The National tribune., 1902-12-04


"Does he have to write report of the
fght?''
Don't know. Never can tell where the
Adj. will break out next. Let's go up to
him and report ourselves"
81 and Shorty dismounted at the gate.
and walked in behind the Adjutant. with
out disturbing his intent examination of
the bodies He shook his head decisively.
as he passed one after another, but halted
In doubt before those of two stalwart
young men whose heads had been split
with sabers, leaving their features un-
recognizable.
mo; that's not Serg't Klegg,' he de
cided. after few seconds study. TOO
well-dressed for 81, to begin with. 81
never wore a vest and celluloid collar,
nor silver watch-chain. Besides, he's
older than 81.
"Can this be Shortly" he continued,
stopping beside the next one. THE fee;
certainly look like it. No other man in
the army had as big feet. Seems to me
I'd know his feet among 10000.
Looking for somebody you know,
Adj.?'' inquired Shorty. over the officers
shoulders.
The Adjutant jumped as if he had
touched an electric wire.
Great Scott boys, you should he more
careful, and not shake a fellow like that,
he exclaimed, when he recovered his
breath He shook them both heartily by
the hands. ..Remember, may have heart
disease Great Cesar's ghost, are you all
right:"
..All right. Sound in wind, limb and
hoofs No heaves, stringhalt, grease heels,
or bad teeth,'' answered 81.
1.-The Lord be praised and magnified for
ever" answered the Adjutant joyfully.
"The rest of the boys all right, toO:"
"All right. Not one stubbed his toe.
even. There they are. Count 'en your
SELF
"Great Scott, but am glad" repeated
the Adjutant. "And must hurry back
and tell the Colonel and the regiment. We
saw the fight in the street from the hill
over there, and were sure it was you.
Didn't seem that anybod' else would make
that rush at the whole rebel army with
such fiery vim. We knew you were ahead,
too"
''NO; we were stopped by that dumbed
little slough, and had to go around. We
lost lot of distance that way, and let
that Chief of Scouts, who came up from
the southeast get in ahead"
"Chief of Scouts? Was that Capt.
Duncan?
Don't know what his name is, but he
was that Chief Scout we've seen you
around with"
That's Capt. Duncan. Well, it is a
mystery that he wasn't killed long ago.
He'd take more desperate chances than
any man i ever saw. He'd go anywhere,
and whether it was 900 rebels or 10000
rebels, he'd jump 'em Oh sight. Too bad
though. He was the best Scout in the
army
"You speak of him as back number
said 81 glancing along the row of dead
bodies. Are you sure he was killed?"
HE must have been. Whoever led thai
dash into town was killed. We saw hin
sabered. That's what made us feel Sc
wretched about you and Shorty. And you
can bet your sweet life that Capt Dun
can did not let anybody get ahead of hin
In that charge. i know that just as wel
as i do the same thing Of you ant
Shorty"
Thank you, Adj" said Shorty, salut
"well, all the same, his body's no
among them / remember too well how h
was dressed" said 81.
''Sure of thatY' ased the Adjutant
eagerly.
Dead sure. He had on a gray coat an'
blue pantaloons."
$50 he did; SO he did ] remember now
Well. that'll be good news for the Gen
eral," said the Adjutant, Frightening VI
at once. MY heart sank when you toll
me that it was he who led the charge, TO
j knew the General would never get owe
his loss. But if be's been captured. an
the rebels don's recognize him at one
SuOOl HiIl. ne ii Dc AWAY lfOlu iutl
before morning. Never can keep him i
the wsrld. I'd as soon try to hold fe
in potato basket. Well, Fayetteville
ours. safe and sure. And it is the Foul
teenth Corpss own prize. No one els
helped lick. 1t isn't as big thing a
Atlanta, Savannah, nor Charleston, no
even Columbia, but it is bigger than She
byville or Chattanooga" continued tn
Adjutant, studying the wide streets, an
the fine buildings, with the considerabl
stores and factories, and the imposin
walls of the great arsenal. ''True, we didn
have the great battle for it we expected
but that wasn't our fault. We came II
prepared to be quite as sociable with Jo
Johnston as we used to be around Al
lanta. If he didn't want to renew his il
timacy with the old Fourteenth Corp.
We were not blame. From the way the