Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1909-06-17
HONOR OF THE TENTH
BY EILEEN moRETTA.

The honor of the Tenth had been
smirched The rank and file growled
it out in barracks. the officers whis-
pered it TO each other. and as the
colonel sat on the verando Of his
bungalow and admitted it to himself
he laid much Of the blame on his own
shoulders.
The robber bands of India. known as
dacolts. had been busy around Aliwal,
and squads of British cavalry were
being sent out every few days to de-
stroy them. Your true dacoit is not
only a robber. but Gghter as well
He robs his own race whenever op-
portunity offers and fights the British
whenever ard wherever he meets
them. He is a good shot, brave foe,
and there are honor and promotion to
be had in wiping him off the face of
the earth. Young Danforth had lately
joined the Tenth He had family and
political influence and a fortune be-
hind him, and he had personality
which made friends. There could be
no greater privilege than to be sent
out at the head of a detachment to
give the dacoits a whirl. When the
time came that the colonel could do
young Danforth this favor he had a
long and quiet talk with him. He
posted him as to the characteristics
and tactics of the foe and warned
him of the pitfalls that even veteran
officers might fall into. lie was to
find the enemy and destroy him. but
he was cautioned against impetuosity
and useless sacrifice of men. This ex-
petition was TO be the young officers
"tryout." He had never been under
fire. and he could not claim full kin
ship with the regiment until he had
They gave young Danforth British
sergeant ana corporal and thirty-elsht
Sikh troopers. Under an officer In
whom he has confidence there Is no
better soldier than the Sikh His only
weak point is that he must have his
foe in front of him. Danforth had the
luck to strike band Of robbers within
twenty miles Of the post. They had
captured a village and were pilaging
1t was testified to by Il dozen Sikhs
that he was as cool as an old veteran
lie sent scouts forward to ascertain
the strength of the enemy and the lay
of the land. and at the head of his
forty men he charged into the village
and routed out the band of 100 He
lost two men and killed a dozen. and
it was a little affair TO be proud Of He
held his men we'll in hand and was on
the watch for tricSery. and had all the
troopers been Europeans all would have
gone we'll. As the robbers retTeated
over broken ground men were flung or
from either flank TO create an ambush.
They were few in number and only
half hearted. but as they opened fire
the Sikhs bolted. There were confu-
sion and Il rout. and the pursuers be-
came in turn the pursued. When the
fight ended the sergeant and corporal
were missing.
court martial was demanded by
Young Danforth. No sooner had the
detachment returned than the remnant
of the Slkhs began to whisper about
incompetency and cowardice. They
praised the officer for his fight at the
village, but they declared that his COW
ardice when he found himself In a
tight place had brought about disas
fer. His defense was straightforward
and clear. There was not an officer
who doubted one of his statements
and he was honorably acquitted of the
charge. but a stain had been left be
hind. 1t was felt by men and officers
that to be even suspected Of cowardic'
was a smirch on the name Of the regi
mcnt. It was agreed that the Sikh'
had lied to excuse their own coward
ice. and there was the verdict Of the
court martial yet the cloud was no
dissipated.
Young Danforth could not fail t
notice the change in the attitude OF hi'
brother officers. They did not cut him
but they had TO make an effort TO o'
friendly. Pretty soon hints wer'
thrown ont that 1t would be well fo
him In transfer "a leave The service
Then he went to the colonel and SAID;
81 was charged with cowardice D!
the sixhs. Had my sergeant and cor
moral lived to come back with me
could have had witnesses to prove Z
the contrary. The court martial TOOL
nv word, however. and was hohor
ably acquitted. realize that au
tainted. There are hints that ouSu
a., tropsfer or resign. With your per
mission shall remain right here an
hone for something to happen
81 believe that the Sikhs perJure
themselves" quietly replied the cole
mel sand perhaps it will be the wises
thing you can do to stay on"
The words were kind and falr' oil
no grip of the hand accompanied then e.,
In his heart of hearts the colonel ha
honed the subaltern would go AVA
though at the same time he realize Re, l
that only an innocent man would hay