The Owosso times., 1910-10-28


thought. queried Casey Of + troop.
"And did he give you yer new cap.
too. Quinlan? Sure the wan you
marched on wild had the mahge.
Cassidy snatched 1t from his COM
rade's head. Mother av Moses. If
he hasn't lifted the lieutenant's''- But
he broke of short. One glance he had
given the band within. There was an
instant Of indecision. then he whipped
his own cap from his head and thrust
it on Quinlan.
I'm a liar" he said. Its me own
he's had"
"Then you wear two sizes. Jim Cas-
sidy. an both different" Quinlan had
pulled the headpiece down and was
staring in at the soft lining. whats
thisT he began. when the corporal's
fingers closed like a wise on his arm.
"Shut up. Quinlan! The whisky's
gone to yer noddle. Come herew And
Cassidy led him. wondering. to the
barred corridor without and slammed
the door behind them. "Not word do
you whisper Of this to any man, Pat
Quinlan." said he. never relaxing his
grasp.
God helps those who help them
selves" quoth Lieutenant Blake on
hearing of the incident at Lanier's
quarters. but God help those who help
other fellows. unless the old man likes
it." Blake was but a casual at Fort
Gushing at the moment. summoned
thither as witness before a general
court martial then in session. but there
was nothing casual in his friendship
for Bob Lanier. Two years campaign
ing in Arizona and one in Wyoming
had made these subalterns fast friends.
Blake was no pet of the post COM
mander. Blake had way of saying
satirical things of seniors whom he did
not fancy. and Button was one of
these.
About the only officer not to put in
an appearance in the club room at the
store the next morning. out Of doora
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 Ill time
1ocularity. 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
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.
Snaffle, of course, was the fellow at
fault, and he justified 1t 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 men,
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 d N.oncerning Mir
lam when the summons came that
called the captain forth to join the
searching squadron. but he had heard
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
per force to the front-to Kath-
Saturday night. for to-
ward sunset the storm sash was torn
out Of the north dormer, and the win
dow blew in with a 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 hinge from its
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
"It's under fifteen feet Of
snow. but when It comes to tunneling
look after 1t. see that 1t isn't injured,
and call me as soon as you find It."
Mrs. Sumter knew the reason Of his
1t must have been after II. for or
derly call and mess had sounded in
front Of the adjutants Office when one
Of the hospital attendants came floun-
1ering up the row from Lanier's and