TAPS
The parlour at Captain Oliver's was a homelike place: The black tarred
paper that covered its walls was fairly hidden from sight by selected
illustrations cut out of leading weeklies--these illustrations being
arranged with a nice eye to convenience, right side up, the small-sized
pictures low down, the larger ones higher. There was a fireplace which,
it being summertime, had a screening brown-paper skirt that fell to the
hearth. Above this, along the mantel, was another skirt, made of a
newspaper, short and pouty, and scissored at the lower edge into an
elaborate saw-tooth design. The mantel was further adorned by certain
assorted belongings in the way of a doll, a kite, an empty bank, a
racquet, books, and the like, all cast into their various positions by
the seven small Olivers. On either side of the fireplace were
bracket-lamps. Across the room was the inevitable army cot, spread with
wolf skins. There were chairs--two of them--wrought from sugar barrels.
There was a table, quite as ingeniously formed. And, completing the
whole, the long curtains over the windows--curtains magnificently
flowered, and made from a dress-pattern gift (the captain's) that Mrs.
Oliver, ever a woman of resource, had artfully diverted to another
purpose.
To-night, the parlour was more homelike than usual--and festive. For a
family party filled it. Here was the hostess, carrying a huge iced
cake, and taking account of the seven's behaviour; the seven themselves,
eager, though somewhat repressed, and doing full justice to their
portions; their father, thankful, as he passed the coffee, that so much
good had come out of some misfortune; Frank Jamieson, mother and sister
on either arm; Marylyn Lancaster, looking dimpled consciousness; close
upon her every move, a certain young lieutenant, who cast longing
glances toward the half-lighted gallery; the surgeon, ungratefully
relegated to a corner, but solacing himself in his cup; David Bond, his
wrinkled old face a benediction; and, lastly, Dallas and John.
Lounsbury was his former self, save for the plaster-strips that had
supplanted the bandages. Everywhere at once he put the grip of two men
into his well arm, smiling upon all like the very genius of happiness.
And Dallas--Mrs. Oliver had offered to sew her a plain white dress for
the occasion. But she had chosen--since her John must of necessity come
in his wonted attire--to appear in the simple frock she had worn the
night they met in the swale. Above it, her hair was braided and coiled
upon her head like a crown. Her cheeks were a glowing red. Her eyes
shone.
All was bedlam: Tongues clattered; cups rattled; laughter rose and fell;
the seven, having no chairs, sat in a line under the leadership of
Felicia and kicked their heels on the floor.
Then--interrupting--a knock, loud, peremptory.
The company stilled. Jamieson opened.
There stood a jolly figure--the sutler's--apple-round head and all.
"Well, Blakely?" asked the captain.
Blakely hung his weight on a foot and, coughing behind his plump hand,
bobbed his answer: "Steam's up, sir."
Lounsbury had the centre of the floor. He kept it, reaching out to bring
Dallas beside him. They stood while the others crowded up to give them
well wishes and to tell them good-night.
Last of all came David Bond. "My daughter, my son," he said, "God bless
you!"
Lounsbury slipped Dallas' hand into his arm. Then the door opened for
them, and they went out--together.
* * * * *
"John is a good man," said the evangelist, "and will make a good
husband," He was seated with Fraser on the gallery, watching a light in
midstream dance its way through the dark.
Fraser sighed happily. "She's a dear girl," he murmured, looking back to
where the lamp was moving about in Oliver's spare room. "She'd make a
wife for a prince."
Presently he roused himself with another sigh. "You ought to see the way
we fixed up the shack," he said. "White kick-up curtains on the
windows--that was Mrs. Oliver's idea; rose-berries all over the
mantel--Marylyn did that; I stuffed the fireplace full of sumach; then,
Michael sprinkled and swept out, and we covered the floor with Navajo
blankets."
"Little place looked cosey."
"Cosey as could be."
A little while, and Fraser sprang up. "They're there!" he cried. "See?
see? They're home!"
Far away on the bend, the eyes of the shack were bright.
"And you, Mr. Fraser?" asked the evangelist.
"Marylyn and I will wait for the Colonel. Won't be long, now. Shall you
be here?"
"I think not. The Indians go to Standing Rock next week. I go with
them."
"Poor Charley!" said Fraser, huskily. "He won't go, poor old chap!"
"Hardly poor, Mr. Fraser." There was a triumphant ring in David Bond's
voice. "Few men gain as much as he by death."
"I know. Even the Captain's proud of him now."
They fell silent.
Now from the tent rows that replaced the barracks, rang out the trumpet,
sounding the day's last call. The two turned their heads to listen.
The call ended. The faint, wavering notes of the echo died away upon
river and bluff.
They turned back to the shack again--and saw its light go flickering
out.
THE END
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| Transcriber's Note: |
| |
| Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the |
| original document have been preserved. |
| |
| Typographical errors corrected in the text: |
| |
| Page 24 disappeareed changed to disappeared |
| Page 59 work changed to word |
| Page 80 Mehach changed to Meshach |
| Page 130 resistence changed to resistance |
| Page 136 removed extra word "is" |
| Page 315 Bix changed to Big |
| Page 345 branish changed to brandish |
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