The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-02-16

and that was pure and sweet and win
some in woman. A keen soldier, he had
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 adj
vanced by horrid regimental cynics,
that many men marry without getting
loved. Armstrong would not have
proved an easy man to question on that,
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
a 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 a distance, and few
are the regiments in which there are
not one or two characters who are not
best seen and studied through 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 I'M
swerving, incorporating 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 dislilled him according
ly, were compelled to admit, to them
selves at least, that their reasons were
comprised I'm 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. lie never gambled, he
rarely drank, he never lent nor bor-
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 n 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, sprinkled
literally with silver; his mouth. an adj
mirable mouth in every way, was
shaded and half-hidden by a long,
dropping mustache to which, some men
thought and some women said, his
tapering white fingers paid too much
attention, but doubt if a knowledge Of
this criticism would have led to the F!
faintest alteration in the habit. Gen |
orally the expression Of Armstrong's |
face was grave, and on duty a tride |
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 for |
Armstrong had few living kindred and |
they were men. There lived not. as he |
drove this glorious August morning to |
the breezy uplands beyond the camps, |
one woman who could say she had seen |
those eyes of Armstrong; melt and |
glow with love. As for Amy Lawrence, |
she was not dreaming of such a 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 ewes
were intent upon an approaching group
that presently reclaimed her wandering
thoughts.
Coming up Point Lobos avenue strobe
a party of four-all soldiers. One of
these, wild-eyed, bareheaded, DISNEY
eled, his clothing torn, his wrists dashed
behind him, walked between two armed
guards. The fourth, sergeant, fol-
lowed at their heels. Miss Lawrence
had just time to note that the downcast
face was dark and oval and refined.
when it was suddenly uplifted at sound
of the whirring carriage wheels. A
light of recognition, almost Of terror,
flashed across 1t, and with one bound
the prisoner sprang from between his
guards, dove almost under the noses of
the startled team, and darted through
the wide open doorway of a corner sa-
loon. He was out of sight in a second.