Trooper Tales — page 43: what you’re looking at

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

The Silent Trooper. — 35 more than I can explain. I can only regret it. At any rate, I saw these words: “Oh, Charlie, do let me come to you!” A lady-killer is my silent friend, thought I; but I didn’t mean to read part of his letter—treally, I didn’t. After five weeks the troops were ordered to the bar- racks. No one was sorry, for life on target range in Arizona is tedious, putting it with studied mildness. And then they have mosquito netting in the barracks. A tragedy was enacted on those moonlit foothills at Old Baldy’s base the last night on range. I am not a handy man at tragedies. It was this way: “Say, old chap,” said Lander in a light manner_the morning before, “do a little favor for me, will you? I want you to meet a lady for me. I believe I will have another engagement to-night!” “A lady in this damned country!” I whispered excited- ly. Nothing but greaser maidens and squaws had I seen for months—it seemed. Reluctantly he handed me a note, part of which is below: “T could not help coming. I was frantic when I learned that he was transferred to your troop. You must meet me to-night. Did you think I could forget you? Oh, Charlie, I may be acting unwomanly, but I am desperate. No one knows me here in the village. I will be near the last adobe hut on the north. Oh, why did you go away? I thought * * * Come to-night. ELSIE.” “It’s a common yarn,” said Lander nervously. “She (CO) Eomichbooks