Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1905-02-17

for answer within the week, and, TAX
ing advantage of the permission, cold
ly accorded him by the chief of staff,
to be absent over night, he had gone,
heavy-hearted, to his old friends of the
Iron Brigade, and sought at their hands
the sympathy and consolation to be
expected of men who had themselves
felt that the official atmosphere was
frigid where once it had been so fair
And it was here, on Thursday morning,
while breakfasting with the genial
commander of the Black Hats and lis
eqaing to his philosophic advice to
Stake things coolly" and that .tall
would come right he was surprised by
the coming of a cavalry orderly,
splashed with mud, who bore a missive
addressed by the acknowledgement of
the division and marked Immediate"
With word of apology to Col. Fair
child and his officers, Benton tore it
open, and two papers fell out. One
read:
capt. Benton: Enclosed just re-
ceived. The general says you better
come this way where the necessary
orders will meet you, and you can get
what luggage you need. There will be
steamers going all the evening.
"(Signed) BREWSTER, A. A. G.
The second was a telegram to the
commanding general, til division,
-th corps, and bore the singular re-
semblance to one received on almost
the same ground some seven months
previous:
Secretary of War desires to see
Capt. Benton of your staff at once.
Take first boat intermediate COM
manders notified. No delay.
81. THOMAS, Adjutant-General."
We'll, WE'LL" said the colonel, ''they
have been prompt You can get to
AcQuia by noon, can't your
mot if he goes back by way of Old
Scoffer's," remarked field officer,
though fully. Fred, don't you imagine
the chief wants to smooth things bit
before you tell Stanton all about it?"
Don't go back, Benton. Just let
him sweat. It'll make him more civil
another time" began an impetuous
comrade. but stopped short at sight
of the cloud in Benton's eyes, the anx-
ious look in the cOlOnePs fine, clearcut,
soldierly face. 1t was the latter who
spoke again, and without interruption.
for already ne had won the faith of
even such martial iconoclasts as the
Black Hats. This means something
more than mere difference due to i'll
temper" said he. You are wanted
for a purpose, Benton 1t is-about
Ladue. do you Think"
Fred had already risen. 'I shouldn't
be surprised" he answered. thinking
uncontrollahly OF the words of his
Washington Informant, God help the
man that has to bump up against STAN
ton just now!"
Yet he rode back to headquarters
and, surely enough, found his chief
there. chafng and suspicious. What's
Stanton want of your he blurted out.
"You haven't-You didn't-make a
row about what 1 said Monday night,
did you? We were all cross-grained
then, and I didn't happen to think you
had to look me up and so-got lost
Il have certainly written to a friend
at Washington asking for other duty,
sir said Benton firmly, though his an
ger had vanished and given place
to sadness and anxiety. 81 did not
get lost, however. / obeyed orders,
and under similar circumstances should
do so again"
I've told you I didn't understand
the matter at the time or shouldn t
have said, perhaps, what did," broke
in Old Scoffer. both hurt and troubled.