Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1903-07-16
By GEN. CHARLES KING.
Copyright 1902, by The Hobart Company.
CHAPTER IV.-CoNTINUED.

"Wel done, sergeant! ! knew l
could count on YOU" answered Webb,
in hearty commendation. "Now, one
thing more. Go to IF" troops quar-
ters and see how Kennedy is faring.
He came in with dispatches from
Fort Beecher, and later drank more,
/ fancy, than was good for him, for
which | assume all responsibility.
Keep him out of mischief this morn
ing"
Il will, sir" said the sergeant, and,
saluting, turned away white Webb
went back to set a dismantled pantry
in partial order, against the appear
ance OF his long-suifering housckeep-
er, whose comments he dreaded as
he did those of no inspector genera!
in the army.
Ten minutes more and the sergeant
was back again.
Sir, have to report that Trooper
Kennedy has not been seen about the
quarters" said he.
Then try the stables, sergeant" ="
answered the veteran campaigner,
and thither would Schreiber next
have gone, even had he not been sent.
And, sure enough, there was Kennedy,
with rueful face and maudlin
romaunt about a moonlit meeting
with swarm of painted Sioux, over
which the stable guard were making
merry and stirring the troopers soul
to wrath ungovernable
Il can prove ut" he howled, to the
nj Of ,liny1,S,,,r Cd IL
bellicOse lunges at the laughing tor
mentor nearest him. Il can whip
the hide off'n the scut that saws |
didn't. Ask Lootn't Field, beiabers!
He saw It. Ask-Oh, Mother of God!
what's this I'm sayin'?"- there,
with stern, rebuking gaze, stood the
man they knew and feared, every soul
of them, as they did no commissioned
soldier in the til, Sergeant Schrei-
Der, the redoubtable, and Schreiber
had heard the insane and damaging
boast
Come with me, Kennedy" was all
he said, and Kennedy snatched his
battered felt headgear down over his
eyes and tackled woefully after his
swift-striding master, without ever
another word.
But it was to his own room Schrei-
Der took the unhappy Irishman, not
to the quarters of company "F." lie
had heard words that. coupled with
others that fell through the darkness
on his keenly listening ears some two
hours earlier, had given him cause
for painful thought. Lie down here,
Kennedy. Pull off your BOOTS" said
he, "and if you open your fool head
to any living soul until | give you
leave, py Coffin gill you!" 1t was
Schreiber's way, like Marryatt's fa-
nous boatswain, to begin his admo-
nitions in exact English, and then
as wrath oyercame him, to lapse into
dialect.
1t was but a few minutes after
seven when Maj. Webb, having pre-.
vionsly dispatched messenger to
the post traders to say he had need
to see Mr.. Hay as soon as possible
mounted his horse and, followed 10y
Sergeant Schroeder and an orderly
rode quietly past the guard-housc
touching his hat TO tho shouted
''Tmn ont the guard commanding
officer of the sentry on Number One
Mr.. Hay was dressing hurricdly
said the servant, so Webb bade
achrcibcr and the orderly ride slow.
ly down To- the flats and await him
at the forks Of the road. 1t was bat
five minutes before Hay appeared
pulling on his coat as hc shot from
the IDpr tUf pKpp I4FtF. d.. emma
the major had been carefully, eau.
ticusly scanning tAe blinds VI thC