The daily Alaskan., 1907-04-03
The COIOneI'S Kid


 Jefferson Barracks was one who at tracted attention immediately from his sunerlnr looks and bearing. He had Qn aristocratic face, a good figure, and 1t was evident at glance that he did not belong among that crowd Private uarl5er had not been in the barracks m hour when it had been determined from colonel to corporal that be 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 re!n- lives, as it hau been supposed he wouM do. She was a handsome, sunny huirec child of ten. and he clung to her an 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 atcly as the cOlOnel's kid.
 The coloueTs kid stood holding hc' fathers hand when the recruits line. up for roll call. Her eyes rOved allu the line until they rested OH HGr.,er and there they paused. There was ;haI in his face that attracted her. and shv secretly determined to be friends witA him. He saw her from his place t:. the ranks, and his face SOftened. H." dared not smile at her, but more friend Illness came into his heart than ha been there for many a day. The ney' duy. and the next, and the next, he sa " her from a distance while he was b., Ing drilled. On the fourth day, whi,s he was doing sentry duty at the daE staff, she came walking up to tim ani held out her hand and said:
 "I like you. Won't you shake hands:
 Private Harker's face was all smile as he took her hand and assured he that he liked her In return and that back In the east he had a little niece who looked almost like her. Ten minutes later the colOnel's kid was back in Officers TOW with tears In her eyes. and Private Harker was In the guardhouse. It was a tremendous breach 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 cOlOneIs 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 waH called before the colonel.
 In barracks even the children know what goes on. The colOners kid had learned that Private Harker had been dsgruced for shaking hands with her. She defended him. When he received his second sentence. she defeEIed him more vigorously. In fact, she wept over it and was scolded by her father and aunt. Men and women make friendships iu an hour, but their judg- ment is not as good as the Intuition of a child. The kid had taken liking to Private Harkcr and they argued in vain. The colonel was upset over it. He was in angry mood when he re ceivcd the recruit. There was nothing he could do officially, and yet he would not talk as man to man.
 Private Harker," he began, "I 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 les me tell you that you can put on no airs here. If I catch you tripping again, I shall put you down as a trouble maker and act ac' cordingly. Go to your quarters, sir"
 The intent had been rc0 hU liliate him, md the soldier knew it. From that bour on be had but one object IL view IT roo}, him three months to accomplish if but in the end he had talked revolt uutll the 200 rank and file at the post were ripe for it. 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 con sp!racy better planned or a secret bet ter kept. Not the slightest hins reach cd the officers ears or the ears of those who would remain loyal At 10 o'clock at night the POO would arm, para0~ and march out in the face of the oti- cers, and there would be shooting done before the last of them left the gate.
 The signal was to be given by Pri' yate Harker-a musket shot. He had planned for days that the ball from that musket should find the coloneps heart. He would reach the cOloneIs quarters and fire on him through an opeu window. They had kept the kid out of his sight for weeks, and be did not take her Into account in his plan ming. It was her father be meant to | kill. but her feelings were not consid cred. When the night came, he slipped out of barracks, lodged across the pa ] rade ground and skulked up a dark alley and reached tlss point aimed at The evening was wartn. and the colo
 I l,a sollar, eccIaan os he sat over