The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1910-10-06

night, anu III the space VI
less than one hour all Fort
Gushing had been stirred by the news.
A most popular and prominent young
officer had been placed in close arrest.
A prominent. if not most popular,
sergeant had been pummeled. An
alarming scene of some kind had oc-
Cured at the quarters of Captain sum
ter Mrs. Sumter had hurried away
the minute she learned that her nus
band had gone The colonel, sternly
silent. led his wife to their door and
there left her. saying he had summon
ed certain officers to join him at once,
and she. who ruled him in all matters
domestic almost as she managed the
children. knew we'll that when reused
he would brook no interference in mat
tiers professional, and Bob Lan1er,
prime favorite Of hers, had in some
way managed to fall under the ban
Of his extreme displeasure.
At the office We're presently assem-
bled the colonel, the aadjutant. the
quartermaster, the post surgeon, and
to them came Paymaster Scott. At
the 'store" were gathered half the
commissioned officers. At Sumter's
there kept coming and going a success
sion of sympathetic callers, who left
even more mystified than when they
arrived. Miriam had had fright in
the dark on their return home and
screamed. No. Sumter thought Mrs.
Sumter would need no help, yet he
was so much obliged to the several
who asked if they couldn't do some
thing"
Another house was virtually closed
to question. To the disappointment of
many and the disapprobation of few,
Bob Lanier had closeted himself with
his classmate and most intimate
friend, Dad Ennis; then, after brief
colloquy with Barker, the adjutant
had caused a big card to be tackled
on his door wherein was crayoned in
bold black letters BUSY" But at
| quarter past II the assistant sur
geon, DR.. Schuchardt, called, as was
known, for the second time and en-
| tered without ceremony. When the
| officer of the day came tramping along
the board walk at 1870 and turned in
| at the gate he struck the panel with
| the hilt of his saber. Ennis came to
the door, but came with gloomy brow.
81 am ordered by Colonel Button to
ask certain questions of Lieutenant
Lanier," said the official.
"How's that, doc?" called Ennis
over his massive shoulder. 'Can your
| patient see the officer of the day."
mot yet, with my consent" came
| the stout answer.
"Shout your questions, captain y
sang out the patient, with much too
little humility of manner, yet Lanier
knew Curbit well and knew his mis-.
sion to be unwelcome.
us Trooper Rawdon in hiding any
where about your quarters?'
"He is not, if know it,
"Have you seen him-tonight?
! An instant's pause then, 81 don't
| know whether 1 have or not"
"You don't knOw?" exclaimed Curbit
81 don't know" repeated Lanier.
Suppose the colonel tells me to ex
plain that" began Curbit, but DIR
| Schuchardt set his foot down summari
| ly.
Here" said he, "this things got to
stop. Lanier's in highly nervous and
excited state. He doesn't know whom
! he has seen since he got home in ar
rest
"Well, the old man wants to see that
young Rawdon forthwith, for many
people believe he's skipped"
you can track anything but ghost
in this new fallen snow"
| Curbit lowered his voice. That's eX
actly the trouble, doctor. Go to the
back of the quarters and see for your
self. His trail starts and ends here"
In all its history Fort Gushing had
never known such day of bewilder
ment as that which followed Guarc
mounting was held as usual at 8 a. m.
and Colonel Button, awaiting in his
Office the coming of the old and the
new officers of the day, directed his ad
jutant to drop his own work at theil
entrance and give attention to what
took place.
All eyes were on the two burly cap
tains who entered at $50, fur capped
fur gloved, in huge overcoats and arc
tics. The wind had begun to whine
and stir.
blizzard coming" said Scott as hi
| glanced at the sullen skies.
81 report as old officer of the day
| SIR said Curbit, with brief salute
rendering the guard report book
The colonel went straight to bust
ness.
mo sign of Trooper Rawdon?"
'No, SIR
Ellis horse and kit all right?"
GAIL right, SIR
"Police notified to watch all trains
and stages?"
/ Eyes, SIR
There was impressive silence in the
Office.
Eight men had gone with Sergean
Stowell as escort to the paymastel
when. nearly four weeks earlier, hi
had set forth on his trip. Then the lit
tie iron safe was full of money. Sever
| mon had coma hack with him when