Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-01-11
DAILY. STORY.
THE CoLONEL'S KID.

Among the batch or forty recruits re-
ceived at Fort Blank one day from
jefferson Barracks was one who at
tracted attention Immediately from his
superior looks and bearing. He had
an aristOcratic face, good figure, and
it was evident at a glance that he did
not belong among that crowd. Private
Harker had not been in the barracks
an hour when it had been determined
from colonel to corporal that he was
a man who must be disciplined.
Colonel Banks had lost his wife two
years before, but he had not sent his
little daughter Edith east among rela-
tives, as it had been supposed he would
do She was handsome, sunny haired
child of ten, and he chung to her and
had an aunt come out and act as his
housekeeper and mother to the moth
erless Scarcely any one at the fort
gave the child her name when speaking
of her. She was referred to affection
ately as the colonels kid.
The colonePs kid stood holding her
fathers hand when the recruits lined
up for roll call. Her eyes roved along
the line until they rested on Harker,
and 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, and his face softened. He
dared not smile at her, but more friend
illness came into his heart than had
been there for many day. The next
day, and the next, and the next, he saw
her from a distance while he was be-
ing drilled. On the fourth day, while
he was doing sentry duty at the flag
staff, she came walking up to him and
held out her hand and said:
81 like 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 little niece
who looked almost like her. Ten
minutes later the colOnelS kid was
back in Officers row with tears in her
eyes, and Private Harker was in the
guardhouSe. 1t was tremendous
brSlch of discipline he had committed.
Never before in the history of the
American army, according to the ser
geant, had a sentry on duty dared to
pause in his monotonous tramp and
ground arms and shake the colonePs
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 been
at liberty only three days when fault
was found with him at inspection of
barracks. He answered back, and this
time it 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 colonels 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 it and was scolded by her father
and aunt. Men and women make
friendships in an hour, but their judg-
ment is not as good as the intuition of
a child. The kid had taken n liking to
Private Harker, and they argued in
vain. The colonel was upset over ii. |
He was in angry mood when he re-
ceived 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 |
end? You may be above the common |
run, sir. but let me tell you that you |
can put on no airs here. If 1 catch |
you tripping again, l shall put you |
down as a trouble maker and act &C |
cordingly. Go to your quarters, sir"
The intent had been to humliate 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 ii. 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-
spiracy 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
and 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 colonels
heart. He would reach the coloners
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. 1t was her father he meant to
kill. but her feelings were not consid-
cred. When the night came, he slipped
put Of barracks. lodged across the pa
rade ground and skulked up a dark
alley and reached the point aimed at.
The evening was warm, and the colo
mel had fallen ascleep as he sat over