The Argosy, Vol. 90 No. 1 — page 113: what you’re looking at

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

THE OTHER TRENT. The captain started up from his chair in a rage. “Be careful you don’t go too far!” he snarled. “I’m trying to do you a good turn, and you don’t appreciate it. I want a definite answer from you, and then [ll know how to proceed.” “T think,” said Trent slowly, “that I had better get expert advice in the matter; then perhaps I can speak more intelli- gently.” “Expert advice?” “What do you mean?” “T will write to the adjutant-general,” Trent explained, “and ask him if an en- listed man can be removed from a company without specific charges being preferred against him.” Soames turned white. “You'll do nothing of the sort!” he roared. “It would be just like a piker of your sort to stir up a devil of an official mess over nothing at all! Stay in the com- pany if you’re so keen about it, but I warn you to watch out for trouble. I’ll land good and legitimate charges against you, my man, before I’m a month older—or I'll get out of the company myself!” “Ts that a _ pledge?” Trent calmly. Soames glared at him, too furious to re- ply, and strode out of the room. An instant later First Sergeant Rayson entered the room wearing his citizen’s clothes and a grin of unusual breadth. “ Hello, Trent!” he cried jovially. ‘‘ Say, you got the old man’s herd of goats! I was coming into the room when I heard a scrap going on, so I thought I’d better wait outside. Didn’t really mean to listen, but I heard the finish, and I nearly died! Do you know just how you got his goat, my boy?” “T don’t know what you’re driving at,” Trent answered. “Then I guess you did it innocently,” said Rayson. “ Well, sir, you hit a mighty tender spot when you spoke of writing to the adjutant-general. It happens that Cap’n Soames and the adjutant-general are about as fond of each other as the kaiser and the king of Belgium; and if the gen- eral could catch the cap’n in anything snapped Soames. asked 107 crooked, this company would have to get a new cap’n in about half an hour. “You'll have to watch out for him mighty sharp, Trent,” the sergeant went on seriously. ‘‘ He’ll stay awake nights try- ing to think of some way to get you. Look out that some trick isn’t put up on you when you’re on post. There are a few poor boobs like Corporal Perkins who trot around after him and do anything he wants ?em to. But you can depend on me and a lot of the fellers to stick up for you if there’s anything crooked done. I’ve no use for Cap’n Soames or any one like him, and I’m for you all the way, my boy, so long as you play straight.” Trent grasped the sergeant’s hand and shook it warmly. - “Then I think Tl stay in this regi- ment,’ he said heartily. “You bet you will!” agreed the ser- geant, “‘ and it'll take more than a crooked captain and a swell guy colonel to get you out.” A little later a soldier came to the room looking for Private Trent. “ There’s a man outside the armory ask- ing for you,” he said. ‘“ He can’t get in, but he wanted me to tell you that he had to see you right away on very special busi- ness.” Trent had suspicions of the identity of the visitor, but he decided to investigate, and he accompanied the messenger to the street outside. It was indeed Mr. Hallock who was so desirous of seeing him, and Mr. Hallock seemed unusually grave and a little more important. ‘Sorry to bother you again, Mr. Trent,” he said politely, ‘“‘ but something has come up that you ought to know about. If you'll kindly walk around the block a couple of times with me, I’ll explain.” “All right,” said Trent coldly, “ but if this is another one of your bluffs, Hallock, it will be the last time.” ‘You will see how much I trust you, Mr. Trent,” Hallock said in a mysterious whisper, ‘‘ when I tell you what is about to happen. It is really something very sad, and I am really quite depressed about it.” comicbool< CO