Show lv vink will 1 k P I 1 0 11 0 the oll roll i of the aveille drums and a the trumpet s falsetto did not serve in the beul 1 to disturb the mo rose meditations of private patrick francis rip fie nan seventh united states cavalry mho aho was vias walking post at fort runyon mont in the gray of that christmas day morning in the year 1890 private patrick francis tiernan troop K until dav before yesterday a sergeant of twenty seven years standing was now walking post like the rookie in the fort runyon outfit reduce to the ranks by tie tle finding of a court martial tor for drunkenness and that court martial convened by the order of his colonel 4 4 W IN THE HOLLOW IN THE BANK HE SAW THREE FORMS and the colonel the man with whom tiernan had soldiered all through the years that the officer was rising step by step from the ranks ot of a subaltern ol 01 horse to that of the command of the crack cavalry regiment of the ser vice after the new guard had been mounted that morning private tier na nan made his way to bis his quarters and without a word to his fellows left the barracks and headed tor for the stables As he passed the door of the commis eary the colonel came out and met him face to face Tier tiernan nans s hand went to his cap in rigid salute good morning sargeant said colonel blake the old title slipped out naturally private tiernan sir now was the answer in a tone that implied it A PRIVATE PATRICK FRANCIS TIER NAN would be a pleasure to add thanks to you ae As you will tiernan where are you goinga I 1 m an old guard post I 1 ve walked post all night and I 1 in going to ride over to miles city sir air are you going to drink today ser geant the title again private sir I 1 don t know there s not many that care tiernan weve we ve soldiered in the same command for nearly thirty years yours was a growing fault A deep interest and a liking sometimes moves a man to do a disagreeable duty enough of this however I 1 want you to promise me that you wont won t drink today get out ot of the mud tiernan get out of the mud promise me you 11 not drink what a my word worth I 1 ill not an officer and a gentleman it does not alway always need a strap on the shoulder to make a gentleman tiernan I 1 ve known the chevron and the plain sleeve to do the trick as well promise me the answer came halt sulkily well if you want me to promise I 1 will then the trooper turned and strode away to the stables taking no notice of the hand which he knew instinctively was held out to grasp his at the stables he threw a saddle on to joe hooker and with a more vl vi clous cious dig from the spur than the horse had ever before felt from that heel set out at a charge pace across the prairie miles city came in sight tiernan rode past the scattered out lying shacks and reaching the heart of the place made straight tor for the bar of the jolly trooper he called for brandy filled the glass raised it and then as if mirrored in its contents be lie read the words I 1 ve known the chevron and the plain sleeve to do the trick as well tiernan put the liquor back on the bar paid tor for it and turn ed for the door then the thought of the gibes of the recruits came into his mind like a knife he turned to the bar again touched the glass dropped it and then said sharply give me a bottle of brands he ile took the flask task outside and put it in his saddle bag thus far he had kept the letter of his word tiernan headed joe hooker tor for the railroad station the wind was soughing along in a way which the expert encee trooper knew presaged a bliz zard at the station platform tiernan found the post ambulance the driver said that he had been sent over to meet colonel blake s sister mrs car ruthers her son and the colonel colonels s daughter miss molly blake they arrived said the driver in response to Tier tiernan nans s question on an ea earlier reler train than was expected and left tor for the post in an open wagon be tore fore I 1 arrived mrs carruther carruthers s son who came with her hired the team sala he knew the way and would drive the party ove ovet they ve had halt an hour the start and it if they keep to the new road they can make the post before this blizzard is strong enough to hart then them it a too lam all now tor for me to put back however we ter an rm going to stay here tiernan looked at the sky the clouds bad bani baril ed up thickly and tact snow was coming taster faster and taster blown by a constantly rising wind the last time young carruthers Carruther fl wae was at the post he thought the old road was in use he does not riot know ol 01 the short new one it if he takes tha th old trail round the bluff they re lost then be he thought ot of molly whom ten years ago in the tar far off apache coun 1 try he had taught to ride molly tor foi whom he lie had been bodyguard all through her childhood without a word to a soul he mounted and struck off into the very teeth ot of the storm don t tall fall me this day joe hooker he said the horse as if in answer galloped steadily forward the air seemed turned to ice yet the wind kept ever rising they came at last to tha parting ot of the old and the new roads tiernan slipped from his horse and at a part of the now disused trail sheltered slightly by an embanks ment he found the tresh fresh marks ot of a wheel carruthers had taken the old roundabout road the bit blizzard z zard wad was at its height tiernan blinded bu hia horse and bending low over the sad die dle kept him to bis his task with encouraging words for an hour they kept steadily on in the face ot of the tempest to any others than that plains tried soldier and steed the blizzard would have meant death he lie bad had hoped to overtake those whom he sought in ill time to take them back to the new path the hope was given over long since suddenly joe hooker stopped there was an obstruction on the trail tiernan slid from the saddle his limbs already stiffened with the cold and with one hand on his steed a bridle he led the way tor for a few f ew steps there he found an open carriage empty and with two horses overcome in the trail tiernan a 5 heart nearly tailed failed him he ile knew he was almost on t the he point where the trail rounded the bluff perhaps the carriage occupants bad had sought shelter under the lee ot of the embankment toward it he made bis his painful way A cry came faintly fa antly to his ear above the howling of the storm he ile stumbled on with his left hand still grasping tight ly joe hooker s bridle in another moment the steep embankment shut out some of the fury of the wind and the driving needa like snow ceas ed for a moment to blind his before him in a hollow ot of the bank he saw three forms two were pros the other was kneeling and the soldier realized that the white face of young carruthers was turned toward him while from the lips came the smothered cry sergeant tier tier nan tiernan stumbled forward and sank down beside the motionless figures halt half covered with snow save them came in anguished tones from the boy tiernan raised the nearest form and looked into the face of molly blake exposure bad had well nigh done its work then a thought flashed into his mind and with an action as quick as the thought he sprang to the side of bis his horse and thrust his hand into the saddle bag there was the bottle of brandy intact in a trice a quantity of the stimulant was forced between the lips of the storm s victims and signs of return ing consciousness were almost imme diate tiernan used his saddle blan ket and overcoat as a further krotec tion and soon succeeded in getting the three into a still more sheltered nook after long waiting the storm subsided i and then came the thump of hoof hoot falls A minute later a troop of caa airy alry led by colonel blake brol e round the edge of the bluff the colonel slipped from his horse and took his daughter into his arms the troopers started a fire and when its genial warmth had made itself felt the story was told in a few words sergeant tiernan said colonel blake that bottle of brandy saved three lives maybe returned tiernan but you may thank what you said this morn ing for there being a drop in it patrick francis tiernan retired first sergeant it troop seventh caa airy alry wears a massive gold watch in scribed on the inside of one case are these words from molly blake to sergeant ber geant tiernan non commissioned officer and gentleman within the back case sergeant tiernan had en graved these I 1 ve known the chev ron or the plain sleeve to do the trick as well christmas day 1890 |