Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1900-06-01

! i shouldn't WOnduh III THIS arrest OF
his didn't prove a blessin' in disguise
for that lucky boy"
No reply coming 90 this observation,
/ Gordon glanced over his shoulder.
Armstrong was replacing the glasses.
Again the adiutant hazarded:
II was saying this arrest may be,
after all, the biggest kind of blessing
in disguise for that lucky Billy. Yes,
by Joye! They're comm TO his tent.
That's a splendid girl, ole man
"Miss-Prime, you mean?" calmly
queried Armstrong, striking match
/ after match in the effort 10 light a
fresh cigar, his face ayerted.
Miss Prime l don't mean" answered
Gordon, glancing curiously at the
senior officer. Not but that she's a
most charming young lady and all
that" he hurriedly interpolatcd, 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 a fresh one"
Armstrong quickly Withdrew the ill
uso- weed from between his strong,
white teeth, gave il one glance and
toss into the waste basket.
NO, I've smoked enough. But how
can they see him? How about that
sentry over Gray's tent?"
Huh! Chief made them take it off
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. "Yes, 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 a 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" was
still possible. armstrong" would be
a soldierly solecism,
81 am to see the general before noon,"
said Armstrong, gravely, land it's
time / 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 rousng false hopes"
With that Armstrong turned up the
collar of his oyercoat 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.
~ still hold that officer as having
knowledge of the scheme and aiding
and abetting. ] can prove that he tele-
pkoned for that carriage" he said.
AT least there's nothing to warrant
the posting of that sentry at Mr.. Grav's
tent, Col. Canker,' said the brigadiei,
with some asperty. "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 |
brigadier 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 |
woman) 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, suave and placid as ever.
"Ah, colonel, touching that matter
of the robbery of your commissary
stores. Suspicion points very strongly
to your Sergt. Foley. Do you think it
wise to have no sentry over him?"
"Why-general," said Canker, "Fve
known that man IS years-in fact, l got
him ordered to duty here" and the
colonel bristled.
"Well-pardon me, colonel, but you
heard the evidence against him last
night, or at least heard Oft. Don't you
consider that conclusive?"
Canker cleared his throat and con-
sidered as suggesteS
10 he continued