The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1900-05-18

OOmln r1gnC down the road Dack OF
the officers tents. Reckon it's another
visit of coincidence to Gray. You know
I shouldn't wonduh if this arrest of
his didn't prove blessin' in disguise
for that lucky boy"
No reply coming to this observation,
Gordon glanced over his. shoulder.
Armstrong was replacing the glasses.
Again the adjutant hazarded:
IL was saying this arrest may be,
after all, the biggest kind of blessing
in disguise for that lucky Billy. Yes,
by Jove! They're comm to his tent:
That's splendid girl, ole. man.
''Miss-Prime, you mean?" calmly
queried Armstrong, striking match
after match in the effort to light n
fresh cigar, his face averted.
Miss Prime don't mean" answered
Gordon, glancing curiously at the
senior officer. Not but that she's
most charming young lady and all
that" he hurriedly interpolated, south
ern chivalry asserting itself. Then
with a twitch about the lip: by the
way, ole man, those cigars light better
from the other end. Take fresh one"
Armstrong quickly withdrew the i'll
used weed from between his strong,
white teeth, gave it one glance and a
toss into the waste basket.
NO, I've smoked enough. But how
can they see him? How about that
sentry over Gray's ,tent?"
'sHuh! Chief made them take it off
directly he heard of it." grinned Cor
don. "Moses! But didn't Squeers
blaspheme!" And the adjutant threw
his head back and laughed joyously
over the retrospect. Yes, there's that
curly-headed pate of Billy's at the tent
door now. Reckon he was expectin'
'em. There they are, ole Prime. too.
Don't be in hurry, colonel"
They had known each other years,
these two, and it had been Arm
strong" and Gordon" when they adj
dressed each other, or ''ole man" when
Gordon lapsed into the semi-affection-
ate. To the adjutant's southern sense
of military propriety ''ole man" was
still possible. Armstrong" would be
soldierly solecism.
II am to see the general before noon,".
said Armstrong, gravely, land it's
time I started. If you should hear of
your runaway let me know. If you
shouldn't, keep our views to yourself.
There's no use in rousing false hopes"
With that Armstrong turned up the
collar of his overcoat and lunged out
into the mist.
Gordon watched him as he strobe
away, the orderly following at the con-
ventional distance. The shortest way.
to general headquarters was up the
row of company officers tents in front
of the still incarcerated Billy; the
longest was round back of the mess
tent and kitchen. Armstrong. took
the latter.
That escape of prisoners was still the
talk of camp. Men had come by bat
talions to see the tunnel, observing
which Canker promptly ordered it
closed up. Opinion was universal that
Canker should have released the officers
and men he had placed under arrest at
once, but he didn't. In his bottled
wrath he hung on to them until the
brigade commander took a hand and or
dered it. Canker grumblingly obeyed
so far as the sergeant and sentries were
concerned, but entered stout protest as
| to Gray.
81 still hold that officer as having
knowledge of the scheme and aiding
and abetting. can prove that he te1e
phoned for that carriage he said.
Sat least there's nothing to warrant
! the posting of that sentry at Mr.. Gray's
tent, Col. Canker.' said the brigadier,
with some asperity. '''Order him off at
once. That's all for to-day, SIR and
the man with the starred shoulders
"held over him with the silver leaves.
The latter could only obey-and OBJ
| jurgate.
But Canker's knuckles came in for an
other raspfng 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 man 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, suave and placid as ever.
''Ah, colonel. touching that matter
of the robbery of your commissary
| stores SUSPICION points very strongly