The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-03-14
What have you.


my man."
Compliments OF Colonel Maitland.
chief of staff, sir" he said, handing
me folded paper
Dear Wayne" the private note
read. Believing you would be glad
to have the detail have Just ar
ranged TO send you at once upon some
active service. Please report at these
quarters Immediately. fully equipped
for the field"
Glad! 1t was the very medicine |
most needed. and within twenty min
utes of my receipt OF this communi.
cation | was with Maitland, thanking
him warmly for his thoughfulness
Not another word, Wayne" he In
sisted. 1T Is not much, a mere scout.
ing detail over neutral territory, and
will prove duh enough. | only hope 1t
may help to divert your mind a trite
Now llsten-you are to proceed with
twenty mounted men of the escort
west as far as the foot and are
expected to note carefully three
things: First, the condition OF for.
age for the sustenance OF wagon
train second, what forces OF FEEDER
al troops, If any, are along the Honey
well; and third. the gathering OF all In.
formation obtainable as 10 the report.
ed consolidation Of gucrillas for pur.
poses OF plunder between the lines. II
time suffice, you might cross over into
the valley Of the Cowskin and learn
the condition of forage there as we'll
A guide will accompany your party.
and you are to avoid contact with the
enemy as far as possible. Your men
carry five days rations. You under.
stand fully?"
Il do. sir; | presume | am to start
nj once"
Your squad. under command OF
Sergeant Ebers. is already waiting OFT.
side"
Are you all ready. sergeant
asked OF the rather heavyweight Ger.
man who stood fronting me. his broad.
red face as impressive as though carved
from stone
We vos. captain"
where Is the guide"
Dot is him, NIT der mule. Amt ~"
he answered. pointing with one huge
hand down the road
Very we'll we will pick him up
then as we go"
cared so little as 10 whether or not
he accompanied us at all, that we had
advanced some distance before the
thought OF him again occurred to me.
knew the gentry fairly well and had
experienced In the past so many evil
dences OF their stupidity. If not actual
disloyalty, as to prefer my own knowl-
edge OF the country to theirs. My
thought. indeed, for several miles was
not at all with the little party of
troopers jogging steadily at my heels,
nor in truth. was It greatly concerned
with the fate Of the expedition. That
was but service routine. and rode
forward carelessly enough. never
dreaming that every hour OF progress
was bearing me toward the most i'm.
portant adventure OF my life. It was
the German sergeant who recalled me
to the responsibilities of command
Captain" he exclaimed apologet
ically, riding up to my side and wlpinP
his round, psrspiring face with great
energy, we are riding too hard amt
We? Mein Gott. but der horses will
give Oft entirely, already"
rs that so?" ! asked in surprise at
his words. A single swift glance
around convinced me he was correct, /
for the mounts we're exceedingly soft.
and already looked nearly played out /
from our sharp pace. Very we'll.
we will halt here"
With a sigh of relief he drew back, /
and as he did so my eyes fell for tho .
first time upon the guide. As live, /
It was Jed Bungay. and when | stared
at him in sudden amazement he broke
into n broad grin.
"Durn II didn't begin ter think as
how ye'd gone an car forgot me.
Cap"
Not a bit OF It. Jed" and rode up
to him and extended my hand But
how came you here? Are you the
gude?"
Sure thing. cap; know this yere
ktntry like n bulk. faded horsemen
from the west, at evening to the castle
pressed By gum. you put Beelzebub
an me through blamed hard Jolt OF
It so fur"
"Beelzebub?"
"Ye bet, Their mule; | reckon as how
ye aln't gone an forgot him, hev ye?"
"Bungay, what has become OF Ma
ria?"
The little mans eyes suddenly filled
with tears.
Il jist don't know. cap" he answered
"Whin | got hum Their
d. cabin he'd bin plum burnt down.
nary stick o. II left. by gum an Ma.
lar she wuz clean gone. Hain't seed
neither hide ner hair o. her since
het's fac. An sorter drifted back
er you uns cause didn't hev nowhar
Else ter 60"
did you hunt for her among the old
plantations along the Valley" asked,
L. I