Show 17 d Ou I I Poor old Jim Man after man in the ranks of the three cavalry cavalry companies at Fort Con Con- chu used the words as he glanced toward toward to to- ward a tro trooper per sitting alone alon on the sunny side side- of the mess mess house house gazing away over the undulating country toward toward toward to to- ward the Pecos Hills Private James Bligh always BlIgh-always always called Jim except on the the rolls muster rolls muster had Uncle Sam for forty long years No other man c could uld show such a record He I had enlisted at the tho age of 22 a an ant anthis his service had continued without a break Forty years most of that time spent in the frontier forts had brought stirring adventures adventures' and honorable scars scars- to the cavalryman He had little littleto to say of himself but but the written records records records rec rec- of his regiment had done him full Justice But the day had come at last when i It was Poor old Jim I Private Bligh had become M isn old man He had not noticed it it- it itts it ts comrades comrade had bad hadnot hadnot not seen the signs signs his his officers hadnot had hadnot hadnot not whispered it to each other It was only when a a new colonel colon l came to the post and set about sprucing pru ing up the regiment that the word ward went ro round nd Jim was as to be retired as its too old for active service In such cases the the- government provides Q a monthly stipend stipend about about enough y for ones one's bread and butter and butter tt but it was as felt by 9 I J I Poor old Jim J I nil all the men men that it was lihs lih's s sa a faithful l old horse harse out to bourne the victim of wolves There hits ws an examining ex ex- r board w with U a report from the regimental surgeon find and nd it fl wee VMS settled that Jim should be muster d o out of service I It may be he e that I. I I I. I have e D an n l I J old milD man man he said to Sergt Dalton as the latter tried to cheer him up but butI I hadn't realized it No one has ha's seen me shirk my duties on account of my years I haven't attended sick call in two years yeah When we were were out after the Utes last fall didn't I take the hardships with the best of them Aye comrade you did If It you didn't t know your ag age to a day Id I'd deny that you was over Its no use serg sergeant serg ant Im I'm 62 right enough and its it's time I was turned adrift I did think k t to die in the service but they wont won't Jet let me The papers had gone to Washington for final action and while Private Bligh waited for his discharge he was was excused from duty It thus came about that he rode over toward the Pecos Hills one day by himself in search of ot mineral specimens for the regimental museum There was was' peace in the land peace land peace to 1 le Ie e broken by the Indians at a moments moment's notice notice and he went armed An hour after his departure de de- the colonels colonel's daughter escorted escorted es es- by Graham took the same route for a morning gallop They rod rode straight awa away for te ten miles and they passed without seeing hint him although h he saw saw saw them as s he prospected among the rocks s. s He He- had se secured ur d half halt a d dozes dozen zel specimens ns when he gave up the work worl worland and sat downIn downin down downIn In t the e sunshine with his chin in Ill his his hands bands to ponder Th The bitterness could not pass pass from his his' h heart art Old men were useless in the army especially Uy op oJ the fron frontier ler taut but Jl t t to be forced d out out ut after after forty years' years sen service ice seemed rank injustice Why ha hadn't they waited they waited a abit a abit bit bit longer The restless treacherous Utes would revolt again in a little while and his command wOuld v would fluid be called call called ed out asa as' a dozen times before That would give him a chance to die dle a soldiers soldier's death a death a last chance An hour passed away vay as Private Bligh sat thinking and nd of a sudden he was aroused from his reverie leverie by the reports of of rifles and whoops of ex exultation ex- ex x from the north No need for him to stand and listen The shots and yells came from the Utes and ana they would not be sh shooting and Yelling yellIn I unes' unes unless on on the war path Th The lieutenant lieutenant lieuten lieutenant ant and the colonels colonel's daughter had ridden to the north and perhaps into a an ambush Fifteen seconds after the first so sounds Sounds reached reached his ears ears' Private Private Jim was in the sad saddle le and ami nf ns as he rode i h ha he his carbine and loosened his revolver In Us its holster holster- There There came ame into his eyes the gleam gleam of battle batte into his soul a thirst todo or die I There was 3 a ahot hot Caller cr cr a 11 mile and then Private Jim round tho the officer or r. r 0 11 t 0 V ana Ma the girl cr crouched ched behind a mas mass massof of rock and a war war party of fifty Utes I t- t preparing to rush ruh them Both horses had been shot down and the officer wounded in tl the e first volley and the trooper had only come up when the the lieutenant was hit again and fell in a heap Pr Private vate Up with you girl shouted Jim as he bent toward toward the the white laced faced girl who huddled against the rocks e eThe The lieutenant is dead and Its It's one chance in a thousand that we get out of this Give me your h hand nd He lifted her up and swung her her heron on onto on onto r to the saddle in front of ot him and the the bullets bullets- were cutting the air all all about about them as they d dashed shed away In two minutes they were out of range but another peril conf confronted them A dozen Utes had mounted and taken a short cut and Private Jim looked ahead to find them drawn up across the stage road running between n high banks f M Missy listen to me me he sale to the girl he held in his arms arms Im an old man Im I'm to be mustered out ut because Im I'm no good any more Im I'm going to charge those redskins s full tilt We may die together If It they kill you and I am am spared I shall carry your dead body home If they kill me me and f you are spared hang to th the saddle and 0 the horse will take you safe in Just shut your jour eyes and hang bang on We Ve are right upon them now now now- whoop whoop- hurr hurrah t The Indian n were massed and the Indians were firing at the horse thundering down but ut their bullets missed and he struck the lighter horses to whirl whirl them around or send them rolling It was a a. smash smash crash crash yell whoop yell whoop and and horse and rides rIdel were through A volley followed them themas as they continued their flight and and j Private Jim r reeled in the h saddle and groaned A minute later he said 1 Missy listen again Ive I've got my death wound Im Ini mustered o out t of of service and its it's the way I hoped and and'S S 'S Sprayed 17 prayed for I Ive I've e lived like a soldier Y- Y z R RII II J r w It was wasa a yell crash ors and wanted to dio die like one Ill I'll in inbe bout b be bout out of the saddle sadell in a minute more hang tight and you'll be taken take s safe fe in R Remember Remember Remember-remember member re remember to to hang tight tight and and I had got got to old for or the service service and and Im I'm mustered out out out- mus mustered ered out out out- And the in men men n wh who rode out after the girl had laC raced laced in in- in inand and and found the body cody with two bullet holes in the the back and anda a grim smile on the face with Its wrinkles of age remo ei their hats and whispered to one another Poor Jim Poor old Jim Jim JimJames James Norfleet In New York Press |