The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1910-09-29
GENERAL CHARLES
KING,
Author Of 1.-THE Colorel's Daughter"
"Fces In Ambush" Etc.

do nothing of the kind, Corporal
Watts" said quiet voice. at sound of
which Sergeant Fitzroy whirlod about
and turned, if possible thing. full
! shade redder. There at the gate stood
Lieutenant Lanier. There. dozen
yards away. but trudging fast as dig.
nifty would permit, came the officer of
the day.
4 jerk of the head to the corporal In
response to his instant salute, and that
young soldier much relieved, strobe
away to join his men. Then Captain
Curbit turned on Sergeant Fitzroy
You told me nothing of the facts in
| this case, sir. Lieutenant Lanier says
| he directed this man to wait here. with
| the colonel's message, while he rode
to stables. Pardon me, Miss Dora.
Come this way, sergeant
| And there was nothing for it but to
| obey. Abashed, Inundated, rebuked
and in her presence, where he had
looked but moment before to humble
and humiliate his rival, Fitzroy could
only lift his hand in salute, follow the
| captain out of earshot and there make
his plea as best he could, leaving
Lanier and the silent young trooper,
Dora and her grave faced old father.
in possession of the field.
| For a moment they watched FitZroy.
Hell give you no more trouble, l
fancy" said Lanier in low tone to the
veterinarian. ''1'n say good night
again. Miss Dora And he walked
cheerily away, but Mayhem looked
after him long and anXiously.
maybe not-maybe not" he mutter
ed, with sorrowing shake of the head,
"but few men can give more trouble
than him when he's minded, and
reckon he's minded now"
Nearly six long months went the reg
iment a-field on the hardest campaign
of it's history Then at last by way of
reward it had been ordered into big
Fort Cushing for the winter. The
new station was blithe and merry with
Christmas preparations. Half dozen
fair visitors had come from the distant
|
men were many. the dancing floor was
fine, and the dance they were having
on Friday night, Dec. 16, was all that
| even an army dance could be until
| just after IL o'clock. Then something
happened to cast a spell over every
body.
Bob Lanier was officer Of the guard.
| Dol~ 70 lot I'm,
turn over his sword to a brother off,
Ger, who. being in mourning. could not
dance, and the colonel had CURLY said
no. The colonel's wife was amazed.
Six girls were sorrowful, and one was
cruelty hurt. She was under parental
orders to start for home on the NOR
row. She liked Bob Lanier infinitely
more than she liked her fathers die
tum that she must like him not at all.
| AS for Bob Lanier, the garrison knew
he loved her devotedly even before she
knew it herself
OF course she came to the dance
AS the guest of Captain and Mrs.
Sumter, she even had to go up and
smile on the colonel and his wife. who
| were receiving. She and Kate Sum-
ter had been classmates. roommates.
at Vassar. and Kate, born and reared
in the army had never been quite con-
tent until her friend could come to
visit the regiment-her fathers home.
A winsome pair they were. these
two 'sweet girl graduates of the
June gone by. while the regiment
was stirring up the Sioux on the way
to the Big Horn and Yellowstone.
Everybody had lavish welcome for
them, and to Miriam Arnold the
month at Fort Gushing had been quite
Z dream of delight until there came a
| strange and sudden missive from her
father bidding her break off a visit
| that was to have lasted until February
and all relations with Lieutenant Rob-
ert Ray Lanier.
| For reasons Of his own Mr.. Lanier
had made no avowal of his love to her,
even though he had disclosed it to
every one else. Bob had his enemies
frank men generally have. He could
hardly believe the evidence of his ears
when just after sunset roll call he had
/! confidently approached the colonel
with his request and had received the
colonels curt reply.
Everybody by half past 10 had heard
of it. Nobody was very much sur
prised when in the midst of the lovely
'Lorelei" waltz group Of young off.
GERS near the doorway opened out, as
it were. and Bob Lanier, officer Of the
guard, came gracefully gliding down
the room. Miriam Arnolds radiant,
happy face looking up into his. 1t was
joy to watch them dance together,
but not to watch the colonePs face
when he caught sight of them. Ex-
| cept Lanier every officer present was
in full uniform, without his saber.
| Lanier was in the undress uniform of
/ the guard, but with the saber-not the
long, curved, clumsy. steel scabbarded
weapon then used by the cavalry, but
light Prussian hussar sword that he
had evidently borrowed for the occa
sion, for it belonged to Barker. the adj
| jutant, as Barker realized to his cost
when the commander summoned him.
| "Mr. Barker, you will at once place
Mr.. Lanier in arrest for quitting his