WARING'S PERIL.
BY
CAPT. CHARLES KING,
U. S. ARMY,
AUTHOR OF "THE COLONEL'S DAUGHTER," "FOES IN AMBUSH," "AN ARMYPORTIA," "TWO SOLDIERS," "A SOLDIER'S SECRET," ETC.
PHILADELPHIA:
J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY.
1894.
Copyright, 1893,
by
J. B. Lippincott Company.
Printed by J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia.
CONTENTS
WARING'S PERIL.
CHAPTER I.
"Ananias!"
"Ye-as, suh?"
"What time is it?"
"Gyahd-mountin' done gone, suh."
"The devil it has! What do you mean, sir, by allowing me to sleep on inthis shameless and unconscionable manner, when an indulgent governmentis suffering for my services? What sort of day is it, sir?"
"Beautiful day, Mr. Waring."
"Then go at once to Mr. Larkin and tell him he can't wear his new silkhat this morning,—I want it, and you fetch it. Don't allow him to ringin the old one on you. Tell him I mean the new 'spring style' he justbrought from New York. Tell Mr. Ferry I want that new Hatfield suit ofhis, and you get Mr. Pierce's silk umbrella; then come back here andget[Pg 4] my bath and my coffee. Stop there, Ananias! Give my pious regardsto the commanding officer, sir, and tell him that there's no drill for'X' Battery this morning, as I'm to breakfast at Moreau's at eleveno'clock and go to the matinée afterwards."
"Beg pahdon, suh, but de cunnle's done ohdered review fo' de wholecommand, suh, right at nine o'clock."
"So much the better. Then Captain Cram must stay, and won't need hisswell team. Go right down to the stable and tell Jeffers I'll drive atnine-thirty."
"But——"
"No buts, you incorrigible rascal! I don't pay you a princely salary toraise obstacles. I don't pay you at all, sir, except at rare intervalsand in moments of mental decrepitude. Go at once! Allez! Chassez!Skoot!"
"But, lieutenant," says Ananias, his black face shining, his even whiteteeth all agleam, "Captain Cram stopped in on de way back from stablesto say Glenco 'd sprained his foot and you was to ride de bay colt.Please get up, suh. Boots and Saddles 'll soun' in ten minutes."
"It won't, but if it does I'll brain the bugler. Tell him so. TellCaptain Cram he's entirely mistaken: I won't ride the bay colt—norGlenco. I'm going driving, sir, wi