Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-05-10
CHAPTER v.

CHAPTER v.
At sunset that evening the regi-
ments destined to embark with the
expedition commanded by Gen. Vim
ton were paraded for inspection in
full marching order, while dozen
other commands less fortunate
looked enviously on.
In front of the guard-house at the
Presidio dozen cavalrymen armed
with the new carbine and dressed
throughout for winter service, this
being San Francisco June, had
formed ranks under command of a
sergeant and stood silently at ease
awaiting the coming of the officer of
the day. The accurate fit of their
| warm overcoats, the cut of their
trooper trousers. the polish of their
brasses and buttons, the snug, trim
set" of their belts, all combined to
tell the skilled observer that these
were regulars.
At brief, curt Sergeant, get out
your prisoners" from the beardless
lips of a young lieutenant, there was
instant fumbling of big keys and
| clanking of iron from the hidden re-
cesses of the guard-house.
The dismounted troopers sprang
suddenly to attention. The guard
split in two at it's middle, each half
facing outward, marched half dozen
PAGES away like the duelists of old
days from the back to back position,
ha1
stood again at ease, with broad
gap of dozen PAGES between their
inner tanks.
Into this space, shutting dejectedly
in some cases, stalking defiantly in
others, sinking, shivering and de-
crepit in the case of two or three
| poor wrecks of the rum fiend, a
| stream of humanity in soiled soldier
garb came pouring from the prison
| door and lined up under the eyes of
| viGilant non-commissioned officers in
front of the young lieutenant in com
| mand.
There they stood, their eyes shift
ing nervously from group to group
of budding spectators, their shout
ders hunched up to their ears-the
riff-raH of the garrison-the few des-
| perate, dangerous characters from
the surrounding camps, an uncouth,
uncanny lot at any time, but looking
it's worst in the drip of the float ting
fog-wreaths and the gloom and de-
spond of dying day. The boom of the
sunset gun from Alcatraz fell sullen-
| ly on the ear even as the soft trumpet
| of the cavalry. close at hand, began
| sounding the retreat" At it's last
| prolonged note the sharp crack of an
old threeinch rife echoed the report
from Alcatraz, and from the invisible,
mist-shrouded top of the staff the
dripping folds of the storm-fag came
tapping down in view, limp and
bedraggled, and the guard sprang
again to attention as a burly, red
faced. hearty-looking soldier, with n
captains insignia in loop and braid
on the sleeves of his overcoat, broke
a way through the group of lockers
on and, barely waiting for the salute
and report of the young lieutenant
commanding, began sharp scrutiny
of the prisoners before him.
Down along the line he went, until
at the fourth man from the left in
the front rank he stopped short. A
bulky, thick-set soldier stood there, a
sullen, semi-defiant look about his
eyes, a grim set to the jaws bristling
with week-old beard of dirty black
Then came the swapping colloquy:
"Your name Murray"
THAT'S what they call me-"
What was your name before
that?"
Jim"
Whereat there was litter in the
ranks of prisoners. Some of the
guard even allowed their mouths to
expand. and the groups of yolun.
terrs, chuckling in keen enjoyment,
came edging in closer.
Instantly the voice of the officer
Of the guard was heard ordering ST.
lence, and faces Strengthened out in
the twinkling of an eye.
The elder officer, the captain, grew
a trifle redder. but he was master OF
himself and the situation. 1t is with
schoolboys as with soldiers. their
master is the man whom pranks OF
imPudence cannot annoy. The Off
Ger of the day let no tone of temper
into his next question. Looking
straight into the shifting eyes, he
waited for perfect silence, and then
spoke:
"Iim whatf l wish the name un-
der which you served in your previous
enlistment
'Never said I'd served BEFORE"
mo. You declared you had not
! But know better. You're deserter
from the Seventh cavalry"
The face under the shrouding cam,
! paign hat went gray white with sud.
! den witch of the muscles, then set
again, rigid and defiant, The eyes
snapped angrily. The answer was
sharp, yet seemed as soldiers say, tc
hang Are" a second.