The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1900-03-23


most men, even most Objectionable
men, Canker had some redeeming fea-
lures, and that was one of them-he
had been a private soldier, and brave
one, too, and was proud of it.
But life had little sunshine in it for
one of his warped, ill-conditioned ma
ture. There was profound conviction
in the minds of the company officers
that the mere sight of happiness OF con-
tent in the face of subordinate was
more than enough to set Canker's wits
to work to wipe it out. There was no
doubt whatever in the minds of the
srfbalterns that the main reason why
Squeers was SO manifestly "down on"
Billy Gray was the almost indestruct-
ible expression of good nature, jollity
and enthusiasm that had shown in the
little fellows face ever since he joined
the regiment. IF we call the old man
Squeers we should dub Billy Mark Tap
ley" said Gordon one day, when the
lad had laughed off the effect of an un-
usually acrimonious rasping over a
He's no end kind when fellows in a
fix" said Gray, in explanation, land all
the time he was soaking me was think
ing how he stood by Jimmy Carson in
his scrape"-a serious scrape it was,
too, for young Carson, detailed to escort
certain prisoners to Alcatraz and in
trusted with certain funds to be turned
over to the chief quartermaster of the
department, had unaccountably fallen
into deep sleep aboard the train and
awol1e to find both funds and prisoners
gone. Explanations were useless. The
commanding general would listen to no
excuse; a court-martial was ordered,
and a very worthy young officers mill
tary career seemed about to close under
a cloud, when "Old Canker" threw
himself into the breach. He had long
suspected the sergeant who had &C
companied the party in immediate
command of the little guard. He hated
the commanding general with all his
soul, and how it came about no one
could thoroughly explain, but one day
Canker turned up with indubitable
proof that the sergeant was the thief
that he was bribed to bring about the
escape of the prisoners, and that he had
drugged the fresh spring water he
brought in to the young officer after
the burning heat of the desert was left
behind in the dead of the summer night.
Canker even recovered most of the
stolen money, for there was woman in
the case, and she had safely slowed it
away. Carson was cleared and Canker
triumphant. "See what the man can
n w e SC
said the optimists of the army. Justice
be bowed" answered the cynics. "He
never would have raised his finger to
help Carson but for the joy of proving
the general unjust, and regimentaI
pet, the sergeant-a thief
Yet Gray reverted to this episode as
explanation of his tolerance of Canker's
harshness and thereby gave rise to
reJoinder from the lips of veteran
company commander that many a fell
low was destined to recall before the
was two months older:
I'm order to settle it, somebody's got
to find his life or his commission in
jeopardy. Maybe it'll be you, Billy, and
I'm betting you won't find Squeers a
guardian angel"
Yet on this sunshiny summer morn
ing, with hope and sunshine and con-
fidence in his handsome, boyish face,
Lieut.. Gray came bounding up to the
presence OF the regimental commander
as though that sour-visaged soldier
were an indulgent uncle who could not
say him nay. A stylish open carriage
in which were two remarkably pretty
girls and u gray-haired, slender gen.
tleman, had refined up in the street
opposite the entrance to the row OF
officers tents and Canker had ripped
out his watch, with an ugly frown on
his forehead, for three of his compa-
MES had just marched in from drill,
and three of their young lieutenants,
on the instant of dismissal, had made
straight for the vehicle and he half
hoped to find they had Topped off a
minute or SO of the allotted hour. The
sound of merry laughter seemed to
crate on his ears. The sight of Gray's
beaming face seemed to deepen the
gloom in his own. Instinctively he
knew the youngster had come to ask
favor and he stood ready to refuse.
Colonel, I'd like nightly to go over
and see that review this morning, sir;
and Mr.. Prime is good enough to offer
me a seat in his carriage. May 1 go,
sir?"
"You can't go anywhere, sir, with the
tents of your company in that disgrace
e,,I y Al -