Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-04-28

WHlStlluB III ONC1 tAC OdAASh, soA1s
slopes and dunes, and the moistur
dripped in big drops from the slope
rifles of the men marching sturdil.
In from drill.
"Yawnduh comes the Prime carriag
now, by Gawge," continued the adjll
tant, as he limped to the entrance
"Ole man seems all broke up, dom
hep Armstrong had promptly riser
and came striding to his comrade'
side.
Naturally" was the answer. "1i'
had hoped much from this visit. Thu
boy was just under 21 when he enlist
ed and, as his fathers consent wa!
lacking, discharge could have beer
ordered. 1t may have been fear of tina
that drove the youngster off. Where
Is the carriage-nnd your glasses?'
continued the colonel, looking abdu
until he found binocular.
Comm right down the road back Of
the officers tents. Reckon it's another
visit of coincidence TO Gray. You know
| 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."
"Nliss-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 tho
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 twitch about the lip: "By the
way, ole man, those cigars light better
from the other end. Take fresh ono"
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?"
"IIuh! Chief made them take it of
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. 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 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" waa
still possible. "Armstro,g" would be
solderly soiecism.
II am to see the general before noon,"
said Armstrong, gravely, land 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 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 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 as having
knowledge of the scheme and aiding
and abetting. ! 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 asper:ty. "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 rasping within the hour The
brigader 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
womnn) 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, sunve and placid as ever.