Trooper Tales — page 176: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

164 The Good Which Was in Him. troop-clerk pitied the other Allen, with every bit of his big, warm heart. Only two women knew the warmth of that heart then, and one was the mother. “Come on up to the quarters,” he said, “where it’s light and the other fellows are. "I'won’t do you any good to be moping around here in the dark. I’ve got a good book up in the orderly room. Come on up and get it—come on, Kid.” He caught the lad by the shoulder and persisted gently. Rio Grande whinnied softly as the two passed. Their arms were locked, and the big cavalryman was talking in a low voice. The river boomed in the distance, and the stable guard walked his post. * * * * * * * * It was four days after that when the mail came in from the States. A big bundle of business matter from the army headquarters at San Juan and some Washington dispatches were handed to Allen, but there was no letter from the American girl. With an angry burning in his throat and a heavy burden in his breast, the troop-clerk sorted the pile of routine stuff. He glanced through one of the Washington communications. A moment afterward he was covered with a hot per- spiration. Allen folded the dispatch, placed a cities upon it, and then stepped out in front of the quarters to cool off. He heard the rain pounding upon the cliff a quarter of a mile up the trail. The shower was coming closer, closer. COUNTICELOOOKS (E(0)