Willmar tribune., 1900-03-07

ated indignation at what she deemed
an act of tyranny on the part Of his COM
mander, with only an instant In which
to convey it all-her sweet face flushed
and her eyes famed with the light of
her girlish enthusiasm-in that instant
she had kissed her hand to him, and
then Col. Armstrong, turning sudden
ly and sharply to see who could be the
object of interest so absorbing, caught
one fitting glimpse of Billy Gray lift.
ing his cap in quick acknowledgment,
and the words that were on the tip
of Armstrong; tongue the moment be-
fore were withheld for more auSpi-
cious occasion-and it did not come too
soon.
1t was only four days after that in
itial meeting.in the generals tent the
foggy evening of the girls first visit
to camp, but both in city and on the
tented field there had been several oc-
casions on which the colonel had been
in conference with Mr.. Prime and in
company with the young ladies.
Junior officers had monopoized the
time and attention of the latter, but
Armstrong was close observer and a
man who loved all that was strong,
high-minded and true in his own sex,
and that was pure and sweet and VIII
some in woman. A keen soldier, he ha8
spent many years in active service, most
of them in the hardy. eventful and Wig
Orous life ON the Indian frontier. He
had been conspicuous in more than one
stirring campaign against the red war
riors of the plains, had won his medal
of honor before his first promotion,
and his captaincy by brevet for daring
conduct in action long antedated the
right to wear the double bars of that
grade. He had seen much of the world,
at home and abroad; had travelled
much, read much, thought much, but
these were things of less concern to
many woman in our much married
army than the question as to whether
he had ever loved much. Certain it was
he had never married, but that didn't
settle it. Many man loves, said they,
without getting married, forgetful of
the other side of the proposition ad-
vanced by horrid regimental cynics,
that many men marry without getting
loved. Armstrong would not have
proved an easy man to question on that,
or indeed on any other subject which
he considered personal to himself.
Even in his own regiment in the reg
ular service he had long been looked
upon as an exclusive sort of fellow
man who had no intimates and not
many companions, yet, officers and SOL
diers, he held the respect and esteem
of the entire command, even of those
whom he kept at distance, and few
are the regiments in which there are
not one or two characters who are not
best seen and studied through a binoc-
ular. Without being sympathetic, said
his critics, Armstrong was square, -
but his critics had scant means of know
ing whether he was sympathetic or
not. He was a steadfast fellow, an un-
swerving, uncompromising sort of man,
man who would never have done for a
diplomat, and could never have been
elected to office. But he was truthful,
just, and as the English officer reluct-
antly said of Lucan, whom he hated:
''Yes-damn him-he is brave" The
men whom he did not seem to like in the
army and who disliked him according
ly, were compelled to admit, to them
selves at least, that their reasons were
comprised in the above-recorded, re-
grettable, but unmistakable fact-he
didn't like them. Another trait, unpop-
ular, was that he knew when and how
TO say no. He smoked too much, per-
haps, and talked too little for those
who would use his words as witnesses
against him. He never gambled, he
rarely drank, he never lent nor hor-
rowed. He was bachelor, yet would
never join ''mess," but kept house
himself and usually had some favored
comrade living with him. He was 40
and did not look 35. He was tall, erect,
athletic, hardy and graceful in build,
and his face was one of the best to be
seen in many a line of officers at parade.
His eyes. were steel gray and clear and
penetrating, his features clear-cut, al
most too delicately cut, thought some
of the best friends he had among the
men. His hair was brown, sprinl1Icd
literally with silver; his mouth, an ad-
mirable mouth in every way, was
shaded and half-hidden by long,
dropping mustache to which, some men
thought and some women snid, his
tapering white fingers paid too much
attention., but doubt if knowledge Of
this criticism would have led to the
faintest alteration in the habit. Gen.
orally the expression of Armstrong;
face was grave, and, on duty trite
stern; and not ten people in the world
were aware what humor could twinkle
in the clear, keen eyes, or twitch about
the corners of that mobile mouth
There were no five who knew the ten
derness that lay in hiding there, fol-
Armstrong had few living kindred anl
they were men. There lived not, as h.
drove this glorious August morning te,
the breezy uplands beyond the camps,
one woman who could say she had seen
those eyes of Armstrong's melt and
glow with love. As for Amy Lawrence,
she was not dreaming of such thing
She was not even looking at him. Her
thoughts at the moment were drifting
back to that usually light-hearted boy
who stood gazing so disconsolately
after them as they drove away, her eye.
were intent upon an approaching grour
that presently reclaimed her wandering
thoughts.
Coming up Point Lobos avenue strode
a party of four-allr soldiers. One o.
these, wild-eyed, bareheaded, dishev-
eled, his clothing torn, his wrists lashed
behind him, walked between two armed