The Owosso times., 1910-10-28

'HAvE THEY FOUND RAwDoN?"
what the corporal called Jag" Ee
swore that. having got chilled through.
waiting. he just thought to get one
hot whisky at the store. Sentry No.
9 said he'd mind the team while the
driver went In. and the next thing he
knew they'd run'd away. hell for
leather" and he, their driver, had to
follow two miles to Flint's ranch.
close to town. where he might have
taken a nip or two more" 1t was his
first offense and Foster forgave. 1t
should be remarked. however, that No.
6 declared that 1t was not he with
whom the driver left the sleigh. but
two "fellers"-i e.. troOpers-who hap
pened to be near the store.
| There were sorrow and estrangement
at Sumter's. Never before, as Mrs.
Sumter declared, had Katherine ever
had secret from her mother. More
| over, Miriam Arnold was affected In
| precisely the same way. She shrank
from all mention Of that mysterious
affair Of Friday night.
Wednesday night when Sergeant
Fitzroy returned to the post and asked
to see the colonel that officer, who was
at dinner. sent answer that he would
be at the Office at o'clock and, fur
ther, sent word to Captain Snaffle to
be there at the same hour.
A spell Of sharp cold had followed
the blizzard. The young people Of the
garrison were out in force at night
rejoicing in the snow sports. The men
had made some famous slides over at
the bluffs, and the children along the
officers lines were playing hide and
seek about the drifts and tunnels at
the northward end Of the parade.
Captain Sumter had been sent for
and was admitted to a FIVE minute talk
with the colonel at his quarters and
came away with grave and troubled
face to ten minutes conference with
his gentle wife that left her sorely
worried and distressed.
ASK Kate" he said as once more he
set forth into the night. 1--WE got to
tramp and think this over before l do
ment Kate and Miriam had gone in to
talk awhile with Mrs. Stannard.
1t was just about a quarter of 8.
The lights at the Office were still burn
ing. for the colonel had intimated that
he might be back. Barker was bend
ing over his desk and wondering why
the colonel should be colloguing with
Snaffle, Crane, Sergeant Fitzroy and
sending for Cassidy and Quinlan. That
was q queer "outfit" Of Snaffie's at best.
1t seemed odd that the most pronounc-
ed "Britisher'' in barracks should be
a sergeant in the troop commanded by
the nearest thing to an Irishman
among the captains.
Barker YVES busy with these reflec-
tions when the colonel once more en-
tered. The adjutant rose, but at
signal resumed his seat and waited.
Full fifteen minutes the colonel went
striding up and down the long apart
ment. Twice he muttered something
about its taking Snaffie and his SER
geant an unusually long time to do
simple thing, and at last, as the trum-
peters were heard. with much stamp
ing of feet and blowing of hands.
gathering for the old time nightly
"walk around" that preceded tattoo
roll call, Button abruptly turned on his
adjutant and said:
) Barker, how long have you known
Mr.. LanierW
ever since he joined. SIR"
: "And you knew him in his cadet
days|
"Yes, SIR"
"And you told me you never heard
Of his writing to newspapers"
'Never. SIR" answered Barker. 81
believe 1t impossible for him to have
had anything to do with those-infam-
patory articles about the campaign"
'You consider him absolutely square
--above lie-or trick Of any kindr'
Barker faltered Just one minute.
What did the colonel mean by a trick?
Mischief there had been once or twice.
Tricks had been played, and one only
this last summer during the campaign
"a trick, too, that II truth were told
Lanier should have known about. At
least it had been played for his bene-
at and had 'pulled the WOOL over the
colonels eyes.
81 consider him as square a man as
I know and utterly above lie Of
any kind" was the final answer.
"And yet you hesitate. Yen know
or have heard rumors," said Button
suspiciously.
"I have heard rumors and ISLANDERS,
Colonel Button" was Barker's prob
ably injudicious reply.
'..Weil, here" said Button impulsive-