acksetting
him led them on. Shapes and shadows were growing in their minds also.

Twenty-seven hours after the appeal was sent to Division Headquarters a
signal corps private walked into "B" Troop's barracks and asked for
Sergeant Jeremiah Wilson. When the latter was pointed out, the man
handed him the familiar yellow envelope, with the crossed signal flags
on the cover, and the burning torch. An instant quiet fell in the room,
as Jeremiah received the crackling paper. He took it deliberately, and
with trembling fingers fumbled for his glasses. Deliberately he put them
on, and deliberately abstracted the message from the envelope, while the
silent troopers watched him with fascinated gaze. He unfolded the paper
and stared at it, then, taking off his glasses, wiped them and stared
again; but it was no use, the mist dimmed the lenses.

"Heah, Potter, you read hit," he said finally with unsteady voice. "De
light's too bad. Ah can't see."

Sergeant Potter took the telegram and spelled it out slowly:

MANILA, P. I., OCT. 2, 1900.
5.30 P.M.

SERGEANT J. WILSON,
TR, "B," 19TH CAV.

(Thro the Commanding Officer Guinibongbong, P. I.)

The Division Commander will take no action nor grant any delay
in case of Private B. Wilson, Nineteenth Cavalry. Has no
objection to laying of case before President provided cable is
without expense to government. Upon receipt of cable through
this office indicating that such action is contemplated order of
suspension will be issued.

By order MAJOR GENERAL WHEATLEY,
CASTIN, ADJUTANT GENERAL.

So that was the end of it. The irony, the humor of giving permission to
lay the case before the President; by cable, too, with cable-grams only
costing fifty cents a word! What magnanimity, what sarcasm, in sending
such permission to a negro sergeant drawing twenty-six dollars a month!
It would have been better for Jeremiah's peace of mind if that part had
been left out. After it was over, and in the years to come, he would
never be able to escape the thought that one thing more might have been
done to save Buff's life--that once chance was left untried because of
the lack of a few paltry dollars. Potter handed back the telegram
slowly, and Jeremiah walked out into the darkness to fight his fight
alone.

The sergeant stopped on the small stone porch and looked out into the
town plaza. The clouds were low a