Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-06-25

J. B. Lipplneott Companyl
from America, but there were two
from Hong Kong, perhaps more. IF
he wrote letters himself, he posted
them in town. They never went with
the company mail from the Quartet.
Everybody seemed to know that
Benton wasn't his own name, but
that was nothing. The main thing
queer about him was that he got
pass whenever he could and went
by himself, most generally out to
Paco. where the cavalry were, yet he
said he didn't know anybody there.
It was out Paeo way ON the Calzada
Herran. close TO the corner Of the
Singalon road, the patrol picked him
up with his head laid open, and he'd
been Eighty pretty much ever since
and troubled about being robbed.
Seemed all right again, however,
when reporting for duty, and per-
fectly sane and straight then.
Two very bright young soldiers,
Clarke and Hunter, were called In for
their statements. They, too, had en-.
listed in spirit Of patriotism and
desire for adventures; never knew
Benton till the voyage was nearly
over, then they seemed to drift to-
gesher. ~ it were, and kept up their
friendship after reaching Manila.
Benton was not his, real name, and
he was not . graduate Of any Amer.
lean college. He had been educated
abroad and spoke French and Cor
man. No, they did not know what
university he attended. He was
frank and pleasant 80 long as nobody
tried to probe into his past; never
heard him mention Lieut.. Stuyvesant.
All three Of them. Benton. Clarke and
Hunter, had observed that young off,
Ger during the month as be drove by
barracks, sometimes with the gem
eral. sometimes alone, but they did
not know his name. and nothing in
dicated that Benton had any feeling
against him or that he had seen him.
They admitted having conveyed the
idea to comrades that they lnew
more about Benton than they would
tell, but It was q .bluff." Everybody
was full of speculation and curiosity,
and-well, just for the fun of the
thing, they "let on" as they said,
that they were in his confidence, but
they weren't, leastwise to any extent.
They knew he had money, knew he
went off by himself, and warned him
to keep lookout or he'd be held up
and robbed some night.
The only thing Of any Importance
they had to tell was that one day.
just before his misfortune, Benton
was on guard and posted as sentry
over the big Krupps in the Spanish
battery 1t the west end of the Gale
San Luis. Clarke and Hunter had a
kodak between them and a consum.
ing desire to photograph those guns.
The sentries previously posted there
refused to let them come upon the
parapet-said 1t was against or
ders." Benton said that unless posi-
tive orders were given to him to that
effect. he would not interfere. So
they got pass on the same day and
Benton easily got that post-men
didn't usually want it, it was such
bother-but, unluckily, with the
post Benton got the very orders they
dreaded. So when they would hav.
made the attempt he had to say no.
They came away crestfallen, and
stumbled on two sailor-looking men
who, from the shelter of heavy
stone revetment wall, were peering
with odd excitement of manner at
Benton, who was again marching UP
and down his narrow post, very
soldierly figure.
That young Teller drove you back,
did he?" inquired one of them, a
burly, thick-set, hullsing man of mid
die height. Putin on considerable
airs. amt he? What's he belong top
til infantry" answered Clarke,
shortly, not liking the strangers
looks, words or manner, and then
pushed on; but the stranger fol-
lowed, out of sight of the sentry
now, and wanted to continue the
| conversation.
Sure he amt in the cavalry?"
asked the same man.
"Cocksure!" was the blunt reply,
What's it to you, anyhow"
"Oh, nothin'; thought. I'd seen him
before. Know his name?"
Names Benton, far as / know.
Come on, Hunter" said Clarke, OBJ
viously unwilling to stay longer in
such society, and little more was
thought of it for the time being; but
now the proyost-marshars assistant
wished further particulars. Was
there anything unusual about the
questioner's teeth2 And a hundred
men looked up in surprise and sud-
denly rearoused interest.
Eyes, sir" said Clarke, zone tooth
was missing. upper jaw, next the big
eye-tooth," and as the witness stood
down the general and the question.
ing officer beamed on each other and
smiled.
An adjournment was necessitated
during the early afternoon. Lieut..
Rays statement was desired, also
that of Private Connolly. of the ar
tillery, and an effort had been made
| through the officers of the cavalry
| at Paco to find some Of the recruits
who were of the detachment now
quite frequently referred to in that
command as 1.-THE singed cats" But
1t transpired that most of them had
been assigned to troops Of their regi.
ment not yet sent to Manila. only
half the regiment being on duty
foot duty at that-in the Philippines.
The only man among them who had