THE ANONYMOUS LETTER
IT was a four days' wonder, and then it dropped.
The search at barracks had revealed nothing. There was not a soldier on
the post against whom any tangible suspicion pointed.
"There's just one way that a clue might be found," muttered Private Bill
Hooper, one morning in Sergeant Hupner's squad room. "In time it may
turn out that a sweetheart of some soldier gets some pretty jewelry
trinkets given to her."
He glared covertly, though meaningly, at Hal Overton.
But Hal was far enough away neither to see nor to hear Hooper's fling.
"You'll never get caught on that trick, Bill," jeered Private Hyman. "No
girl would look at you, even if you displayed the whole of the missing
jewelry."
"I've had my share of sweethearts in my day," growled big Private
Hooper.
"That was before your face changed for worse," grinned Hyman.
"Don't get gay with me," warned Hooper sulkily, "or your face may
suffer some changes!"
"Go over and thump the kid," proposed Hyman.
It was Hal who was meant by the term "kid."
"I don't like that youngster," muttered Hooper. "And I don't trust him,
either."
"That'll never worry Hal Overton," smiled Hyman. "Hooper, you look so
untidy that it's a wonder Sergeant Hupner doesn't 'call' you oftener for
it. And you clean up your rifle about once a fortnight. Look at Overton
over there."
Hal was at work with his kit of cleaning tools, going over his rifle as
methodically and industriously as though it were a piece of rare silver
plate.
"He'll rub and polish that old piece of his until he wears it out,"
mumbled Hooper.
"One of the surest signs of the good soldier is when you see him putting
in a lot of his spare time caring for his uniforms and equipments,"
broke in Sergeant Hupner, behind them. "Hooper, go and brush your
uniform, and clean your boots and polish 'em. I'll report you, if I see
you so slouchy in the future."
Bill Hooper moved away, scowling.
Sergeant Gray strode in at that moment.
"Do you want leave to go to town to-day, reporting back at tattoo,
Hyman?" inquired the first sergeant.
"Thank you, yes, Sergeant."
"All right; I'll turn you in on the list to Captain Cortland. I'll
notify you of leave within half an hour."
Then he stepped over to Hal.
"Overton, you haven't had any leave to visit town since you joined.
Would you like to take leave to-day?"
"No, Sergeant, thank you."
Sergeant Gray looked his surprise.
"Why not?" he demanded.
"I have too much to learn right here, Sergeant. I'm going to stick, and
work, until I'm out of the recruit class."
"Good boy!" murmured Gray, in an undertone, and passed on. But Gray
stopped when he came up with Hupner.
"Hupner, you've got a valuable man in Overton."
"I know it, Sergeant."
"Give him all the little points you can that will take him out of the
recruit class promptly."
"Why, Sergeant," smiled Hupner, "Overton can go out of the recruit class
at about any time now. Report him for the guard detail any time that you
want. He'll make good. He's keen on every bit of his work. He can go
through his manual of arms like a juggler. He has studied his infantry
drill regulations until he's about worn the book out; he knows his
manual of guard duty by heart, and it would be mighty hard to trip him
anywhere in his small arms firing manual. Have you noticed his facings
and his marching at drill?"
"Yes," nodded Sergeant Gray thoughtfully. "The boy's a good one, all
right."
"Take it from me, Sergeant--you needn't hesitate to detail the kid for
guard or any other duty. He'll suit Captain Cortland."
"I'll detail him for guard, then, as soon as I can," returned Sergeant
Gray. "That gives a young soldier confidence as soon as anything else
ever does."
As often as is practicable enlisted men are given a day's leave, with
permission to go off post and visit the nearest town. This leave is
given to men known to be of good conduct. A "bad" soldier, when one is
found, gets little in the way of leave.
Whenever a soldier or an ex-soldier is found slandering the Army service
it is invariably safe to set him down as a man who, through very poor
soldierly qualities, or actual viciousness, got "in the bad books" of
his officers. There is every desire on the part of regimental and
company officers to make it pleasant for a truly good soldier, and to
keep him in the service until he has reached retiring age.
The man who gets into bad company when away on leave is the soldier who
has the most difficulty in getting leave another time.
On the other hand, the soldier of good conduct can have much leave
during the month. It is a practice at many posts, when a man has a
trade, and can get small jobs to do near the post, to allow him as many
half days for that work as may be granted him without injury to the
service. In this way handy men or mechanics among the soldiers often add
many dollars to their pocket money.
As Private Bill Hooper went away to clean up his uniform and shoes, Hal
blithely kept at work putting his rifle in A 1 order.
Both were interrupted, half an hour later, by the bugle call for
separate company drill.
Private Overton was among the first on the drill ground. His clothing
looked as though it had just come from the tailor's; his rifle had the
appearance of being fresh from the arsenal.
"There's a man for you, Hyman," spoke Sergeant Hupner, in an undertone.
"If the kid keeps on as he has started he'll be a winner."
"I've had my eye on him," nodded Private Hyman. "He seems to be good all
the way through."
"Is he ever a little bit fresh in the squad room?" continued Sergeant
Hupner.
"If the kid is," replied Hyman, "I've never happened to be around at
that time. But he stands up for himself when he has to. I suppose you've
heard, Sergeant, how he trimmed Bill Hooper off?"
"Yes," nodded Hupner; "that sort of thing won't hurt Hooper at all,
either."
"Hooper may lay for a chance to accuse Overton of something in the squad
room that the kid didn't do."
"I'll have my eyes open for Hooper," replied Hupner dryly. "I haven't
anything against any of the other sergeants in this battalion, but I
really wish some other sergeant had Hooper in his squad room."
"B Company fall in," sounded the voice of Captain Cortland.
First Lieutenant Hampton and the sergeants hastened to their posts,
while the corporals and privates went to their places in the ranks.
The command for open order was given, after which Captain Cortland
commanded:
"Inspect the second platoon, Lieutenant Hampton."
With that the company commander himself passed behind the backs of the
men of the first platoon, looking each man over keenly.
"Private Hooper, fall out!" ordered Captain Cortland sharply.
When the captain had finished his own work, and Lieutenant Hampton had
reported all men in the second platoon to be soldierly in appearance,
Captain Cortland turned to Bill Hooper with a look of disapproval.
"Private Hooper, this is the third time within a month that you've
failed to report in neat and soldierly appearance. Who is in charge of
your squad room?"
"Sergeant Hupner, sir."
"Sergeant Hupner," resumed the captain, "what have you to say to this
man's appearance?"
"I ordered him, at least a half an hour ago, sir, to clean himself up."
"Keep right after Private Hooper, Sergeant. If he fails again to keep
himself as a soldier should, report him to the first sergeant."
Hooper's face burned darkly. Even honest Sergeant Hupner flushed. A
shiftless soldier is a sore trial to the sergeant responsible for him.
Now, at the brisk command, B Company moved off in column of fours. A
long practice march followed. While out, the company was halted and
drilled searchingly. It was a hard morning's work, B Company returning
just in time for dinner. In the afternoon there was another drill.
Parade wound up the day.
On his return from parade Lieutenant Wright, the adjutant, found in his
office mail a letter that caused him a good deal of astonishment.
"Watch Private Overton, B. Company, if you want to
find a man who knows a lot about the robbery the
other night. He has been acting suspiciously, and
I have it from a man in his squad room that
Overton sometimes talks in his sleep in a way to
show that either he was one of the robbers, or
else that he knows who they are.
"A FRIEND."