The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1902-09-05

ted by the dark, stern faces. Each OF
the men was above the middle height
and there We're one or two giants
among them. They had the looseness
of limb and suppleness of the trained
cavalryman, and of them all, the SER
geant, huge and party grizzled, was
the only one who approached middle
age. Nearly all of them were under
thirty. Their faces showed their mix
ture of negro and Seminole Indian
blood, descendants of large framed At
ricans and Florida red men, who had
once fought to the death amid the
palmettos and palms under the leader
ship of the famed Osceola. The cour-
ages of two strong races were in them,
and they looked what they were: hard
riders, straight shots and desperate
fighters. The fame of this troop was
as broad as the land itself. They
were spoken of by far camp-fires close
to the Canadian line, in pushed and
velvety parlors, and among the timid,
slothful people who live southwest
ward of the City of Mexico.
IF you can ever make it convenient,
Miss English" the captain was saying,
you must visit us at Fort Clark and
1 will be glad to have the men go
through some revolutions for you.
They and their horses have been to-
gether so long that I sometimes fancy
the same soul animates man and beast.
Thov aro onita ron, a rl- n 1,la borcop,oD
assure you"
II can believe it WE'LL" she replied,
running her eye over the recumbent
forms. "But do not feel that shall
ever visit your post. 1t lies to the
eastward of us, does it not?"
cit Does" he answered in some sur
prise, and looking at her more atten-
lively, "but what does that matter? 1t
is only twenty miles away. Does the
west draw you? I have know such
cases out here"
"The west or the SOUTH" she said,
with short laugh. perhaps you will
think me foolish, but it is so with me.
Since I came I have been haunted by
the feeling, or presentment-call it
what you will-that T shall go east
ward or northward never again
Stranger still, though was born and
reared in the far northeast, am happy
in this certainty. 7 had the sentiment
call it sentiment!-I had the senti-
ment family, when had taken a seat
in the car at Grayborough and the
wheels began to whirl under me. With
each mile 1 travelled it grew stronger.
When I saw this rancho and met it's
gay, hospitable, kindly people, it was
very strong, indeed Then a voice said
to mel think it was voice; 1 think
heard it-a voice said to me: This
is resting place; here you fold your
wings for little while and resume
your flight, southwark and westward,
southwark or westward, southwark
and Westward How this shall come
about I do not know, but I do know
that it is to happen. The voice. call
it voice-was too distinct"
Her deep, thrilling tones had sunk
almost to a murmur and she looked
at him with wide, pathetic eyes. The
soldier, man of action and a man OF
experience, but not a man of thought
or spirituality, felt uncomfortable. He
said afterwards that his "skin ran in
waves up and down his back" He
cleared his throat loudly and said:
Its possible that you're right, Miss
English; it's quite possible. 1 don't
pretend to understand such things. or
to know anything about them. Fact
is, have been kept so busy looking
after these black infants that I've had
no time to examine matters outside of
the exercise ground and the march.
You're woman, and more finely
strung than we men. If man tells me
anything of the kind, 1 think at first
that he's staid at the mess-table too
long, and if I find that he hasn't I
think that he ought to stay at the
mess-table longer. Fellow in my regi-
ment once got out of West Point with
dreams in his head; queerest chap you
ever saw. Said he could feel the
north Hadn't, as I understand it,
SoA any VI Du IAduIlcI . SUN GlLQ6r.
Just said he could feel the north day
and night; it never left him. Conse-
quently he didn't need compass; con-
sequently he couldn't be lost any
where; just closed his eyes and there
was the north just as plain to one
side Of him as a jack rabbit on a sand
heap. Went out shooting blue quail in
the mesquite with him one day, and
got separated from him by hundred
yards. Then I couldn't find him and
couldn't make him hear. Hunted for
him nearly all day and went back to
the post expecting to find him there.
Have no sense Of the north myself and
had a hard time getting in. Chap
wasn't there. Turned out a, company
to search for him; looked ali night;
no Mr., Man. No Mr.: Man next day;
no MI. Man next night. Things look
Ing serious and whole regiment turned
out Second .lieutenaats too rare and
precious with us to spare one without
tremendous consequences 70 the ser-;