gloriously in the rush on the rebel works. Man after man of the woolly
Westerners had been referred to by name while, but the Dudes had nothing
to show but their wounded colonel's modest report that "where every
officer and man appeared to do his whole duty it would be unjust to make
especial mention of even a limited few." The Dudes were getting hot over
the taunts of the "Toughs," as some one had misnamed their neighbors; and
one night when there was more or less interchange of pointed chaff in
lieu of fight with a common foe, there was heard a shrill voice from the
flank of the rifle pit nearest the Westerners, and what it said was
repeated in wonderment over the brigade before the Dudes were another day
older.

"Well, dash your thievin' gang! We made our record for ourselves anyhow.
We didn't have to rely on any dashed deserters from the regulars--as you
did."

And that was why Sergeant Sterne, of the Dudes, was sent for by the field
officers of both regiments the following morning and bidden to explain,
which he did in few words. He was ready to swear that the wounded
Corporal Norton was the very same young man he saw in the adjutant's
office of the --teenth Regulars at Camp Merritt, and was then called
Morton. And that evening the veteran sergeant major of the --teenth was
bidden to report at the reserve hospital in Ermita, close to the Malate
line, was conducted to the bedside of a pallid young soldier whose ticket
bore the name of Norton, and was asked to tell whether he had ever seen
him before.

"I have, sir," said the veteran, sadly and gravely. "He is a deserter
from the --teenth. His name on our rolls was Morton." And that night
Colonel Armstrong cabled to "Primate," New York, the single word "Found."
Nor was it likely the lad would soon be lost again, for a sentry with
fixed bayonet stood within ten feet of his bed with orders not to let him
out of his sight a second.

Mrs. Garrison appeared at the hospital that very evening and heard of the
episode, and reached Billy Gray's bedside looking harassed, even haggard.
During the past three days she had been accorded admission, for Gray was
so much improved there was no reason to longer forbid; but on each
occasion the wounded volunteer officer and the brace of attendants
present had precluded all possibility of confidential talk. She must bide
her time. Gray would be up in a few days, said the doctor; and then
nothing would do, said Mrs. Garrison, but he