Rosebud County news. [volume] (Forsyth, Mont.) 1901-1906, 1902-04-24

lily real w nat L nave 10 say is tnat
the charge against me is utterly false, as
l can convince you, but could not con-
| vince a court. / am confined at the mo-
ment of all others in my life when it is most
vitality important that l should be free
| Grant me ten minutes interview this aft
| ernOon and if l do not prove myself guilt
| less | will ask no favOr-but when, do con-
vince you, do as you would be done by.
Yours in Il z x,
GEORGE NORTON"
"Well, I'll be blessed!" said Mr.. Gray,
as he rolled out of his gray blanket.
"Here's state of things! Listen to
this, captain he called to his company
commander in the adjoining tent.
! "Here's Morton, back from As hours
I absence without leave, brought back
by armed guard after sharp resist
all, wants to tell me his story and prove
his innocence"
You let him alone" growled his
senior Remember what Canker said,
or you'll go in arrest. What call has
Morton on you, I'd like to know?"
The lad flushed. Fraternity was a
very sacred thing in the 4 x. 1t
vas tlS IIool SANluSlNC ClONu dp the
varsity" Its membership was pledged
to one another by unusual ties. 1t was
the hardest society for fellow to get
into in any one of the seven colleges
whereat it flourished, and its mystic
bonds were not shaken off with the
silken gown and mortar board of
undergraduate days, but followed it's
membership through many maturer
year. 1t was a society most college men
might ask to join in vain. Money, So
cial station, influence were powerless.
Not until student had been under OBJ
servation two whole years and was
thoroughly known could he hope for a
bid to become a Delta Sig" Not
until another six months of probation
could he sport its colors, and not until
he formally withdrew from its fold,
in post graduation years, could he con-
slider himself absolved from it's mild
obligations. But the boast of the "Del-
ia Sig" had ever been that no one of
its membership had ever turned a deaf
ear to a fellow in need of aid. Who of
its Originators ever dreamed of such a
thing as its drifting into and becoming
a factor in the affairs of the regular
army?
No wonder Gray stood for a moment,
the paper still in his hands, irresolute,
even disturbed. Not to answer the APP
peal meant to run counter to all the ten
cts of his fraternity. TO answer might
mean arrest and court-martial for de-
hberate disObedience of orders. Canker
has no more mercy than an Indian. 1t
was barely As hours since he had been
publicly warned by an experienced old
captain that he would find no guard
ian angel in Squeers. 1t would Sc
riously mar his prospects to start now
with Squeers down on him." and as
that iynX-eyed commander was ever on
watch for attractions of orders, Billy
well knew that he could not hope to see
and talk with the prisoner and Canker
not hear of it. TO ask permission of
Canker would only make matters worse
he was sure to refuse and then re-
emphasize his orders and redouble his
vigilance. TO ask the consent of the
officer OF the day or the connivance of
the officer of the guard was to invite
them to court arrest and trial on their
own account. He couldn't do that even
to oblige brother Delft. If only Ned
Craven were officer of the guard some
thing might be dOne-he was a college
man, too, and though not ''Delt," but
rather of a rival set, he would under
stand and possibly help. Guard mount
was held toward dusk, and that was
tour hours away, at least. The prison
er's note and tone We're urgent. An idea
occurred to Billy: What if he could
get Gordon to let him go on" this
very evening? 1t wasn't his tour. He
had marched OFF, only two days be-
fore, as he we'll remembered, for Canker
had roughed" him up and down about
that little error in copying the list of
prisoners from the report of the pre-
vious day. Moreover, he had counted
on going to town right after retreat"
dining at the Palace, an extravaganza
not to be thought of at other times,
so as to be on hand when the Primes
and Amy Lawrence came down to din
ner. lie had planned it all-even to the
amount of surprise he was to exhibit
when he should discover about when
he had finished his own dinner that
they were just beginning theirs, and
the extent and degree of pleasurable
emotion he might venture on showing
as he fastened over to greet them,
and accepted their offer to be seated
with them, even if he had been so I'M
kind as to dine beforehand, instead of
with them. He had set his heart on
having chat with Miss Lawrence as
part recompense for all he had lost