The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1900-03-16
tip, gazed dreanily at the floor, and
Sententiously said:

WhereupOn his next neigbbor, a
stocky, thickset man in the uniform of
a brigadier, never moving eye. head or
hand, managed to bring a stable foot
in heavy riding boot almost savagely
upon the slim gaiter of the humorist,
who suddenly started and flushed to the
temples, glanced quickly at the chief,
and then as quickly back to the floor,
his blue eyes clouded in genuine dis
tress.
The generals gray face had seemed
to grow grayer in the gloom. Again
there came, like ripping echo, the
chorus of merry laughter from the adj
joining tent, only it seemed trifle sub
dued. possibly as though one or two of
the merry-makers had joined less
heartily. With sudden movement the
general rose. well, I've kept you long
nough," he said. Let the three regi-
ments be got in readiness ut once, but
relax no effort in-that other matter.
Find the guilty parties if possible
thing"
And then the group dissolved. One
or two of the number looked back, half
hesitating, at the entrance of the tent,
but the chief had turned again to the
Uttered table before him, and, seating
himself, rested his gray head in the
hand nearest his visitors. 1t was as
though he wished to conceal his face.
One of the last to go-the thinfaced sol
der with the twinkling blue eyes, hung
irresolutely behind the chief moment
as though he had it in his mind to speak,
then turned and fairly tip-toed out,
leaving the camp commander to the So
ciety of single staff officer, and to the
gathering darkness.
Kindly say to Mr.. Prime, or his
friends, that will join them in mo-
ment," said the former, presently,
without so much as uplifting head or
eye, and the aid-de-camp left as noise
lessly as his predecessor, the humorist.
But when he was gone and THE Chief"
sat alone, the sound of merry chat and
laughter still drifted in with the mist
at the half-opened entrance. Shadowy
forms fitted to and fro between the Of
fetal tent and the lights beginning to
twinkle at brigade headquarters across
the wide roadway. An orderly
scratched at the tent flap, but got no an
swer. The lone occupant sat well back
in the gloomy interior and could barely
be distinguished. The waiting soldier
hesitated moment. then entered and
stamped once upon the wooden floor,
then turned and noiselessly stepped
out, for, anticipating his question, the
general spoke:
NO light just yet, orderly. I'll call
youth Il moment. Just close the tent"
AT his hand, he needed no light to find
it, lay little packet that had been
passed in to him with the mail while
the council was still in session. It was
stoutly wrapped, tightly corded, and
profusely sealed, but with the sharp
point of an eraser the general slit the
fastenings, tore off the wrapper, and
felt rather than saw that bundle of
letters, rolled in tissue paper and tied
with ribbon, ribbon long since faded
and wrinkled, lay within. This he care
fully placed in a large-sized military
letter envelope, moistened and pressed
tight the gummed flap, slowed it in the
inner pocket of the overcoat that hung
at the rear tent pole, reduced the wrap
per and it's superscription to minute
fragments, and dropped them into the
wastebasket, all as carefully and meth
odically as though life knew neither
hurry nor worry; then bowed his lined
face in both hands moment in utter 81
lence and in unmistakable sadness.
Presently his lips moved: Can you
look down and see that have kept my
word, Agnes?" he murmured. God
help me to find him and save him-yet."
Once again the laughter, the gay
young voices, rang from the other tent.
All over camp, far and near, from the
limits of the park to, the very slope of
the height at the north, the evening
bugles were calling by thousands the
thronging soldiery to mess or roll call.
Slowly the general rose, drew on his
overcoat, and in another moment, IN
der the sloping visor of his forage cap,
with eyes that twinkled behind their
glasses, with genial smile softening
every feature, his fine soldierly face
peered in on the scene of light. of merri-
ment and laughter under the canvas
roof of the only home be knew in the
world-the soldier home of one whose
life had been spent following the flag
through bivouac, camp or garrison,
through many a march, battle and cam
paign all over the broad lands of the
United States untl now, at the hour
when most men turned for the placid
joys of the fireside, the love of devoted