Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-08-28
explanation.

as that all 2" asked Brainnrd when
l had concluded. "Do feel easy about
it, for I'm not bit Jealous" Then h
fell to rereading his letter from my
cousin May, but l exclaimed:
stop being a fool! Listen to me
You know perfectly well that I'm not
going to sail under false colors. The
story will get pretty soon to the othci
Summerton men Of our company, and
they'll chaff me most numerically. ]
must find the man who wrote the yarn
home, and you must help me, and we
must make him correct the blunder be-
fore the story gets back here"
For the first time in my acquaintance
with him Brainard looked irresolute.
Still worse, he looked sheepish. Then
he said:
I'm afraid I'm the guilty man."
"YouY
"Yes. Don't be angry. Jack. when
explain. OF course I didn't suppose
that your cousin May
what has May to do with III"
Nothing. That is, she isn't in any
way to blame. Say, old chap, I suppose
you'll think me fool, but-you can't
understand. I'm net so modest that ]
couldn't see that my ride with dis.
patches that night was quite creditabl.
to me, and did wish your cousin May
could know of it and that l might know
how she regarded II. I began to write
her about it, but my pen simply
my own trumpet. Suddenly it occurred
to me that you'd gone through all that
| had-the sense of danger, the loneli.
ness, the expectation Of running into
a camp of Johnnies or at least of being
fired upon at short range. SO l wrote
while making it, and 1 didn't leave OUT
a single heart quake"
you Internal. blessed hypocrite! Did
you make me deliver the dispatch?
never imagined you could lie, even fol
the sake Of telling good story. u
II didn't lie. ! said that despite the
scares the dispatches finally reached
their destination. And, oh, Jack, the
letter she's written in reply! I'm tax
ing all the praise to myself, every BIZ
Of it, but you may read it,"
Read it? I'll send back a denial by
the first mail. and if ever again yol
trust big hearted, excitable girl will
any story that you don't want known
by the whole world I'll dump you int
lunatic asylum for your own protec
tion and for mine. Can't you see VIVA
an awful position you've put me in?
shall never dare face the boys again
unless you explain to all Of them, and
OF course, you can't do tnat. l almost
wish I could be shot or made prison
err Besides
Heard the news. boys?" asked
Cloyne, stopping a moment in front OF
our tent. Hamilton has been pro
moted-a big jump, too, for he's made
nrst lieutenant"
ITS an insult to the army" exclaim
ed Bra inard. "Hamilton's a No,
won't say what | was going to. but he
always lodges fighting
Yes, so our capital told the colonel
or so they say. but the colonel replied
/ 1t Dc tldl Tx III S'Olilfh'h lol
fighting, but he knows how to care fol
4 the stomacns of men who do fight, Sc
he's to be regmantal commissary ant
feed the regiment as well rs he's fec
his company. In war bellies count fo
as much as bullets.
"Theres something to that" sait
| Brainard, land I'm glad Hamilton,
found his proper place. That isn't all
I'll go at once and congratulate hin
on it."
Don't" said Cloyne, putting an arm
about Brainard and looking down int,
the little chaps face with sad, tender
plying eyes.
"Why not"
"Bccause-Oh, hang the mysteries o
this tormentng world - because he
got ten day leave of absence. Hell
be fool if he doesn't go to New York
get into an officers uniform. then hur
ry out to Summerton. call on-oh, tn
girls-and"-
Brainard twtched himself fron
Cloyne's arm, looked up to heaven ant
shook his fist savagely at the grea
white throne. Then he dashed into GU
tent and dropped on his knees.