Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-12-16
T7lcu all came tumbltng to meet Longdon

IHt4 tttt CUUtC CUUtDtGlJ u HCCG LGTUuOn.
soft check dlmpling, her white teeth
cleaning between the ripe red lips.
Langdon bowed over Mrs. Melv!l!e's
hand and bent both knees in abortive
attempt to sip the contents Of the
spoon, q difficult feat without the aid
Of the youngsters and one that only re-
suited on their part in climbing race
for his back and on his to still further
proStration. 1t was just as well for
Channing's peace of mind that he had
not been included in the family p;an.
1t might have been better had not that
plan likewise omitted Santley, who had
found means to get away from battery
duties and to take the 80 mile ride into
the heart of the hills on the trail of his
hopes and, sitting in saddle at the edge
Of the glade, to look on at this pretty
picture and then turn and curse the
folly that had led him thither. Others
might welcome LangGon; he could and
would not. Neither could he spend the
night, as he had planned, In Melville's
camp. In bitterness Of spirit he rode
back dozen miles to miners cabin,
and Torrance was his confidant when
at coon next day he returned to duty
and reported what he had seen.
Five evenings later the whole COM
mand, six troops Of horses and two
field batteries, were grooming at the
picket ropes along under the edge of
the mesa, and Torrance, in natty I'M
dress uniform, riding whip in hand,
was sauntering up and down watching
the work of his men, when he became
aware of eager glances and mutter-
ings. 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 at his allotted distance, Mel
vile, calm. courteous and dignified as
ever, listening with all outward APP
pearance 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 d 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.
II couldn't say, sir. They just broke
out when we broke ranks. Reckon
they felt good. Sir"
"Look here. Sergeant Flynn" said
Torrance, men 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 well as
it was because of-of Mr.. 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-
sponsiLle." said Torrance angrily.
"Not only that, but observed men
saluting when they spoke to Mr.. 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 60" And Flynn turned away,
thinking things he could not say.
Langdon spent that night at MelvilIe'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 ravne The
brook came tumbling down it's rocky
bed TO their right, and half mile out
they met little squad of battery men,