In Barracks and Wigwam — page 81: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

em 2 nS ‘T'm not going to think of the bitter past any more than triumph among his old friends. we 4 “as J iy . , + I can help. It’s queer how the old passion for a soldier’s life wakened up when I met that young officer. I thought it was dead years ago, but it was there all the time.” Could Lieutenant Dimsdale have known what was pass- ing in the supposed Mr. Osborne’s mind he would prob- ably have been made very uncomfortable, and he would certainly have regretted his conversation of the previous “oft to “the Opoatier - . : 71 night. He had spoken sincerely, it is true, but without the slightest idea that his listener would take the advice to himself. Therefore he had painted a new recruit’s career in-glowing colors—as was his duty as an officer of the United States Army—but purposely omitting the darker and doubtful side of the story. As a personal assurance of winning his way upward from the ranks, and would likely have given him some wholesome and. un- palatable advice in addition. But Linn did not know this. He accepted the young officer's statements in perfect trust, drinking them in eagerly and taking from them much guidance and en- friend, he would have told Linn not to enlist with any — couragement for his own career. Indeed, he had re- solved to be a soldier eve: before that conversation was half over, and to this he still held fast. He thought calmly and confidently of the prospect as = the fast express train whirled him on through the rugged mountains and pastoral scenery of Pennsylvania. He ~ had only kindly feelings for his father, and he no longer felt the same bitterness toward Bruce or fierce hatred of Steve Halsey. At the end of three or five years, he told himself, he would go home on a visit with an officer’s uniform and sword—go home to find his innocence - proved, and to enjoy a complete vindication anda thrilling ge Comicbooks.co Ms