The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1900-03-22
CHAPTER II.

sfIicial canvas. In the latter, seated |
Oh camp stools ana candle boxes or
braced against the tent poles, were near |
ly a dozen officers, all In the somber
dark blue regulation uniform, several
In riding boots and spurs. some even
wearing the heavy. froggcd overcont; |
all hut two. juniors OF the stan. men
who stood on the shady side OF 20,
four Of the number wearing on their
shoulders the silver stars OF generals
OF division or brigade, and among their
thinning crops Of hair the silver
strands that told OF years OF service.
One man alone, the commanding gen
crnl, was speaking; all the others lis
tened In respectful silence. In the
gloom of that late, fog-shroudcd after
noon n lantern or two would have been
welcome. but the conference hnd Le-
gun while II 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 sombcr aud
severe in expression, a sinil" would have
seemed out Of place. yet. all on sud
den. grim features relaxed, dccp-sct
eyes ,winklcd and glanced quickly
about in search of kindred sympathetic
spirits, and more than half the bearded
faces broadcncd into II grin of merri-
mcnt. aud as many heads were sudden
~ uplif,ed. for just as the gray-hnired
chief ended an impressive period with
the words: at will be no laughing
matter II can lay hold OF them" there
burst upon tho surprised ears of the
group n peal OF the merriest laughter
imaginablc--thc ripping. joyous, mu-
steal laughter Of happy grlhood ming
ling with the hearty, wholesome. III
somewhat boyish. outburst OF jollity
of hcalthful youth.
"Mcrciful powcrs!" exclaimed the
chief. ~ had forgotten all about those
people. They must have been here 20
minutes"
"Sixty-hvc, sir, by the watch" said
saturninc.looking soldier. tall and stall
war,, and wearing the shield of the adj
jutant generals department OH the col
lar of his sack coat.
"Thcy ought TO go. then was tho
placid suggestion OF n third officer, n
man with keen eyes, thin, almost nscctic
face. but there twitchcd quaint
humor about the lines Of his lips.
'That visits past the retiring age"
And then an9thcr peal Of merrimcnt
from the adjoining tent put stop TO
conversation.
They don't lack for entertainers"
hazarded a staff officer as soon as lie
could make himself heard. THE sol
emn-looking Gothamite who came with
them must have slipped out"
at seems he knows Col. Armstrong"
said the chief. .thouShtfully. 81 sent for
him an hour ago. ard he may he pilot
ing Mr.. Prime around camp. looking up
| the runaway"
"Another ease 2" asked n brigade com
mandcr. with shrug Of his shoulders.
Another case" answered the gcncr-
al, with sigh. at isn't always home
| troubles that drive them To 1t. This
boy had everything n doting father
could give him. What on earth could
make him bolt and enlist for the war?"
No one answered for n moment. Then
| the officer with the humorous twinkle
| about the eyes and the twitch nj the
| lip corners bent forward. placed his
elbows on his knees, his fingers tip to
tip. gazcd drcnmily ai the floor, and
scntcn,iously said:
| Girl"
| Whcreupon his next ncighbor, n
stocky, thicksct man in the uniform of
| a brignticr, never moving eye. head or
/ l.. .., M. fnnf
| in heavy riding boot almost savagc!y
| upou the slim gaitcr Of the humorist,
| who suddenly started and flushed to the
| ;rrp pics. glanced quickly at the chief,
ard then rs quickly hnck 10 the floor,
his blue eyes clouded In genuine dis
ir,ss.
The generals gray face had seemed
to grow grnyer In the gloom. Again
there came. like n ripping echo. the
chorus uf merry laughter from the ad-
jciring tent. only il seemed triilc sub.
ducG, possibly as though one or two Of
the merry-mnkcrs had joined less
heartily. With sudden movement the
general rose. "Wc!l, I've kept you long
enough" he said. "Lct the three rcgi-
mcnts he got In readiness AT once, but
relax no cffCrt irthat other matter.
Find the guilty parties II possible
thing"
And then the group dissolved. One
or two of the number looked back, half
hcsitnting. NJ the entrance of the tent,
but the chief had turned again Ia the
Uttered table before him, and, seating
himself. rested his gray head in the
hand nearest his visitors. II was ms
though he wished TO conceal his face.
One of the last 10 go-ihe thir-faccd sol
dier with the ;wiEkling blue eyes. hung
irresclutely behind the chief n moment
as though he had II H. his mind 10 speak,
then turned and fairly ,ip.t0ed out,
leaving the camp commander 10 the So
cieiy Of n single stan officer, ard TO the
gathering darkness.
kindly say TO Mr.. Prime. or his
friends. that vii! join them In mo-
men'." said the former, presently,
without 80 much rs uplifting head or
eye, and the aid.de-camp left as noise
lessly ns his predecessor, the humorist.
Hut when he was gone ard "rhe Chief
sat alone, the sound OF merry chat and
laughter siill 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 ordcrly'
scratched Mt 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 a moment. then entered and