Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-08-24
DAILY SHORT STORY
The coIonel's Orderly.

While our little force of 3.OUU men
was holding Snyder's gap in the Cum
berland mountains against the Con
federates l was detailed as Colonel
McClintock's Il don't give his real
name) orderly. We were especially
anxious to conceal our weakness from
the enemy, and no one was permitted
to pass our pickets.
Colonel McClintock became infatu-
ated with a woman who lived with her
mother within our lines. l rode out
with him on his visits to her. which
were mostly made in the evening. /
found the woman too city bred for that
region and learned that she and her
mother had arrived soon after our
force. There was young man on the
place called Dick, who acted as n sort of
butler. with whom l became friendly.
He was n sharp, keen fellow, and after
bit he let out the information that
instead of being an old family servant
he had been hired to come down from
Washington for few weeks.
There were other things to set me
thinking. and the colonel hadn't paid
more than four visits before l became
suspicious. The colonel was piled with
liquor at every visit. and he was al
ways "gabby" as we returned to camp,
and sometimes visibly under the infiu-
ence of drink. In waiting on them
Dick had overheard the woman ask
ing many questions, and the colonel
seemed willing to answer them all
After the seventh or eighth visit,
which covered period Of less than
Al, Y ~.
colonel was being worked" but I was
helpless in the matter / could not
speak to him about II, nor did dare to
go to the briga der without the plainest
evidence. Dick and 1 were I'm full ac-
cord, and we determined to find out
just how matters stood.
1t was In summer, with all the win
dows in the house open at night. One
could station himself under the sitting
room windows and hear every word
spoken inside. Mistrusting me, per-
haps, the widow had always had col
cred servant OH the watch against
eavesdrOppers, but on the night of the
coIOnels ninth visit Dick saw to 1t that
this servant, who was n middle aged
colored man, had too much applejack
to awake, and the field was left clear.
But for the issue at stake the act would
have been contemplate. When 1 had
crept beneath one of the windows l
found the colonel telling all that he
knew under the widows cross ques-
tioning He had drunk until his tongue
was bound to wag. He gave her the
exact strength of our force and the
strength of our artillery, and mentioned
that the latter arm was short of ammu-
milton, as one of our wagon trains had
been captured. He told her how far up
the gap our vedettes were stationed
and what sort of defensive works we
had erected, and in half an hour she
had got all the Information wanted. 1t
was bad enough to give away his own
force, but the chattering officer went
further. He gave her the strength of
the force at Bronson's pass and at
Derbys gap, lying east and west Of us.
After hearing what 1 did, 1 judged
that the woman would have some one
at hand to carry the information to
the enemy. l had hardly left the win
dow when she came out to look for the
servant who had been made drunk.
Seeing his condition, she expressed an
ger ana disappointment, but was afraid
to trust any one else with her message.
She returned to the colonel, and half
an hour later we rode back to the camp.
1t was easy to figure that word would
be got to the Confederates next morn
ing at the latest, and the brigadier had
only finished his breakfast when 1 told
my story. He listened without Interrupt
ton, but when had concluded he said:
Young man, I will send for Dick.
and IL he does not corroborate you in.
every particular 1 will have you drum
med out Of the army. If you two have
put up Job in this thing I'll have you
both shot"
] Dick was not brought into camp, but