Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-04-21
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY.
THE SERGEANT'S
= DAUGHTER

and on reaching it was shown about by
the sergeant's daughter, Julia. She was
very pretty, and there was an individu-
atty about her which rendered her I'M
forgetable.
Have you always lived here?" l
asked.
"Oh. no. ma'am. but I've always lived
I'm the army. was born in the army"
Are you attached TO the armyT
II don't know anything else. l can't
say I'm attached TO il, because father
is only noncon1.. and we don't associ-
ate with the families of the officers"
Whats n noncOm.?"
"a noncommissioned officer. But
something may happen that will make
this different" she added in confi-
Dental tone.
"Who is the officer?" / asked.
what otHcerf'
1.-The one you are expecting to mar
ry"
"Oh. dear! How did you knOw?"
81 didn't know. l guessed"
"I1e is a lieutenant of engineers. He
came here to make an estimate for the
department as to how much it would
cost to put the fort in repair. He stay
ed and stayed and stayed. When he
went away. we were Engaged
1 had known army people years be-
fore and understood perfectly the COM
| plicatiOns likely TO arise in this case.
The youngster just out of West Point
usually wears hrs heart on his sleeve.
He may not necessarily come TO grief
unless he makes Il mesalliance. The
most unfortunate match for him is
with one from the ranks"
Before the close of the summer n
young army officer came TO the hotel,
and the same day / noticed on the
register the name OF Francis G. Bou-
ton. United States engineers. He WAS
introduced TO me, and we were soon
well acquainted. He told me that he
had come to make some corrections in
an estimate he had made on repairing
the fort. Ii was plain that he was the
| lover oslhe SerSeant's daughter. | did
not tell him that / knew her story.
/ but waited to be informed as to his in
| tentionS toward her. | was six years
his senior, and boy of twenty-five is
more in harmony with woman of
wenty-ciSht than one near his own
age. 1t was not long before he con-
fided 20 me that he had given way TO
fancy for the girl, knowing that
their marriage would blight the lives
OF both, and once in loves meShcS he
had not the firmness or the meanncss,
which better expresses it, 10 break
with her.
1t was not long before l found my
self in n position TO decide the fate of
these two people. Lieutenant BOuton,
Notwithstanding his mistake in becom-
/ ing involved, was n conscientious
young man and was about TO sacrifice
/ himself to what lie considered his hon
or. had gained a considerable influ-
ence over him and could determine
what he would do. What should | adj
wise?
The more 1 thought of the matter the
more l wished TO wash my hands of it,
but l felt as Lieutenant BoutOn did
about his own complication. Honor
compelled me to help him. The result
of my deliberations was an attempt
to discover how the loss of her lover
would affect the girl. l went to the
fort and. seating myself on n rampant,
waited for Julia. She soon saw me
and came out TO chat with me.
Julia / said after we had talked
awhile, 81 am similarly situated TO
you. l am engaged 10 an officer of the
engineer corps"
She paIed. She had seen me in COM
pany with her lover and knew what
was coming. / had not the courage to
80 on.
"Oh, mn'am, you don't know how
you have stabbed mel You are going
to marry my Lieutenant Bouton, but il
is better that you should have him
than /. / have been thinking lately
what drag | would be TO him."
IF he had acted dishonorably toward
you, l would not marry him for the
world"
Don't think that. He fell into it just
as did-without thinking"
and it won't break your heart to
lose himY'
THAT 1 don't know. It's bleak here
in winter. and fear shall be always
thinking of him, but I'll try to remem-
Der how much better of he will be
with you"
When l returned TO the hotel. l car
ried n verbal release to Lieutenant
Bouton and sent him away without see
ing the girl he had wronged. l went
TO her every day TO watch the effect of
her loss. having promised him if it
proved that she could not bear il
would bring him back to her. When
autumn came. I took her with me to
the city and began her education in n
field for which / had seen evidence OF
her fitness-art. Never for n moment
did she show me the least jealousy.
though knew she at times felt it and
cfr ipI hard
Years passed. Julia Conroy had be-
come proficient in art and had made
some reputation. l saw her occasional
~. and she would ask me why | had
never married Lieutenant Bouion. l
always evaded giving the true reason
The truth was that ] had undertaken