The Khaki Boys at Camp Sterling; Or, Training for the Big Fight in FranceChase, Josephine
General
The Khaki Boys at Camp Sterling; Or, Training for the Big Fight in France
Chase, Josephine
World War, 1914-1918 -- Juvenile fiction
Obtaining the name of the druggist from the sister, he had later that
day visited the store and learned that Eldridge had been discharged by
his employer for reasons which the druggist declined to state. He
characterized Eldridge as a sneak and unreliable. The writer of the
letter ended by saying that he hoped the data would be of use to Bob in
helping to clear Schnitzel.
"I've found out now the thing I wanted to know most. It's a safe bet
that Eldridge furnished the poison list. A prescription clerk would of
course understand a lot about poisons and their effects. He'd be pretty
sure to know typing, too. Most medicine labels are typed."
"What shall you do about it?" asked Roger. "Put it up to Eldridge he'll
just deny it."
"I shan't stop at him. I'm going to the K. O. after mess to-night. What
I've discovered isn't much but it may help some. _He'll_ send for
Eldridge and maybe get out of him what I couldn't. I'm going out now to
get a paper before every last one of 'em is gobbled up."
So saying, Bob tucked his letter into his pocket, grabbed his hat and
hurried off to the canteen. Stopping to glance at the newspaper he had
just purchased, he vented a wild whoop, waved it over his head and raced
for barracks.
"Oh, Glory! Blazes has done it!" he caroled, regardless of the noise he
was making. "Just listen to this: 'Corporal Blaise Leaps Off a Moving
Train after Deserter.' _What_ do you think of that? Oh, you Blazes!"
Bob pranced about, flapping the paper.
"What's the latest?" called a man from across the squad room. "Has Bill
committed suicide?"
"Not yet. Come over and bring your friends. This is too good to keep."
Two minutes afterward, surrounded by curious soldiers, Bob read to them
the story of Bixton's attempt to desert, and of the star part Jimmy had
played in his capture. What elicited a fresh volley of astonished
ejaculations from the listeners, however, was: "Bixton has also
confessed to the placing of a bottle of powdered glass in the suitcase
of Private Franz Schnitzel, the Camp Sterling alleged poisoner, who is
now awaiting trial for the murder of two of his comrades. Schnitzel was
on kitchen detail when the tragedy occurred. The bottle of powdered
glass and a list of poisons found in his suitcase linked him so
suspiciously with the poisoning as to cause his arrest. Bixton confessed
to having done this to be revenged on Schnitzel for past wrongs at the
hands of the latter. He denied, however, all knowledge of the list of
poisons."
Call to mess cut the rest of the reading short.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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