The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-05

being drilled. on the fourth day,
While he was doing sentry duty al the
Flagstaff. she came walking up to him
and held out her hand and said.
7 Ike you. Won't You shake
hands?"
Private Harker's face was all smiles
as he took her hand and assured her
that he liked her in return, and that
back in the east he had a little niece
that looked almost like her. Ten min
utes later the Colonels Kid was back
in Officers Row with tears in her eyes.
and Private Harker WAS in the guard
house. It was a tremendous breach of
discipline he had committed. Never
before in the history of the American
army. according to the sergeant. had a
sentry on duty dared to pause in his
monotonous tramp and ground arms
and shake the eolonel's daughter by
the hand The captain agreed with the
sergeant, and Private Harker got five
days confinement. He knew that spite
was the foundation. and he set his jaw
hard He had only been at liberty
three days when fault was found with
him at inspection of barracks. He an
swered back, and this time it was ten
days In the guardhouse- At the end
Of that time he W as called before the
colonel.
In barracks even the children know
what goes on. The Coloners Kid had
learned that Private Harker had been
disgraced for shaking hands with her.
She defended him When he received
his scond sentence. she defended him
more vigorously. In fact, she wept
over it and was scolded by her father
and aunt. Men and women make
friendships in an hour. but their judg-
ment is moi as good as the intuition of
a child. The Kid had taken a liking
to Private Harker, and they argued in
vain The colonel was upset over it.
He was in angry mood when he re-
celved the recruit There was nothing
he could do officially. and yet he would
not talk as man to man.
Private Harker, he began. Il am
sorry to hear bad reports of you. If
You begin this way. where will you
end2 You may be above the common
run, sir. but let me tell YOU that you
can put on no airs here. If catch YOU
tripping again. shall put you down as
a trouble-maker and act accordingly.
Go to your quarters, sir
The object had been to humiliate
him. and the soldier knew it. From
that hour on he had but one object in
complish it. but in the end he had
talked revolt until the two hundred
rank and file at the post were ripe for it.
They would leave the Fort and scatter
fore leaving, they would kill four or
five Of the officers that had been
marked down. Never was a cOnspir-
acy better planned or secret better
kept Not the slightest hint rea ched
the officers ears or the ears of those
who would remain Ioval. At 10
O'Clock at night the two hundred
would arm. parade and march out in
the face of the officers and there
would be shooting done before the last
Of them left the gate
The signal was to be given by Pri-
vate Harker-a musket shot. He had
planned for days that the bali from
that musket should find the coloneTs
heart He would reach the co1oneFs
quarters and fire on him through an
open window They had kept the Kid
out Of his sight for weeks, and he did
not take her into account in his plan
ming It was her father he meant to
XIII. but her feelings were not consid-
cred. When the night came, he
slipped out of barracks. lodged across
the parade ground and skulked up a
dark alley and reached the point
aimed at The evening was warm. and
the colonel had fallen asleep as he sat
over his papers- The soldier raised his
musket and drew a fair bead for the
officers heart. and his finger was press
ing the trigger when q hand was gently
laid on his arm He lowered his mus
ket to find the Kid by his side, and