Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-01-05

Az ~AAhhSSA oiIS5 hdS A'SSh
and came striding to his comrades
side.
Naturally" was the answer. "He
had hoped much from this visit. The
boy was just under 81 when he enlist
ed, and, as his fathers consent was
lacking, discharge could have been
ordered. 1t may have been fear of that
that drove the youngster off. Where
Is the carriage-and your glasses
continued the colonel, looking about
until he found a binocular.
Comm right down the road back of
the officers tents Reckon it's another
visit of coincidence to Gray. You know
1 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 a
fresh cigar, his face averted.
Miss Prime don't mean," answered
Gordon, glancing curiously at the
senior officer. Not but that she's a
most charming young lady and all
that" he hurriedly interpolated, south
ern chivalry asserting itself. Then
with u twitch about the lip: by the
way, ole man, those cigars light better
from the other end. Take fresh one."
Armstrong quickly withdrew the ILL
used weed from between his strong,
white teeth, gave it one glance and a
toss into the waste basket.
mo, I've smoked enough. But how
can they see him? How about that
sentry over Gray's tent?"
Huh! Chief made them take it off
directly lie 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. Eyes, 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 il hurry, colonel"
They had known each other years,
these two, and ii 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, grayely, "and it's
time 1 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 Us 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 hand and or
dered it. Canker grumblingly obeyed
so far as the sergeant and sentries were
concerned, but entered stout protest as
to Gray.
II still hold that officer MS having
knowledge of the scheme and aiding
and abetting. 1 can prove that he tele-
phoned for that carriage" he said.
"At 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 Canlker'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 man Tor
woman) he was. But down he had to
go, three blocks of camp, to where the
tents of division headquarters We're
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
to your Sergt. Foley. Do you think it
wise to have no sentry over him?"
"Why-general," said Canker, 1--WE
known that man Is years-in fact, 1 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 Oft Don'tyou
consider that conclusive?"
Canker cleared his throat and con-
sidered as suggested.
II heard the allegation sir, but-he