The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1901-07-04


in that of the young soldier and had
led him a pace or two away, SO that
his back was now toward the carriage.
He was still pleading, and the crowd
had begun to back him up, and was ex-
postulating, too.
Awe, take him where he says, SER
geant, and let him prove it."
Don't be hard on him, man. If he's
taking care of a sick friend, given a
chance"
Then the sergeant tried to explain
matters. 81 can't help myself, gentle
men," said he; "crders are orders, and
mine are to find this recruit and fetch
him back to camp. He's two days over
time now"
ooh, 1 wish / knew what it meant!"
anxiously exclaimed Mrs. Frost's com
panion. I'm sure he needs help" Then
with sudden JOY in her eves: "Oh, good!
There goes Col. Crosby. He'll see what's
amiss," and as she spoke a tall man in
the fatigue uniform of an officer of in
fantry shouldered his way through the
crowd, and reached the blue-coated
quartetts in the center. Up went the
hands to the shouldered rifles in salute,
and the young soldier, the cause of the
gathering which the police were now
trying to disperse, whirled quickly and
with something suspiciously like tears
in his fine dark eyes, was seen to be
eagerly speaking to the veteran officer.
There was a brief colloquy, and then
the colonel said something to the SER
geant at which the crowd set up cheer.
The sergeant looked pleased, the young
soldier most grateful, and away went
the four along the sidewalk, many Of
the throng following.
And then the colonel caught sight OF
the ladies in the carriage, saw that one
was signaling eagerly, and heard his
name called. Fastening to their side,
he raised his cap and smiled a cordial
greeting.
"Oh, I'm so glad you came, colonel,
we are so interested in that young sol
der. Do tell us what it all means. Oh!
l beg your pardon, Mrs. Frost, l surely
thought you had met Col. Crosby-let
me pre- Why, Nita! WHAT'S Are
you i'll? Here, take my salts, quick!"
"No-no-go on-I--I want to heart
Where are they taking himf'' family
murmured Mrs. Frost"
TRY to control yourself" said her
companion. "I'll tell you in one mo-
ment." Meantime from without the
carriage the colonel continued, address
ing Nita's companions:
He tells a perfectly straight story.
He says he has an old friend who is so
desperately i'll and out of money-that
he got a doctor for him and had been
nursing him himself. Those things he
carried are medicines and wine that the
doctor babe him buy. All he asks is to
take them to his friends room and get
nurse, then he is ready to go to camp
and stand for his trial, so 1 told the
sergeant I'd be responsible"
'Oh, thank you so much! Do see that
the poor fellow isn't punished. Well
drive right round Perhaps we can do
something. 1t is Red Cross business,
you know. Good afternoon, colonel.
Please tell our driver to follow them"
But, to her CONSERVATION, no sooner
had they started than she felt Nita's
trembling hand grasping her wrist, and
turning quickly saw that she was in an
almost hysterical condition.
"My poor child, had forgotten you
were so worn out. I'll take you home
at once-but then We'll miss them en-
tirely. Oh, could you bear"
"Oh! No. mol" moaned Mia, wiring
ing her little hands. "Take me-any-
where. mol Take me home-take me
home! and promise me not to-not to
tell my husband what we saw"
CHAPTER XII.
For man ordinarily absorbed in his
own command, Col. Stanley Armstrong
had become all on a sudden deeply en-
crossed in that of Col. Canker The
Frosts had been gone II week via Van
couver-the expedition only about 1f
hours-when he appeared at Gordon's
tent and frankly asked to be told all
that tall southerner knew of the young
soldier Morton, now gone from camp
for the third, and, as Armstrong be-
ieved, the last time.
why, that young feila's a bawn
gentleman" drawled Gordon, as he Of
fered the colonel a chair and cigar
HE was behavin' tip top, steady as
you please, until about month ago
He's only been with us since 1st of
May-came with a big batch of recruits
"a regular athlete, you know. Then
after he'd drilled awhile / nailed him
for headquarters clerk. l never knew
him to be Off an hour until about four
weeks ago. The men say another young
fella came out here one night, had a
talk with Morton, and they went out
together. He got regular permission
Nobody has set eyes on his friend out
here since that time, but Morton got
three passes to town in ten days, and
Squeers happened to want him, and
gave orders he should have to be con-
suited hereafter. Bout fortnight
since, by Jove, Morton lit out sudden
~ and was gone 4s hours and was
brought back by patrol, perfectly
straight, and he said he had to go on
account of a friend who had been taken