The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-02-13
IN SILENCE A HERO

when he did he listened deeply and un-
swered deliberately. for his supply OF
speech was not great. As he rode
there came a scream from afar over
head-a shrek. screech. But he did
not look upward
He knew the voice was the voice Of
a Springfield ball. high in the air.
Man and horse lay down and waited.
Neither moved. but both watched.
On the brow Of little knoll far
away lie saw bush wave too fast. 1t
was far away, but he leveled his rifle
and fired.
Then horse and man arose as If by
mutual understanding, and. turning
from the knoll. he rode away. the re-
port of the guns behind him merely
urging him to hasten.
He was not afraid. He was not ex-
cited. He did not expect to die. He
did not expect to live.
Late that night he reached the post.
delivered his orders and turned to go.
The captain stopped him.
Meet anybody on the way over?" he
asked.
The scout looked hard, as If digest
ing the query. Then he thought. At
last he answered.:
"Only some Indians"
How many"
"Was seven" said the scout "Now
six"
"On the warpath?" asked the cap
tain.
The scout looked troubled. as though
bored by the questions.
"They fred was all he said.
Now, then, the war was on in ear
nest. But the scout ever after avoided
the captain as man who talked too
much.
In the grounds noncommlssiOned OFF,
GERS passed to and fro, bent on the
duties of the day. New recruits were
being drilled singly and in squads.
Now and again stiff young lieuten-
ant crossed to the officers quarters or,
bent on inspection. went through the
form of examining quarters to see
whether the dust had been properly
brushed away and the floor duly
swept Presently soldier entered,
walked to where the scout lay and
said:
Colonel wants your
The scout remained immOvable for a
few seconds. Then he turned to the
messenger and looked him squarely in
the eye. Then he arose, deliberately
dressed, drew on his long boots, buc-
kled his belt with the ammunition and
revolvers in place and stalked to quar-
ters. The orderly halted him at the
door.
Colonel wants me-" he said.
He passed in. The colonel ignored
the lack of salute, for the keen eyed
man before him was not a soldier, but
a civilian employee. Then he said:
"There is a woman here, the wife Of
Lieutenant Jasper. who is wounded at
the ferry. She wants to join her hus-
band. You must guide her over"
The scout looked half terrified.
"WOman?" he asked. The question
had a world of meaning, for the colo
mel knew of the hostiles on the road
the dangers Of the trail itself, its dou-
BILE dangers for woman. He nodded.
Bad" said the scout.
Cant be helped" said the colonel.
The scout stood still moment. Then
he turned and walked out. AS he
reached the parade ground he saw a
woman before the officers quarters.
The sight revived his memory.
In few minutes he was back at the
colonel's quarters, his horse saddled,
his blankets rolled behind the cantle,
the rife slung by the horses side, the
RATA coiled carefully over the saddle
post.
"Tell him I'm ready" he said gruff-
ly to the orderly. The soldier turned
in disgust. He was not used to un-
ceremonious orders. But the scout was
impenetrable. So the orderly went.
When the scout was ordered in he
saw a little woman wearing a short
riding habit. He looked at her indiffer-
emily The colonel spoke, saying he
was the best scout at the post, and
she might feel safe with him.
81 feel it." she said.
The scout broke silence. Better not
CO." he said,
"Oh, must" was her answer.
They rode away together. All the
night long they rode. halting during the
day. On the third morning as the wO-
man was about to lie down for few
hours rest the scout rose, as one who
was about to deliver an grafton.
"Only six miles," he said
Fear of the hostiles had forsaken
her, and they rode rapidly on, indiffer-
ent alike to the whistle Of the bullets,
the yells Of the braves and the efforts
of small parties of bucks to head them
off. Closer and closer to the camp,
and then as the sentry challenged the
scout turned and let the woman ride
ahead.
He faced the hostiles for moment.
Then he looked around and saw the
guard rush forth and welcome the
fainting wife. The dancing braves
Jared on his sight. He turned back
to where the woman had entered the
camp and then followed her.
The officer Of the guard almost hug
ged him. Men gathered about him.
The captain clasped his hand. The
wounded lieutenant, now almost well,
wept.
The talk ANNOYED him.