The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-01-09
The COlOneI's Kid


t-lcted attention Immediately from his
superior looks aud bearing. He had
an aristocratic face. a good figure. and
Il was evident at glance that he did
not belong among that crowd. Private
Has.;eT had not been In the barracks
an hour when It had been determine!
from colonel TO corporal that he wits
u man who must be disciplined.
Colonel Banks had lost his viz, tsfU
years before, but he had not sent A..l.'
little daughter Edith east a-nOng r,ia-
tives. as 1t had been suppa Z le u;ai.a
'Nio:N She was q handsome. s5..sly thittsl
Child Of ten and he chung Is her an.l
liid an aunt come out and act us Ills
boIsekeeper aud a mother to the moth
erless, Scarcely any one ut the fort
gave the child her name when speaking
of her. She was referred TO affection
tt..Iy as the coloners kid
The coIonel's kid stood holding her
fathers hand when the recruits lined
mp for roll call Her eyes roved along
the line until they rested on Harker,
aud there they paused. There was that
in his face that attracted her, and she
secretly determined to be friends with
him. He saw her from his place in
the ranks, aud his face softened. He
dared not smile ut her. but more friend
illness came into his heart than had
heen there for many-a day. The next
day, and the next, and the next. he saw
her from distance while he was be-
ing drilled. On the fourth day, while
he was doing sentry duty at the flag
stun, she came walking up to him and
held out her hand and said:
81 ike you Won't you shake handsr'
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 little niece
who looked almost like her. Ten
minutes later the colonel's kid was
back in Officers row with tears in her
eyes and Private Harker was in the
guardhouse. 1t was a tremendous
breach Of discipline he had committed.
Never before in the history Of the
American army. according to the SER
geant, had sentry on duty dared to
pause in his monotouous tramp and
ground arms and shake the coloners
daughter by the hand. The captain
agreed with the sergeant, and Private
Harker got Ave days confinement. He
knew that spite was the foundation,
and he set his Jaw hard. He had been
at liberty only three days when fault
was found with him at Inspection Of
barracks. He answered back, and this
time 1t was ten days In the guard
house. At the end of that time he was
called before the colonel.
In barracks even the children know
what goes on. The colonel's kid had
learned that Private Harker had been
disgraced for shaking hands with her.
She defended him. When he received
his second sentence, she defended him
more vigorously. In fact, she wept
over II aud was scolded by her father
and aunt. Men and women make
friendships In an hour, but their judg-
ment is not as good us the Intuition OF
a child. The kid had taken liking to
Private Harker. and they argued In
vain. The colonel was upset over 1t.
He was In angry mood when he re-
ceiyed the recruit. There was nothing
he could do officially, and yet he would
not talk as man to man.
Private Harker," he began. 81 am
sorry TO hear bad reports of you. IL
you begin this way. where will you
end? 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 trouble maker and act &C
cordingly. Go to your quarters, sir"
The intent had been to humIliate him.
and the soldier knew It, From that
hour on he had but one object in view.
1t took him three months to accomplish
it, but In the end he had talked revolt
until the 200 rank and file at the post
were ripe for 1t. They would leave the
fort and scatter among the mines and
ranches. Before leaving they would
kill four or FIVE of the officers that had
been marked down. Never was a con-
splracy better planned or a secret bet
ter kept Not the slightest hint reach
ed the officers ears or the ears OF those
who would remain loyal. at 10 o'clock
at night the 200 would arm, parade
aud march out in the face of the off,
GERS. 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 ball from
that musket should find the colonel's
heart He would reach the coloners
quarters and fire Yn 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. 1t was her father he meant to
kill. but her feelings were not consid-
cred. When the night came, he slipped
out Of barracks. lodged across the pa
tade ground and skulked up a dark
tlley and reached the point aimed at.
The evening was warm, and the colo
ael had fallen ascleep as he sat over