Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-11-19

which covered the table, the benches |
and the whole length of an army cot. |
Over one of these hung the colonel,
making imaginary journeys with the
end of dead cigar.
He turned swiftly to Lounsbury and |
caught him by the shoulders. John"
he said before the other could speak, |
81 need an interpreter. You've been
about here for years. Do you know
one?"
There's soggy, that Phil Kearny
The colonel gave a grunt of disgust.
"In jail at Omaha" he said. played
cards with a galoot who had some
aces in his boot tops. Plugged him"
What's the matter with your ReesT'
That's just 1t! You see, that bunth
of Sioux out there'-he jerked his
head toward the stockade-"helped In
bit of treachery two summers ago.
Rounded up some friendly Rees at q
dance and scalped 'em. So-there's
poison for you! In this business on
hand l couldn't trust even my head
c1oul. ne peSdu pacing Tue hooi.
Anyway, sign language, when there
are terms to be made and kept, isn't
worth hang"
Il wish 1 could suggest a man." said
Lounsbury. Fact is, colonel, I'm ter
ribly worried myself. l came to ask
you for help in some trouble
+! The old soldier threw up his hands.
TROUBLED" he cried. why, I'm SIM
ply daft with it! Look at that!' He
pointed to the farthest side of the
room.
1t was dimly lighted. Lounsbury
stepped forward and peered down.
then recoiled as startled as If he had
happened upon something dead. On
| the floor was a man, man whose
| back was bent rounding and whose
| arms and legs We're Rugged up against
| his abdomen and chest Torso and
| linn BIS were alike, frightfully shrunken;
| the hands, mere claws. Lounsbury
| could not see the face. But the hair
was uncovered, and it was the hair
that made him goose flesh" from
head to heel. 1t was white-not the
white of old age, with CHANGING tints
of silver or yellow, but the dead white
of an agony that had withered it to
the roots. Circling it and separating
q narrow fringe that was still brown,
as if, changing in night, it had lack
| ed full time for completion.
| Lounsbury could not take his eyes
from the. huddled shape. Colonel Cum
mings paused beside him This morn
ing" he said speaking in an under
tone, "a sentry signaled from beyond
the barracks. Two or three men took
guns and ran out. They found this.
His clothes were stiff with ice Re
was almost frozen, though he had been
I travelling steadily. He was utterly
worn out and was crawling forward
on his hands and knees The ragged
sleeves and trousers, stained darker
from the wounds on elbows and knees.
were mute testimony. He couldn't
See" continued the colonel. He was
snow blind. They laid him out on a
drift and rubbed him. The surgeon
did the rest. He begged to see me.
They brought him in. and he told his
story. It's an old one. You've heard
It, But it's always new too. This Is
| Frank Jameson, young
AS he heard his name the man stir
red, Strengthened his legs and let fan
his arms. He looked up.
'Youngp' gasped Lounsbury. Good
GodT' The face was aged like the
hairI
Jameson struggled weakly to his
feet, using the wall to brace him.
| Colonel Cummings FASTENED across
and lent the support of an arm. NO
no." he protested. You mustn't talk.
You're too weak"
But Jameson did not heed You
an Interpreter" he asked in a raspine
whisper
You're too weak
NO, l amt; no, 1 amt. If he'll &C
with us I'm strong enough. Why,
shoveled snow on the special to Bis
and skating home l didn't stop t.
rest
"Yes, yes, my boy, we know"
II walked and walked-straps broke
i forgot to tell you-that's why haC
to. But it didn't do any good-it didn
do any good! When I got there
AS if to shut out some terrible sight III
screened his eyes with one palsiet
hand and sank back Imply into Colo
mel Cummings arms. Lounsbur!
swept the cot clean of maps, and they
laid him there. :,
His father was dead" said the com
manding officer-"dead and naked
scalped, mutilated, full of arrows ant
rife balls. The house and barns wer
: burned"
ANY womenY
"Two-gone."
Jameson pat out his arms. 'M,
motherw he cried implorfngly. IN.
poor little mother.'
Lounsbury knelt beside him, feelin
shaken and half sick.
IF 1 could only "a been there! Blu
y ! was way off at st. ESIl. l knew
something was wrong wheh the letter
5 stopped"