Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-03-10

stacked up for the colonePs actio
This was the young clerk Morton
, especial function, but Morton had le
the office and was gone.
CHAPTER II.
The little party of visitors in the ger
erals personal tent made strikin
contrast to that assembled under tn
official canvas. In the latter, seate
Oh camp stools and candle boxes O
braced against the tent poles, were ca,
ly a dozen officers, all in the sombe
dark blue regulation uniform, severa
In riding boots and spurs, some evel
wearing the heavy, frogged overcoat
all but two, juniors of the staff, mel
who stood on the shady side of 40
four OF the number wearing on theil
shoulders the silver stars of generals
OF division or brigade, and among theil
thinning crops of hair the silver
strands that told of years of service
One man alone, the commanding gen
eral, was speaking; all the others lis.
tened in respectful silence. In the
gloom OF that late, fog-shrouded after.
noon lantern or two would have been
welcome, but the conference had be.
gun while 1t was still light enough for
the chief to read the memoranda on his
desk, and now he was talking without
notes. In the array of grave, thought
full faces, some actually somber and
severe in expression, smile would have
seemed out of place, yet, all on a sud-
den, grim features relaxed, deep-set
eyes twinkled and glanced quickly
about in search of kindred sympathetic
spirits. and more than half the bearded
faces broadened into grin OF merri-
ment, and as many heads were sudden
ly uplifted, for just as the gray-haired
chief ended an impressive period with
the words: ut will be no laughing
matter If can lay hold of them," there
burst upon the surprised ears of the
group a peal of the merriest laughter
imnginable-the ripping, joyous, mu-
steal laughter of happy grlhood ming
ling with the hearty, wholesome, if
somewhat boyish, outburst of jollity
OF healthful youth.
"Merciful powers!" exclaimed the
chief. II had forgotten all about those
people. They must have been here 20
minutes"
"Sixty-five, sir, by the watch" said a
saturnine-looking soldier, tall and stall
wart, and wearing the shield of the adj
jutant generals department on the col.
lar of his sack coat.
"They ought to 60, them" was the
placid suggestion of third officer, a
man with keen eyes, thin, almost ascetic
lace, but there twitched quaint
1umor about the lines of his lips.
That visits past the retiring age"
And then another peal of merriment
rom the adjoining tent put stop to
"They don't lack for entertaine rs,"
lazarded staff officer as soon as be
ould make himself heard. "The sol.
mn-looking Gothamite who came with
hem must have slipped out"
1T seems he knows Col. Armstrong"
aid the chief, thoughtfully. "Tsent for
I'm an hour ago. ard he may he pilot.
lg Mr.. Prime around camp, looking up
,e runaway" {
Another case?" asked brigade COM
lander, with shrug of his shoulders.
"Another case" answered the gener-
!. with sigh. ut isn't always home
oublss that drive them to it. This
" had everything a doting father ,
'uld give him. What on earth could t
axe him bolt and enlist for the war;" G
No one answered for moment. Then c
lie officer with the humorous twinkle a
'out the eyes and the twitch at the t
, corners bent forward, placed his q
bows on his knees, his fingers tip to
?, gazed dreamily at the floor, and c
ntentiously said: +
"Girl." s.
Whereupon his next neighbor, a d
ocky, thickset man in the uniform of d
never moving eye, head or /
nd, managed to bring stable foot h
heavy riding boot almost savagely Ii
on the slim gaiter of the humorist, Il
10 suddenly started and flushed to the d
mples, glanced quickly at the chief, IL
d then as quickly back to the floor, TO
J blue eyes clouded in genuine dis L
,ss. az
The generals gray face had seemed hi
grow grayer in the gloom. Again IN
ere came, like ripping echo, the
orus of merry laughter from tine adj Oh
ming tent, only it seemed trife SUBJ
ed, possibly as though one or two of
merry-makers had joined less
artily. With sudden movement the
1eral rose. SWELL, I've kept you long
ugh" he said. "Let the three reri-
nts be got in readiness at once, but
nx no effort in-that other matter.
I'd the guilty parties it,. possible
n.y."
md then the group dissolved. One
two OF the number looked back, half
itating, at the entrance of the tent,
the chief had turned again to the
cred table before him, and, seating
lself, rested his gray head in the !
I'd nearest his visitors. 1t was as II
ugh he wished to conceal his face. <
of the last to go-the thin-faced SOL
with the twinkling blue eyes, hung
solutely behind the chief moment
hough he had it in his mind to speak,
turned and fairly tip-toed out, ant
ing the camp commander to the So arr
cor