
Sheridan had stirred uo a hornets nest.
And then it was a sight to see the stir
and excitement in what had been so short |
a time before "a dawding. istless camp |
Cards and counters were thrown to the |
winds. Never waiting for orders, but with
the instinct for battle that seems born In |
the American soldier the men sprang to
their tents, hastily donned and buttoned
the coarse blue blouses, whipped from peg
and ridgepole the broad leathern belts, with
the cumbrous old 40-rounder cartridge box,
ducked into the black loop till It settled
the left shoulder and clamped 1t to
the waist line with one snap OF the belt
plate a shift with the right hand swung
the big box to the buttock another slid
the little, heece-lined cap pouch snug to
the plate, another set the bayonet In its
leathern sheath well back of the left hip, |
and then grabbing the long, cleaning
Springfield, sixty men to the company still. |
the Ohio boys gathered in the muddy, slop
ing streets OF the camp awaiting orders |
and listening eagerly to the sounds from |
the front. Six months back and every drum
In camp would have been banging the long |
roll, but all that nonsense had long been |
blasted out of the army OF the Ohio. Fall |
In" growled the first sergeant of the right |
center company. as he saw the adjutant |
come out of the colonel's tent on a run. |
"Fall in,' flew the order to the wings |
and even before the captains could reach |
their station. the men were lat front" and |
tenant OF Company c, with his frayed Grim
son sash trailing, unlooped, In the mud,
came leaping the puddles down to the
line. looking anXiously about for his
senior but no Malloy was to be seen.
went over to brigade headquarters"
sang out the major, he stood hauling on
his gauntlets and swearing at his black
hostler's clumsy efforts 10 set he heavy sad
die on a snorting plunging, excited beast.
Away up the slope, opposite the right wing,
the drums and ffes began rattling n
call and before 1t was half finished the
powerful voice of big Bob McGraw, captain
of the color company, rang out the order;
Company. left face! Forward, double quick!
March" 1t was adjutant's call, and in an
other instant ten stout companies, by the
nank in sets OF four, were dancing out to
the regimental line. by the left flank.
halt. BY tho right flank halt Guides out
there lively" The orders leaped from wing
to wing. drowning for the time the
sounds of the battle at the front. keen
regiment on drill was the --th Ohio, masters
Of the new light Infantry tactics, envied
and maligned and snarled al by their bri-
gade and division mates because OF It, but
proud as 700 Lucifers OF their snap, style
and ceerity. The colonel came gallopiug
out full tilt to the front of the line. The
color guard with their monarch of a SER
geant standard bearer in their midst, came
down the slope through camp on the run and
squeezed into line, breathless, between the
solid wings Guides posts" squealed from
the right the shril voice OF the adjutant,
while the commander, impatient OF further
ceremony whipped out his long blade in a
sweeping circle that nearly sliced OF the
left ear OF his steed, and bent his own
to the aide. who, had from sputtering
gallop. reined IN in shower OF mud at
his stirrup. while 500 muskets quivered in
the bare. brown hands and the long line
held its breath to listen. Then away shot
the staff officer back to his brigade com
mander. Then down came the musket butts
on each, broad brogon rather than In the
mud In response to the coloners hoarse,
"Order arms. Adjust your equipments now,