Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-29

Copyright, 1900, by G. W. Dillingham; Coz
Synopsis of Preceding Chapters.
Norman Holt. favorite of an old Kentucky fam
lily, is reprimanded West Point for dueling
and Is Withdrawn by his high spirited father
His homecoming in the winter of 1860 is cele-
brated by an old fashioned Kentucky Christmas
gathering Among the guests Daisy Lane.
daughter of Or. Ilolt's lawyer. and J. Burnett
M"lloy, both of Cincinnati The latter brings
letters Of introduction from Lanes partner. Mr..
Mcintyre, ard is coureously received. but
arouses the jealousy Of Norman Holt by his at
tentions Daisy Lane Mailoy separates Miss
Lane from the main party during fox hunt.
and at the Christmas bail the evening
Affects an air Of prnprietorshp distaseful TO
Daisy and obnoxious to his rival Norman Holt.
But all Ill feeling Is forgotten when. at mid
night all surround DR.. Holt TO drink the
Christmas punch. which ceremony is interrupt
ed by a midnight messenger. who announces
the dangerous illness Of Judge Mcintyre In
yestigation reveals his financial affairs In a
hopeless tangle and the Holt fortune dissipat-
ed. Henry snd Norman Holt enter Lanes law
Office in Cincinnati Norman Holt enlists
private in Ohio infantry. Malloy, through po-
hticsl Influence. ia lieutenant in the
pany, and Henry Holt joins the confederate
forces. Norman Is ordered to conduct skirnish-
ing party under Capt Wing To Bellevfew in
fails Wing captured and Norman accused of
treschery. Brain fever him from trial
and takes him to the hospital Charges against
Norman dsproved by Engart Norman
Joins his regiment.
Sergeant" rang out the high tenor. as
that non-commissioned officer came hurry
ing from his tent. thrusting beth arms at
once into the roomy blouse II want
guide. The colonel says you have two or
three men who know the country south and
east. Who knows it best?''
Trott glanced about him. The lieutenant
was not in sight and hearing. The answer
was prompt and with a salute.
Private Holt, sir
And at the sound of his own name Holt
dropped the Springfield and stepped for
ward through the muddy company street
''You the MANI" snapped the colonel
'Csr you rider"
Norm felt almost like smiling. Yes.
SIR" said he, hand at cap and heels to-
gether.
"Dismount one of your men, captain. Come
Just as you are. Holt. We won't be gone an
hour. Tell your captain it's all right, ser
geant. It's the Colones order. f'm-Iny
names Sheridan" and evidently the speak
er had not yet become accustomed to his new
rank In two minutes the little caVaicade,
a squadron in all. had disappeared in the
woods to the southeast, and for twenty
minutes nothing more was heard of them.
The Emmets drifted back to poker and
camp poliucs-then presently came scram-
bling again into the company street.
Somewhere out to the southeast, not more
than mile away by the sound. there burst
upon the moist. heavy, sodden air the sput-
ter and crackle of musketry. Colonel Sher
idan had stirred up hornets nest.
And then 1t was sight to see the stir
and excitement in what had been so short
fir1Ia hGfn llv M c
Cards and counters were thrown to the
winds. Never waiting for orders, but with
the instinct for battle that seems born in
the American soldier, the sprang to
their tents. hastily donned and buttonec the
coarse blue blouses, whipped from peg and
ridge pole the broad leathern belts with the
cumbrous old forty-rounder cartridge box,
ducked into the black loop till 1t settled on
the left shoulder and clamped 1t to the
waist line with one snap Of the belt plate.
A shift with the right hand swung the big
box to the right bullock, another sild the 'lt-
tie fieece-lined cap pouch snug to the plate,
another set the bayonet in its leathern
sheath well back of the left hip. and then.
grabbing the long, cleaning Springfleld,
sixty men to the company still the ONO
boys gathered in the muddy, sloping streets
of the camp awaiting orders and listening
eagerly TO the sounds from the 'front.' DIX
months back and every drum IN camp
would have been banging the long roll put
all that nonsense had long been plasteo
out OF the army of the Ohio. "tali In!
growled the first sergeant of the right CEN
ter company, as he saw the adJu'ah' COME
out of the coloners tent on run
Fall tnr' flew the order TO the wings
and even before the captains could reacn
their station the men We're AT front anu
'supnort" Young Scarclife, second heu-
tenant OF Company c, with his 1ra!en
crimson sash trailing, unlooped. In the
mud came leaping the puddles down TO the
line looking anxiously about for MS senior,
but no Malloy was 20 be seen. Went over
TO brigade headquarters,' sang out the
major as he stood hauling on his gaunt- |
lets and swearing at his black hostlers
clumsy efforts to set the heavy saddle on
snorting plunging, excited beast Away |
I'D the slope. opposite the right wing, the
drums and fife began rafting a CALL ana
before 1t was half finished the powerful
voice of big Bob McGraw, captain of the
color company. rang out the order: Com
pany left face! Forward. double quick!
March, 1t was adjutants call, and IN ,
another instant ten stout companies. by
the flank in sets of four, We're dancing out
to the regimental line. by the left flank,
halt! BY the right flank, halt! Guides out
there lively!' the orders leaped from wing
to wing, drowning for the time the sounds
OF the battle at the front. keen regiment
on drill was the tn OHIO, masters OF the
new light infantry tactics. envted and ma
ligned and snarled at by their brigade and
division mates because of ii. but proud as
seven hundred Lucifers of their snap, style
end celebrity. The colonel came galloping
out full tilt to the front of the line. The
color guard. with their monarch of a ser
geant standard bearer in their midst came
down the slope through camp on the run
anu squeezed into line. GREATNESS. between
the solid wings Guides posts!" squeaied
from the right the shrill voice of the adj
5utant, while the commander, impatient of
further ceremony. whipped out his long
blade IN q sweeping circle that nearly
sliced off the left Of his steed, and bent
his own to the aide who, had from a splut-
teling gallop. refined up in shower of mud
at his stirrup. while six hundred muskets
ouiyered in the bare, brown hands, and the
long line held It's breath to listen Then
away shot the staff officer back TO his bril-
Rade commander. Then down came the
musket butts on each broad brogan rather
than in the mud. in response to the coll
oners hoarse. Order arms! Adjust your
equipments now. men! In place. rest!'
And whole regiment turned and looked
behind 1t at the column of cavalry squash
ing and scattering down the wood road
and heading for the gap in the forest
toward the sound of the shots. now dying
away in the distance. Whatever 1t was
that Sheridan had struck. 1t was getting
the worst Of It. yet fighting savagely, SUI
1enly In retreat. Little by little the sput-
ter of rifle and carbine grew faint and far,
and less and less rapid until silence fol-
Dur,a6 tha ho>1o a. a.Ax