Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-08-14
and reported what he had seen.


Five evenings later the whole com
lnana, SIX troops of horses and two
heid batteries, We're grooming Mt the
picket ropes along under the edge OF
the mesa, and Torrance, in natty un-
dress uniform. riding whip in hand,
was saunterins up and down watching
the work of his men, when he became
aware of eager glances and mutter-
lngs. The tap. tap of currycomb and
brush went on as steadily, but heads
kept bobbing up and gazing over the
brown backs Of his strong gun teams,
and, glancing about to see what it
meant, Torrance became aware of a
sight that sent him presently to the
opposite side of his line. Strolling
down the slope, talking volubly. came
the colonel. his dogs tumbling about
him, as usual his orderly following
primly ut his allotted distance, Mel
vile, calm. courteous and dignified as
ever, listening with all outward APP
pearhnce of serene interest ON one side,
and on the other. 1.-THE, spare and erect,
lookingly marvelously unlike the sad,
jaded, hopeless man who left their
midst the second year before, clad now
In trim camping garb. strobe Eric
Langdon. When ID battery broke
ranks half an hour later, three rousing
cheers rang out on the evening air,
and Torrance sent for his first SER
geant.
"What made the men cheer" he
asked. and the sergeant was imper-
turbable.
Il couldn't say. sir. They just broke
out when we broke ranks. Reckon
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 for?'
Sergeant Ramsey gave it, sir. He
didn't say what for"
"He didn't have to-" was what the
veteran was within an inch Of saying.
"This things got to stop" said Tor
rance sternly. You know as we'll as
it was because of-of Mr.. Langdon's
being here, and such demonstrations
are disrespectful to the colonel"
IHe coiohel ulun near II, Sir. He'd
gone home"
He'll hear of it and hold me re-
sponsible," said Torrance angrily.
NOT only that, but observed men
saluting when they spoke to Mr.. Lang
don. That's all wrong"
Inc battery sergeant ground his
heels together and his teeth. but held
tns peace.
you know, a dismissed officers en-
titled to no such honors," said Tor
rance. "Just order 1t stopped. You
may 60" And Flynn turned away,
thinking things he could not say.
Langdon spent that night at Melyille's
tent and was to leave for the railway
after breakfast in the morning. Be
fore breakfast he and Ethel Grahame
We're 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 I'D" upon their hats.
They We're carrying tempting little
strings of trout. Two of them glanced
at Langdon. REDEEMED, half raised their
right hands, dropped them and gazed
awkwardly away. They were his own
old men. Then they met a 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 We're strangers-men
who had come into the battery after he
had left it, rather i'll favored pair.
There was no reason why they should
salute; there We're 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 a wo-
man, member of the majors house
hold. But it pleased these two young
cubs, only recently from the streets of
some eastern city, to litter audibly and
1olloW tne par with impertinent
siinces' hahsuoh couiu not Dut see IT,
ali.i LIS soui rose up III wrath. MISS
oiaiialie' 100 n'ia NOT iaileu 10 hotlce
,nlhs 50 utterly uhlike the pleased
slnillhs manner OF the veteran soldiers
whenever .fe sarrisoh iadies happened
" pass .neir way, Eager 10 aissemole,
us tnough she had not seen, Ethel
pluhseu instantly INTO enthusiastic
comment o,i tue view petofe them, II
was iiueeu u iovels scene, OUT Lang
uon soui was not wlthih MN. Ihe IN