Rosebud County news. [volume] (Forsyth, Mont.) 1901-1906, 1902-07-17
fight

and m blOWed II Ill ask my dear old
dad to come to the rescue. He's had
to cough up (shame on your slang,
Billy far too much already. I tell you,
Gordon, I'm so fixed that I can't ex-
| plain these things unless I'm actually
I brought to trial. It's-it's-well, you
have no secret societies at the Point as
we do at college, so you can't fathom
it. I'm no more afraid of standing
trial than I am of Squeers-and be
ID to him!"
Good Lawd, youngster-you. you
aren't quite such an ass as to suppose
a court is going to regard any schoolboy
obligation as paramount to that which
your oath of office demands. Look
hyuh, Billy, your heads just added!
l can't work on you, but somebody
must!"
And Gordon went away very low in
his mind. He liked that boy. He loved
keen, alert, snappy soldier on drill,
and Billy had no superior in the bat
talon when it came to handling squad
or company. The adjutant plainly saw
the peril Of his position, and further
>
confirmed him in his fears. Schuyler,
the brigade commissary, being much
with the -teenth-messingw with them,
in fact, when he was not dancing at
tendance on Miss Prime-heard all this
camp talk and told her. Thus it hap
pened that the very next day when
he drove with the cousins (Mr. Prime
being the while in conference with the
detectives still securing the city for the
young deserter, who the fail her now felt
confident was his missing boy). Miss
Lawrence looked the captain full in
the face with her clear, searching eyes
and pumped at him the point-blank
question:
Capt. Schuyler, do Mr.. Gray's broth
er officers really consider him in dan
ger of dismissal?"
Miss Lawrence, I grieve to say that
not one has any other opinion now"
There could be no doubt of it. Amy
Lawrence turned very pale and her
beautiful eyes filled.
ct is a shame!" she said, after
moments struggle to conquer the
trembling of her lips. "Has-is there
no one-influential enough-or with
brains enough (this with returning
color) to take up his case and clear
him?"
They were whirling through the
beautiful drive of the Golden Gate
park, passing company after company
at drill. Even as Amy spoke Schuyler
lifted his cap and Miss Prime bowed
and smiled a group of regimental Of
ticers, four in number, stood, apparent
ly supervising the work. and as Miss
Lawrence quickly turned to see who
they might be, her eyes met those of
Col. Armstrong. Five minutes later the
carriage returning drew up. as though
by some order from its occupants, at
that very spot. Armstrong and his ad-
jutant were still there and promptly
joined them.
Long weeks afterward that morning
lived in Stanley Armstrong; memory.
1t was one of those rare August days
when the wind blew from the south
east, beat back the drenching Pacific
fogs and let the warm sun pour upon
the brilliant verdure of that wonderful
park. Earth and air, distant sea and.
dazzling sky, all seemed clarifying their
Creator. Bright-hued birds flashed
through the foliage and thrilled the
ear with their caroling. The plash of
fountain fell softly on the breeze, min
gled with the rustling of the luXuriant
growth of leaf and flower close at hand.
1t was not chance that brought the
stalwart soldier instantly to Amy's
side. Her gaze was upon him before
the carriage stopped, and irresistibly
drew him. The man of mature years,
the hero of sharp combats and stirring
campaigns with fierce and savage foe,
the commander of hundreds of eager
and gallant men, obeyed without
thought of demur the unspoken sum-
mons of girl yet in her teens. There
was new light in her clear and beau
uful eyes, flushs upon her soft and
rounded cheek, little fiutter, possibly,
in her kind and loyal heart. Heaven
knows his heart beat high with an emo
ton he could not subdue, though his
bearing was grave and courteous as
ever, but about that sweet ssnd flushing
face there shone the halo of woman's
brave determination, and no sooner had
he reached the carriage side than, bend
ing toward him, she spoke. Mildred
frime could not repress little gasp of
amaze.
ool. Armstrong, will you kindly
open the CARRIAGE door? want to talk