Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-09-15
CHAPTER XXI.
lALF an hour later. after the
four travellers had taken
some refreshment. hasty steps
~ were heard outside the door.

IOur travellers na0 taken
Ep1s!sJ some r~efreshment. hasty steps
0R6aW were heard outside the door.
followed by the sentry's hail.
"Ah." said the general. looking up
eagerly from the book he had been
reading, perhaps hat is AIR. Martin
with news from the enemy" Then,
laying aside his book. he rose TO his
feet TO meet the newcomer. who prov
ed to be the man he had expected.
The young man stood nj attention and
saluted, while the general addressed
him sharply:
swell sir, what have you learned?"
The young officer appeared extreme
" embarrassed. "I-well, the fact is.
sir. nothing at ALL" he stammered.
Nothing" said the general loudly,
with rising heat; nothing, sir! Did
you not cross the river as | directed
you?"
mo, sir-that is, / tried to, but there
was so much floating Ice and ii IA
so difficult to manage IA boat that |
thought 1t would be hardly worth
while to attempt 1t, sir. In fact, the
crossing is impracticable for troops"
he went on more confidently. but his
face changed as he looked up at his
Infatuated superior. The general was
a picture of wrath, the lines in his
forehead standing out plainly, his
mouth shut more tightly and grimly
than ever. 1t was evident that he was
furiously angry, and his ace had in 1t
something terrible from his rage. The
young officer stood before him now,
white and frightened to death.
II saw him this way at Kip's Land
ing" whispered Hamilton to Seymour.
Look, He has lost control of him
self completely. There will be an ex-
plosion sure"
The general struggled for a moment
and then broke away.
"Impracticable, sir, impracticable!"
he roared out In a voice Of thunder.
"How dare you say what this army
can or cannot do? And what do you
mean by not crossing the river and
ascertaining the facts l desire to
known" The next moment he stepped
forward and, selling a heavy leaden
inkstand from the table nea him.
threw 1t with all his force full Mt ~
man, crying fiercely:
BE off and send me q man!'
The officer lodged the missile, which
struck the wall with a crash, saluteo
and ran out of the door as II his life
depended on 1t, feeling in his heart
that he would face any danger rather
than brave another storm OF wrath
like that he had just sustained. The
general continued to pace up and down
the room restlessly for a few moments
until he recovered his composure.
IL depended upon that information,
and ! must have it," he soliIoquized.
"If that man does not bring it back to
us before we cross the river I'll have
him cashiered. Shall / send another
man? No; I'll give him another
chance"
Seymour picked up the book the gen
eraI had been reading. 1t was the
Bible, and open at the twenty-second
chapter of the book of Joshua. His
eye fell full upon the twenty-second
verse, which was marked. "The Lord
God of gods. the Lord God Of gods. he
knoweth, and Israel he shall know; II
1t be in rebellion, or II in transgression
against the Lord (save us not this
day"
Just then the little daughter of
Keith. the owner Of the farmhouse at
which they were staying. entered the
room. AS the little miss came up fear
lessly to the general he stopped and
smiled down at her.
Father and mother wish to know If
you will want supper tonight, STRIP
mo, my little maid" he replied.
mot here, at any rate. And which do
you like the better now, the redcoats
or the Continentals? 2"
''The redcoats, sir: they have such
pretty Clothes" said the nascent WON
an
"Ah, my dear" he replied blithely.
catching her up in his arms and kiss
ing her the while, they look better,
but they don't fight The ragged fel-
lows are the boys for fighting
singular man. unused Seymour.
contrasting the outbreak of wrath at
the recalcitrant officer, the open Bible
he had been reading and the last mer-
ry, tender greeting to the child. But
his musings were interrupted by the
general himself speaking.
General Greene, you would better
ride over to the landing and place the
F. r