The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1903-09-14

and" he rang the bell, while you're
waiting you'd better have something
to eat"
BY the time the three soldiers had
finished their something" the COM
mandant had arrived, and they were
summoned back to the colonel's room.
Like the latter the commandant
seemed to think favorably of the new
project. He asked a number of lead
ing questions, ending up with:
Nov, my lad. if you want to say
anything, or ask anything, out with
it"
well, sir, have the sentries been
doubled?"
They've been doubled for a week"
AN as anybody bin killed since
then?'
Yes, two men"
"On the same post?"
NO, on two separate posts. In each
case the man killed had been the pa
trolling sentry. The stationary one
was not attacked" 8.
We'll, sir, the only thing l want to
do tonight is to go round all the places
where the men were killed. If you
would send one or two of the artillery
men with us as guides, an If We start
at once we could get back afore
dark"
why artillerymen?" asked the COM
mandant curiously.
"'Cause they're the only white men
OH the station, an I'd like it to look
just like we were a lot of old chums
takin' q walk"
The eommandant nodded his head
in emphatic approval.
You'll do he said. you have a
head on your shoulders, and that is
everything. Col. Danvers, you will see
that his wish is carried out"
The colonel a~ssented, and in less
than twenty-minutes a%fterward the
three, accompanied by a bombardier
and a gunner, set out on their round
OF inspection. AS there was yet more
than an hopr of daylight remaining
they did not hurry, but strolled along
in very leisurely fashion, talking over
the one topic of interest that the mo-
ment had for Jhari-that is, four of
them did; for Nicky Fidge might al
most as well have had no tongue at
all, for all the use he made of it. He
stalked along in silence, and the only
time he opened his mouth was when
Just beyond the lines. they met a
stout, ~oily-faced Burman jogging along
on a down-country cob, with a SER
want trotting along behind.
who's that?" asked Nicky sudden
ly. his eyes following the gayly-
dressed figure on the cob.
Who? that Burmese cover replied
the gunner, interrogatively. "Oh, that,
Hla-something or other-hanged # |
can get my tongue round them Bur
man names. He used to be a big peg
%hereabouts in old Theebaw's days, pat
since our lot came up he's hal To he
content with his riches. The natives
cali him the bob. Nice-look'ng old
cuss amt he?"
He is" assented Nicky, and asked
nc more questions.
From that point onward the success
sive posts were taken one after anoth-
err. There was little or nothing to see,
or at least the sergeant and Dab Pratt
thought SO, although their mental
vision was considerably brop iened
when, after they had parted from the
two artillerymen, the sergeant asked
the question:
We'll Nicky, have you found any
thing?"
Il have-just."
"What?" eagerly.
We'll didn't you notice that all the
posts where them poor blobes were
killed are neal trees. an mighty big
trees, too, some ON 'em that post
where the three were done for is nigh
under a whole clump. Well. il vas
from them trees that the attacks anne.
If it 'ad been done by men On the
81 ound they couldn't have taken the
SIT try always on the OF. but from
the trees it III lie diffCI enI. Just
cause the poor chap wouldn't re look
ing for an enemy there"
But" said The sergeant, in litter
bewilderment, a man IN n tree
couldn't do muel harm to : man On
the ground-I mean IN The Il OF
breaking his meek"
NO." said N.cky. slowly. "but-a
-trained-ape-eouli."
Great goodness" calculated the
sergeant, as the horror of the thing
brt Ike on him. wi!le the ha!r of Dab
Pratt rose on his hea$.
Its right" said Nicky. In whose
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