From the Ranks

From the Ranks, by Charles
King

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Title: From the Ranks
Author: Charles King
Release Date: August 20, 2005 [EBook #16558]
Language: English
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FROM THE RANKS.
BY

CAPT. CHARLES KING, U.S.A.,
AUTHOR OF "THE COLONEL'S DAUGHTER," "MARION'S
FAITH," "KITTY'S CONQUEST," ETC., ETC.
Transcriber's note: This e-book of From the Ranks is based upon the
edition found in The Deserter, and From the Ranks. Two Novels, by
Capt. Charles King. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Company, 1890. The
Deserter is also available as a Project Gutenberg e-book.
PHILADELPHIA:
J.B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY.
1890.
Copyright, 1887, by J.B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY.

FROM THE RANKS.

I.
A strange thing had happened at the old fort during the still watches of
the night. Even now, at nine in the morning, no one seemed to be in
possession of the exact circumstances. The officer of the day was
engaged in an investigation, and all that appeared to be generally
known was the bald statement that the sentry on "Number Five" had
fired at somebody or other about half after three; that he had fired by
order of the officer of the day, who was on his post at the time; and that
now he flatly refused to talk about the matter.
Garrison curiosity, it is perhaps needless to say, was rather stimulated
than lulled by this announcement. An unusual number of officers were
chatting about head-quarters when Colonel Maynard came over to his
office. Several ladies, too, who had hitherto shown but languid interest
in the morning music of the band, had taken the trouble to stroll down

to the old quadrangle, ostensibly to see guard-mounting. Mrs. Maynard
was almost always on her piazza at this time, and her lovely daughter
was almost sure to be at the gate with two or three young fellows
lounging about her. This morning, however, not a soul appeared in
front of the colonel's quarters.
Guard-mounting at the fort was not held until nine o'clock, contrary to
the somewhat general custom at other posts in our scattered army.
Colonel Maynard had ideas of his own upon the subject, and it was his
theory that everything worked more smoothly if he had finished a
leisurely breakfast before beginning office-work of any kind, and
neither the colonel nor his family cared to breakfast before eight
o'clock. In view of the fact that Mrs. Maynard had borne that name but
a very short time and that her knowledge of army life dated only from
the month of May, the garrison was disposed to consider her entitled to
much latitude of choice in such matters, even while it did say that she
was old enough to be above bride-like sentiment. The womenfolk at the
fort were of opinion that Mrs. Maynard was fifty. It must be conceded
that she was over forty, also that this was her second entry into the
bonds of matrimony.
That no one should now appear on the colonel's piazza was obviously a
disappointment to several people. In some way or other most of the
breakfast tables at the post had been enlivened by accounts of the
mysterious shooting. The soldiers going the rounds with the
"police-cart," the butcher and grocer and baker from town, the old
milkwoman with her glistening cans, had all served as newsmongers
from kitchen to kitchen, and the story that came in with the coffee to
the lady of the house had lost nothing in bulk or bravery. The groups of
officers chatting and smoking in front of head-quarters gained
accessions every moment, while the ladies seemed more absorbed in
chat and confidences than in the sweet music of the band.
What fairly exasperated some men was the fact that the old officer of
the day was not out on the parade where he belonged. Only the new
incumbent was standing there in statuesque pose as the band trooped
along the line, and the fact that the colonel had sent out word that the

ceremony would proceed without Captain Chester only served to add
fuel to the flame of popular conjecture. It was known that the colonel
was holding a consultation with closed doors with the old officer of the
day, and never before since he came to the regiment had the colonel
been known to look so pale and strange as