Waterbury Democrat., 1901-06-26

they felt good, sir.
 Look here, Sergeant Flynn" said Torrance, linen don't cheer in unison without somebody to give the word. Who gave it and what forP'
 Sergeant Ramsey gave it, sir. He 1idn't say what for.'
 "He didn't have to-" was what the veteran was within an inch of saying.
 'sThis things got to stop," said Tor rance sternly. You know as we'll as it was because of-of MT. Langdon's being here, and such demonstrations are disrespectful to the colonel"
 1.-The colonel didn't hear it, sir. He'd gone home"
 Hell hear of it and hold me re sponsible." said Torrance angrily. Not only that, but I observed men saIuting when they spoke to MT. Lang don. That's all wrong"
 The battery sergeant ground his heels together and his teeth, but held his peace.
 "You know, a dismissed officers en- titled to no such honors," said Tor rance. "Just order it stopped. You may go." And Flynn turned away, thinking things he could not say. Langdon spent that night at Melville's tent and was to leave for the railway after breakfast in the morning. Be fore breakfast he and Ethel Grahame were strolling slowly up the shaded pathway in the north ravine. The brook came tumbling down its rocky bed to their right, and half mile out they met little squad of battery men, with the familiar ID" upon their hats. They were carrying tempting little strings of trout Two of them glanced at Langdon, reddened, half raised their right hands, dropped them and gazed awkwardly away. They were his own old men. Then they met third, who looked squarely at him and raised his hat as courteously as Virginian and stood aside to let them by. A few rods farther on two others, fishing from the bank, turned and gaZed, then glanced quickly at each other and exchanged grins. These last were strangers-men who had come into the battery after he had left it, a rather i'll favored pair. There was no reason why they should salute; there were reasons why they should not. But, on the other hand, a courteous and respectful demeanor should have been observed if for no other reason than the presence of wo- man, a member of the majof's house hold. But it pleased these two young cubs, only recently from the streets of some eastern city, to litter audibly and follow the pair with impertinent glances. Langdon could not but see it, and his soul rose up in wrath. Miss Grahame,, too, had not failed to notice a thing so utterly unlike the pleased, smiling manner of the veteran soldiers whenever the garrison ladies happened to pass their way Eager to dissemble, as though she had not seen, Ethel plunged instantly into enthusiastic comment OF the view before them. 1t was indeed lovely scene, but Lang don's soul was hot within him. The in dignity was as much to her as to him. He half turned, as though intending to step back and accost them. She read his purpose and with quick movement placed herself before him.IaJ 84e v
 'Oh, just look at rthats vinep she cried, pointing to climbing plant among the rocks across the trnbling brook, then, all smiling confidence, beamed upon the fishing twain s"Oh, could you reach me a spray of that? I'll thank you so much"
 No answer With broad. blue flannel backs ostentatiously turned toward tho speaker, the two young fellows hung their heads, slyly glanced at each other l and giggled again. 1t was more than Langdon could stand. Springing past her, standing stunned and aggrieved at such boorishness-the first and only evidence of i'll will she ever saw among the soldiery-he was upon them in an | instant.
 'Out of the way, you hulking brutesw he ordered, low and stern, as he laid heavy hand on the shoulder of the nearest.
 "I don't have to-" sneered the fel- low. You ain'tS giyin orders here, '' and went spinning backward at the instant, hurled by all the force Lang don's arm could muster. It wasn't too much. His old training stood him in good stead, but practice had been stop ped by the wound of the previous win ter, and in another moment he realized that he had two ruffians to deal with and was alone, unarmed. Ethel Gra- hame's shriek of terror rang through the ravine as the two sprang at their helpless victim and bore him down among the rocks. The next instant a tall young soldier bounded past her and - < .17ITTT S0xs~ /TLU3A