Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-08-13

| "Gtt on uer horse"
quickly tied the tent strings on the out.
side, an intimation that no one was at
home, and hurried to Cloyne's tent.
i Cloyne eXclaimed:
"Poor Brainard!'
"You knew-about her-and them ?n
said I.
Haven't I eyes?" he replied.
| YES" answered, for saw that his
eyes We're wet. But give me paper and
pen and ink and envelope-quick-and
I'll try thanking movement"
wrote my cousin May long letter,
telling her of Hamilton's luck and also
of Its cause and intimating that should
Hamilton's father ever lose his money
Phil would be abundantly qualified to
| become head cook in restaurant, Thia
might have been an insult to the per-
sonnet of the army's entire commits
sary force, which contained thousands
of superb fighters, though none Of
them was expected to fight, but I
knew May wouldn't construe it in that
way. Then l told of Brainard's sue
cessful dispatch carrying, which he had
pretended was done by me, and of his
work in the fight at the bridge and how
many compliments he had received for
1t. continued with a description Of
Brainard in his bunk after the fight
looking with fearful eyes alternately at
herpicture and in his mirror at his bullet
furrowed cheek, and I concluded by
saying that the scar that remained was
more coveted by all of us as an honor
| able decoration than if it had been a
major generals shoulder straps. To be
sure that the letter would reach its
destination as soon as possible 1 rode
with 1t to the general postoffice at post
headquarters in the fort, mile away.
had scarcely reached the fort when
a sound somewhat resembling the rum
bic of distant railway train caused
me to look over my shoulder, and I
saw half mile behind me the entire
regiment approaching at the gallop.
Il see here a divided duty" quoted
to myself from "Othello," but did not
hesitate. Whatever the danger to the
post and the nation, both had hundreds
of champions in the regiment; Brain
ard had but one, SO rode into the fort
and did not leave until had found the
postmaster and placed my letter in his
hands.
When emerged, the regiment had
passed the fort and was disappearing
In the village. To return to camp for
my saber, carbine and pistol would
leave me 10 or Is minutes behind my
comrades, and "a stern chase is a long
one" l had no weapon with me but
the sheathknife always carried in
my boot, for 1t was tool of all work
Ratchet, carving knife. root digger and
half dozen other things. 1t would ut
least serve for self defense in hand
to hand fight, and fights of this charac-
ter were almost unknown to us. thanks
to the enemy's objection to getting
within close reach Of us. At the worst
would have the honor and pleasure of
being present for duty" should the af-
fair prove serious.
| My horse was as good as the best,
so l soon passed through the village
and galloped along the Richmond road,
for the hoof prints in the dust showed
that the regiment had taken that route
Unarmed though l was, my sense of
exhilaration was intense. Over this
same road had passed in other days the
| patriot soldiers of two wars, even great
Washington himself. I-my regiment
was no longer at an out of the way
outpost that had been held year only
to be told that it was not worth hold
ing. We were now really in the ene-
my's country and with possibility of
seeing service of sufficient Importance
to be mentioned in the newspapers.
In fact, my head got SO far into the
clouds that neglected to keep my eyes
on the road, which is the worst blum
der Of which trooper can be guilty.
When l did chance to glance down.
ward, it was to discern that only n
few horsemen had preceded me. It did
not take me long to learn that the few
did not belong to the enemy, for on the
moist ground beside small stream
that crossed the road saw the prints
of horseshoes and their nail heads.
The enemy's troop horses were unshod,
as rule. rode some minutes longer
and was suddenly stopped by famil-
lar voice shouting:
"Come in here, ye little dhivil!"
Twas the voice Of Sergeant Mick Nc
Twyny, who had been detached, with
his platoon, to watch" portion of a
crossroad far to the right Of the old
postroad. His platoon of 16 men con-
sisted principally on this occasion OF
his own gang. Birds of a feather
flock together" But Brainard was also
In 1t.
Somebody lend me a revolver mere.
ly as q matter of FORM" said I, sin
case anything may happen. I was in
the fort when the regiment came out
hadn't time to go back to camp fol
my things, SO l just came along on
general principles"
| 'That's the thingw said Sergeant
Mick, with tigerish grin that was
meant; .fn'. an anDroying smile.