The bugles at Fort Leavenworth sounded Boots and Saddles for the marchon Brown and his guerrillas. The barracks were early astir with theexcitement. Stern work might be ahead. Outlaws who would dare violate aflag of truce, to take a United States Marshal and his posse wouldhave no more respect for cavalry. The men and officers were tired ofdisorder. They were eager for a stand up and knock down fight. Theyexpected it and they were ready for it.
Stuart\'s bride was crying. In spite of her young husband\'s gay banter,she persisted in being serious.
"There\'s no danger, honey girl!" he laughed.
She touched the big cavalry pistol in its holster, her lips stilltrembling.
"No--you\'re just galloping off on a picnic.""That\'s all it will be--""Then you can take me with you."Stuart\'s brow clouded.
"Well, no, not just that kind of a picnic.""There may be a nasty fight and you know it.""Nonsense.""It may, too.""Don\'t be silly, little bride," he pleaded. "You\'re a soldier\'s wifenow. The bullet hasn\'t been molded that\'s going to get me. I feel it. Iknow it."She threw her arms around his neck and held him in a long silence. Onlya sob broke the stillness. He let her cry. His arms merely tightenedtheir tender hold, as he caressed her fair head and kissed it.
"There, there, now. That\'s enough. It\'s hard, this first parting. It\'shard for me. You mustn\'t make it harder.""We\'ve just begun to live, dearest," she faltered. "I can\'t let you go.
I can\'t stand it for an hour and you\'ll be gone for days and days--"She paused and sobbed.
"Why did I marry a soldier-man?""You had to, honey. It was fate. God willed it."He spoke with deep reverence. She lifted her lips for his goodbye kiss.
He turned quickly to go and she caught him again and smothered him withkisses.
"I can\'t help it, darling man," she sobbed. "I didn\'t mean to make ithard for you--but--I\'ve an awful presentiment that I shall lose you--"Her voice died again in a pathetic whisper.
Stuart laughed softly and kissed the tears from her eyes.
"So has every soldier\'s wife, honey girl. The silly old presentiment isoverworked. It will pass bye and bye--when you see me coming home somany, many times to play that old banjo for you and sing our songs overagain."She shook her head and smiled.
"Go now--quick," she said, "before I break down again."He swung out the door, his sword clanking and his arm waving. Shewatched him from the window, crying. She saw him mount his horse with agraceful swing. His figure on horseback was superb. Horse and man seemedone.
He looked over his shoulder, saw her at the window and waved again. Sheran to her room, closed the door, took his picture to bed with her andcried herself to sleep.
The thing that had so worried her was that Colonel Sumner was takingMajor Sedgwick with him for conference and a single squadron of fiftymen under Stuart\'s command. The little bride had found out that he wasthe sole leader of the fifty fighting men and her quick wit had sensedthe danger of the possible extermination of such a force in a battlewith desperadoes. She was ashamed of her breakdown. But she knew her manwas brave and that he loved a fight. She would count the hours until hisreturn.
Brown rallied a hundred and fifty men when the squadron of cavalry wasordered to the rescue of Pate and his posse. He entrenched himself on anisland in Middle Ottawa Creek and from this stronghold raided and robbedthe stores within range of his guerrillas. On June 3rd, he successfullylooted the store of J. M. Bernard at Centropolis and secured manyvaluables, particularly clothing.
The raiding party was returning from the looted store as Stuart\'scavalry troop was approaching Brown\'s camp.
The cavalry arrived in the nick of time. A battle was imminent thatmight have ended in a massacre. Within striking distance of Brown\'sisland Colonel Sumner encountered General Whitfield, a Southern Memberof Congress, at the head of a squadron of avengers, two hundred andfifty strong, heavily armed and well mounted.
Sumner acted with quick decision. He confronted Whitfield and spoke witha quiet emphasis not to be mistaken:
"By order of the President of the United States and the Governor of theTerritory, I am here to disperse all armed bodies assembled withoutauthority.""May I see the order of the President, sir?" Whitfield asked.
"You may."The telegraphic order was handed to the leader. He read it in silenceand handed it back without a word.
Colonel Sumner cont............