The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-07-25

commander of this fort IT is said
must be examined. I say Very WELL
proceed; examine ana you begin by
giving me the lie, when, as man to
man, ] have no retaliation. You are,
therefore, a weak man and a coward
You say this instead of putting to pa
per my examination, for your superior
and better to read and judge. IT is the
method of bad officer You see t is
simple enough"
THAT is a brave man." came over the
room Ill the dsep tones 1 had heard coll
verslng but now with Lieutenant Ac-
ton. He speaks the truth"
Why, You impudent scoundrel!
cried the Infatuated officer. do you
know whom you address," He was too
astonsshed to do more than stare at me
In amazement. But l was bent on Civ
ing vent to the hours of pent-up misery
l had just passed through, and it did
my soul good to say so.
In my colony, when there comes q
prisoner and shows by mis- manner that
Is taken to the commanding officer.
Evidently the military discipline CT
Nerplancks is OF a different sort"
Sergeant roared the man. Ser
Seant! Here, take this-this---'' He fell
over himself in his cndeaNor to speak.
rake this man away, and put him
under gua:d!"
At that, two men stepped forward.
ard the unknown friend of Acton said
in a cold voice that seemed to COM
manG Immediate attention:
Captain, with your permission,
would speak word concerning this
man."
And what business it is of yours?"
demanded his superior. You will retire,
sir, ct once"
The slightest trace of frowe@aspread
over the serious face, and the man
turned even a little whittier, while his
voice, calm as before, seemed TO cut
the air in the room with its decisive
tone.
This is the case of the examination
or & prisoner taken at the picket line.
He has the right Of witness and coun-
sci. act as both With my friend, Lieu
tenant Acton"
1 turned to him in wonder; but he
nxed his cold eyes on the examining
officer and kept them there. Every one
instinctively drew up by the desk, with
that silent, mysterious movement that
makes no sound but means SO much at
times-the movement that precedes
some coming event.
Lieutenant Curtis. you will under
stand that you do not conduct this ex-
thAiiilolloIi' SdIu the OlllCeT, trying TO
control himself, but with his voice ris-
ing as he proceeded. II d. however;
and. by God, sir I'll continue to do so!
Do you retire at once, or will place
you under arrest"
"Oaths have no place in an exan1ina-
ton, sir IT is, therefore, in bad taste,
and in contradiction to martial law
Sergeant" cried the examining Of
ticer, with blazing eyes and flushed
cheeks
Il appear for this prisoner" inter-
rupted the 1mperturbable man, now the
only one In the room who appeared per-
fectly composed and calm.
Appear for the devil in he'll, If YOU
like, but you appear for no one here!"
And 1 tell you that no law in this
army permits you under such condi-
lions to tell a prisoner he is a liar"
Sergeant, arrest Lieutenant Curtis!"
yelled the stupefied officer.
"Gentlemen," said Curtis, turning to
the silent but interested spectators, 'is
this court, or is it perchance a COL
lection Of the benighted insane?" and
cold smile drew back the corners of
his mouth Who or what was this re-
markable person? He was the picture
of a calm, dignified gentleman; and
yet he detied military discipline, no
matter how basely applied, without the
slightest apparent concern and all on
account of man whom he saw now
for the first time.
Sergeant, arrest that mani" sounded
through the room again. Every one
waited, and at last the sergeant APP
preached Lieutenant Curtis and salut-
ed him alphabetically.
There was the space of an instant,
when the air was charged with protent-
GUS possibilities, and then an orderly
entered and handed note to the dazed
examiner. which he, after reading with
a reddening face, threw down on his
desk; then, turning to the sergeant, he
cried out:
Take the prisoner to headquarters!
And mark you, Mr.. Merton Balfort, if
you should turn out to be an officer Of
any-any, mind ye-any army Of the
earth, I'll have We out. STR by God, I
Will" And down came his fist, splitting
the sand from the box by his inkstand
and sounding through the room.
Something had happened, surely, for
I was Herewith led away out through
! the camp. musing on the extraordinary
| character of this military examination.
but more especially on the remarka Bile
man who had defied it. Here and there,
as l walked along, stood farmhouses
and barns and any sort Of building
turned into officers quarters, or stab
ling room for horses, and rows of huts
and tents for the infantry and cavalry
of Colonel Livingetone's command.
If CONTINUED Next Week.