The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1903-12-16

S1Nl1 Wal udu ulVlucu Ul1c1L, lOT f1elQ
had cast his soldier fortune with his
seeding state, but all that was q
thing of the past. Here was the son,
a loyal soldier of the flag the father
had again sworn allegiance to when
he took his seat in the house of rep
resentatives. The general thought
highly of Field, and was sore trou-
bled at his serious condition. He
knew what dispatches would be COM
ing from the far south when the tele-
graph line began the busy clicking of
the morning. He was troubled to find
the lad in high fever and to hear that
he had been out Of his head. He was
more than troubled at the concern,
and something like confusion, in the
old DOCTORS face.
"You don't think him dangerously
wounded, do you?" he asked.
"Not dangerously, general" was
the reply. 'It's-well, he seems to
have something on his mind" And
more than this the doctor would not
say. 1t was not for him to tell the
chief what Webb had confded ere he
left the post-that most of the cur
rency for which Field was account
able was so much waste paper. Field
lay muttering and tossing in restless
misery, unconscious most of the
time, and sleeping only when under
the influence of a strong narcotic
Dade, with sadness and constraint
apparent in his manner, hung back
and did not enter the bare hospital
room where, with only a steward in
attendance, the young soldier lay.
The doctor had gone with the general
to the bedside, but the captain re-
manned out of earshot at the door.
First call for reveille was Just
sounding on the infantry bugles as
the trio came forth. 81 have sent
for Hay already, general" Dade was
saying, as they stood on the wooden
veranda overlooking the valley of the
nurmuring river; ''but will you not
come now and have coffee? He can
join us over at my quarters"
Already, however, the orderly was
hurrying back. They met him when
not half way over the line of officers
quarters. The few men for duty in
the two companies of infantry, left to
guard the post, were gathering in lit
tie groups in front of their barracks,
awaiting the sounding of the assem-
bly,. They knew the chief at glance,
and were curiously watching him as
he went thoughtfully pacing across
the parade by the side of the tenn
porary commander. They saw the
orderly coming almost at run from
tie direessR4aR saltdbe, s s:H51iSdfently making
some report, but they could not guess
what made him so suddenly start and
run at speed toward the southwark
bluff, the direction of the traders cor
raj and stables, while Capt. Dade
whirled about and signaled Sergt
Crabb, of the cavalry, left behind in
charge of the few custodians of the
troop barracks. Crabb, too, threw
dignity to the winds, and ran at the
beck of his superior officer.
"Haye you two men who can ride
bard dozen miles or so-and carry
out their orders?" was the CAPTAINS
sharp demand.
Certainly, SIR" answered Crabb,
professionally resentful that such
question should be asked of men of
the til cavalry.
send two to report to me at once,
mounted. Never mind breakfast"
And by this time, apparently, the
chief, the post commander and pos
sibly even the aide-de-camp had for
gotten about the waiting coffee. They
still stood there where they had
halted in the center of the parade.
The doctor, coming from the hospital,
was signaled to and speedily joined
them. The bugle sounded, the men
mechanically formed ranks and
answered to their names, all the while
watching from the corner of their
eyes the group of officers, now in
creased by two infantry subalterns,
Lleuts. Bruce and Duncan, who raised
their caps to the preoccupied general,
such salutation being then fashion,
not a regulation of the service, and
stood silently awaiting instructions.
for something of consequence was
surely dt ndHu. linen the ORDERLY
again appeared. returning from his
mission, out of breath, and speaking
with difficulty.
Craps I mean the Frenchman.
sir, says it was after four, perhaps
half past when they started, Pete
drivin'. He didn't see who was in it.
Twas the covered blackboard he took.
sir-the best one.''
And then, little by little, it trans
PRED that Hay, the post trader whom
the general had need to see, had
taken his departure by way of the
Rawlin's road, and without SO much
as whisper of his purpose to any
one.
Il knew he had thought of going.
He told Maj. Webb So" said Dade,
"But that was before the
outbreak assumed proportions. He
had given up all idea of it yesterday,
and told me So"
HAS anything happened to-start
him since them" demanded the beard
ed general, after moments talk.