Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1910-10-06
CONTINUED

afoot In saddle or adrift in snow, was
Lieutenant Lanier. About the first
officer Button wished to see was Bob
and about the last was Blake. Yet
such was the freakishness Of fate that
the first man to hail him. with i'll time
popularity, was Blake, and the last Of
his officers whom he was destined that
day to set eyes on was Bob Lanier.
If it had not been for the startling
announcement about the paymaster
Colonel Button would have fought
that matter out with the doctor then
and there. First. however, he had to
send forth his mounted men by scores
in search Of the missing officer and
party. This done, he had once more
summoned Schuchardt. Then he sent
for Ennis and had what they termed
"redhot row."
In his exasperated frame Of mind
Button had been ready to believe al
most any story at the expense Of La
nier. and-such Is the perversity Of
human nature-it added to rather than
diminished his wrath that his revered
senior surgeon should promptly cor
roborate the statements of both Schu-
chardt and Ennis and further assume
personal and entire responsibility for
the episode Of Saturday afternoon in
Lanier's quarters. That episode had
started many tongue, and one Of
Buttons henchmen, thinking to win
favor at the fountain head by mention
Of new iniquity on the part Of the
culprit. had deftly enlarged upon it.
Snaff1e, of course, was the fellow at
fault and he justified it on the plea
that Lanier was demoralizing two men
Of his troop. The story he told was
that Lanier had been carousing at his
quarters with certain enlisted mem
bers Of the guard.
Nor had Sumter himself much time
for domestic duties before the order
came for him and his troop to turn out
to aid in the search.
Mrs. Sumter had not half finished
what she had to say concerning Mir
lam when the summons came that
called the captain forth to join the
enough to increase the anxiety in his
fine. soldierly face He went up with
Mrs. Sumter and looked critically over
the damage to the window in what
had been Miriam's room. She had
moved per force to the front-to Kath-
erine's-room Saturday night. for to-
ward sunset the storm sash was torn
out of the north dormer, and the win
dow blew in with crash
1t was easy to see how and why the
storm sash had failed to withstand the
buffeting. In his frantic haste and
panicky fight the intruder of Friday
night had wrenched a hinge from it's
fastening. The sash had sagged at the
windward end. and the rest was easy
for rude Boreas.
'"That sash is probably somewhere
down In the back yard. sergeant"
Sumter quietly remarked to faithful
Kennedy. Its under fifteen feet Of
look after it, see that it isn't injured,
and call me as soon as you find it."
Mrs. Sumter knew the reason of his
instructions.
It must have been after II, for Or
DERBY call and mess had sounded in
front Of the adjutants office when one
Of the hospital attendants came f1oun-
dering up the row from Lanier's and
made his way to Sumters door, little
note in his hand. Mrs. Sumter an
swered the maids knock at the door
of Miss Hates room. into which the
damsels were now doubled To the
disappointment of that somewhat vola-
tile domestic Mrs. Sumter closed the
portal before proceeding to open the
missive. but her announcement, From
Mr.. Lanier." caused Miriam Arnold to
sit bolt upright. 1t read:
Dear Mrs Sumter-I've been living since
Saturday mainly on your kindness and
that delicious fruit. 1t was more than
good Of you to take such care of your in
generated sub. and I'm ashamed to have
sent no earlier thanks, but we've been
banked In until this morning. l reckon
they'll find the paymaster's outfit showed
under somewhere down toward Nebraska.
safe, but possibly starving. I'm all alone
with nothing to read. If you have any
thing moral, instructive and guaranteed
10 soIten the unrepentant sinners heart
don't send it. but tell me how you all
stood the storm. I hope Miss Arnold is
entirely recovered. Yours most sincerely,
r. r. LANIER.
The last thing man mentions in a
note is the first thing he wants an
swered.'' said Mrs. Sumter sagely.
What shall l tell him for you, Mir
lamp
Tell me what is to be done to him."
was the sole reply as the girl settled
back dejectedly upon the pillows
I've tried to. child" answered her
hostess kindly, patiently. There isn't
a court in the army that would SEN
tence him TO more than a brief confine-
ment to limits and reprimand" Yet
Mrs. Sumter spoke with much less
confidence than on Saturday Had not
her husband had 10 tell her his appli-
cation for leave was withdrawn. and