W!f ' I ' "f J ' .-&w frVlWw ,i w . & pjtef" 'if V-'SW-w rf t - TBS LANCASTER BAIL" SATURDAY, MARCH 8. 190. C? ifV i- P?fW tCepyrljht, by J. B. Llpplncett Company, PblUdflphls, and pubUsbcd by special arraaceraeat with tbem. CHAPTER IIL t I !' ru. l n. jfJUene fn M coten!' jrMic. c"h officers of Fert Warrener wers BMed, as web the dally morning a, in the proscnceof tbu colonel snding. It had long been the of that veteran soldier te re tail his commissioned subordinates I in an appearance nt his office ini- ely after the ceremony of guard ing. lle might have nothing te rte them, or he mitrht have n eoed kwfat' nd he wet a mnu capable of say- ( a geed deal in very few word and BK exactly what he said. It was (custom te leek up from his writing .officer entered and respond te respectful salutation tendered him i Mi equally punctilious "Geed morn mern ?Oapt. "Gregg," or "Geed morning. i.: Blake." never emitting the mention be name, unless, as vas eometimvs I, a squad of them came in together 1 kude their obeisance as a body. In 'event the colonel simply looked I an In the face, as though taking I note of the individual censtitu te tbe group, and contented him- twKha "Ooed mernine. cent lemon." ; 'tthm in addition te six troops of his i regiment of cavalry there were sent the pest a major and four companies r jafaatry, some or me junior eiuccra (the latter orcnnlzatien had sueeested Ttheir comrades of the yellow stries k'afnhe colonel lindnorell call It i be a matter of no great risk te tthematineo"ensomoof the fiend- ' oeld mornings that seen set In; hut Wrperiment was never designedly m, thanks, possibly, te the. frank ex- of ris personal views as ex- I by Lieut. Blake, of the cavalry, aid, "Try it if you are stagnating rvasti'ef a sensation, my genial pled- , Mp net if you value the ndvice of ; Who has1 been there, se te speak, lealef will spot you quicker than he n missing shoe a mining horseshoe, r.let me elaborate for your com aand the next question will j ltr. Bluestrap, did you intentionally 6 yourself?" and then hew will you I of it?" ; Matinees, se called, wcre by no I unpopular features of the daily The officers were permitted te t their pipes or cigars and take their ' alter breakfast smoke in llie big, roomy jefltoacet the commander, just as they tf-fHKt permittedjte enjoy tbe pest-prandial ".'mmm when at evcnlnc recitation in ,'jinjune effice they sat around the W, chatting in low tones, for half an yhlwr,while the colonel received the re- I of Jiucadjulnnt, the surgeon and the r.fM and the new officer of the day. Then S'-aajr matters affecting the discipline or 'XMtructlen or general interests of the b evenmand were brought up; lieth sides fcjfcwww ijuvauuu wvm jm VOUIIIVU) II man arose; tne decision was rendered laud there, and the officers wuredis- I for the day with the customary n all, gentlemen." They left the r well knowingthatenly in the event ae sudden emergency would they peaUed thither again or disturlicd in Mr daily vocations until the same hour .Ike following morning. Meantime, aust be about their work drills, if giMfear permitted; stable duty, no mat- pwhat Uie weather; garrison courts. us or survey, tne nig general court twas tierenuially dispensing justice Lthe nest.nml the loner list of miner Imt fjmei the less exacting demands en thu 5v time and attention of thu 6ubalteins and ' ipeaapany commanders. ,Tue colonel was a strict, even beveie. exeeipunarian, but ha was cool, de- liberate, and just. He "worked" his . fttcers, and thereby incurred the criti- jaWm of a few, but held the icspcct of nil. ' $n had been a splendid cavalry com- manderiuthe field of nil ethers where , tassterling qualities weie sure te find tewctapnfhV'tQBiirSiitiwi W Ids officers -sae steps te"" m-iive aim siirring cam---The tweainst the Indians and anion:; -Htmfln regiment he knew that deep in ' Jff' "Thearts the th restated and be- .daYjsurH f J.AViA In lillll fll-Mi u.'li.,. t.nw ..-....1...! -T " " " ""MI.I1V. h'l . v Jkt garrison exactions which seemed tin. ! called for, The infantry eflicers knew sw or nun as a sterling camjuiigner, ed were net se well pleased with his "discipline. It was all right for him te , rout out" every mother's son in the cavalry et reveille, because all the cav alry officers had te go te stables been afterward that was all thev wcre fit EJ tot but what en earth was the usoef 'getting them the. Infantry out of their warm ueas befere sunribe en u wintrv ' morning and having no end of roll calls JHM such things through the day, "just Mk'eepthem busi" The real objection r- main objection te the colonel's I feri was thaf it kept a larce number CJUjrg. tneflt e' irhnm wprn rwlnnn a1 T'M 8kriainmeriiiB nil day long at routine or trivial duties, al- actually no time in which they read, study, or impreve their ; but, as ill luck would have it, three young gentlemen who decided at te the colonel this view of the I had been devoting what spare tlme oeum una te a lively game of iektr tactne store," ana tlielr petition "mere time te themselves" brought i a reply from the oracular lins of aoeoHaandcr that became immortal frontier and niade the petitioners itr frantic. " Fer a week the trio was the butt of all I wita at Fert warrener. And yet the i commissioned force felt that tliev ibaing kept at the grindstene be- set the frivolity of these youngsters. I tbty did net Jlko it. All thu same t Cavalry aien stuck up for their colonel 4 tte wfsntrymen resiected him. and 4m juatinaM were business like and They wcre rarely unpleasant t Jsature. but tills particular morn- iMraiter tne arrival of Mrs. rand r sister there had been a r tfflrlhm iiimiUit. Inlmrwti By Capt Charlts King, U. S. A. Auther of "Dcnhivek Ranch," "Tim Coixnne.'s DACOHTXX," "MAMOM'sFAtTH," ETC. ana tne groups et emccrs in ercamng up and going away could discuss nothing else. The colonel had requested one of their number te remain, as he wished te apftk te him further, and that man waa Lieut, liayne. ' Seven years had that young gentleman been a second lieutenant of the regiment of Infantry, a detachment of which was new stationed nt Wnrrcncr. Only this very winter had promotion conieto him, and, of nil companies In the regiment, he was gazetted te the first lieutenancy of Capt. Itayncr's. Fer n while the regi ment when by itself could talk of little else. Mr. Ilayne had spent three or four years In the cxile of a little "two com pany pest" far up in the mountains. Ex cept the officers there stationed, nene of his comrades had seen him during that Ne one of thorn wei'd llke te admit that he would care te see him. And yet, when once In n while they get te talking among themselves about him, mid the question was sometimes confidentially asked of comrades who came down en leave from that isolated station, "Hew is Hayne doing?' or "What Is Hnyne doing?" the language in which he was referred te grew by degrees far less truculent ami confident than it had been when he Urst went thither. Olllccrs of ether icgiments rarely speke te the "Ulflcrs" of Mr. Hnyne. Unllke ene or two ethers of their arm of the sorvlce, this particular regiment of feet held the affairs of its officers as rcglmcntnl prop erty in which outsiders had no concern. If they had disagreements they wcre kept te themselves; and even in u case which in its day had attracted wide spread attention the Riders had long since learned te shun all talk outside. It as evident te oilier commands that the Ilayne nlTnlr was n soie point and one en which they preferred hllcnce. And yet it was getting te be whispered around that the Killers were by no means se unanimous as they had been in their opinion of this very officer. They wcre becoming divided among themselves; and what complicated matters was the fact that these who felt tlielr views un dergoing n reconstruction were com pelled te admit that just in proportion as the case of Mr. Huyne rose In their estimation the reputation of another offi cer was bound te suffer, and that officer was Capt. Itayner. Between these two men net a weul had been exchanged for llve yenis net a single word since the day when, with ashen fnce and broken accents, but with stern purjiose in every syllable, Lieut. Ilayne, standing In the presence of nearly all the officers of his regiment, had hurled this prophecy In his adver sary's toeth: "Though it lake me years, 1 will the it down desplte jeu; and you will wish te Ged you had bitten out your perjured tongue beferu uvcr you told the lie that wrecked inc." Ne wonder there was talk, and lets of it. in the "Riders" and nil through the garrison when Rayner's first lieutenant suddenly threw up his commission and retired te the mines he had loeated In Mentana, and HaynO,tlio"senler second," was promoted te the vacancy. Specula tion ns te what would be the result was given a temporary rest by the nuws that war department erdeis had granted the subaltern six months' leave the first he had Bought in ns many years. It waa known that he had gene oust; but hardly had he been away a fortnight when there came the trouble with the Cheyenues nt the reservation a leap for liberty by semn fifty of the band, and an immedi ate rush of the cavalry In pursuit. There were bouie bloody atrocities, ns there always arc. All the troops in the depart ment weie erdeied te be in leadiness for ins-tantservice, while thu officials eagerly watched the reports te see which way the despernte band would turn; and the next heard of Mr. Hayue was thu news that he had thrown up his lo.ive and bad hurried out te join hitceuipiiiy thu mo ment the eastern papers told of the trouble It was all practically settled by the tlme hu reached thu department; but thu spirit and intent of his action could net be doubted, And new here he wnsnt Warrcuci'. That very morning during thu matinee he had euteied the ollice unannounced, walked up te the desk of the commander, and, whilumery voice but his in thu loom v us stilled, he quietly speke: "Permit me te Introduce myself, col onel Mr. Haj ne. I desire te iclinquish my leave of absence-ami I eki t for duty." Tim colonel quickly uresunnd extended bis hand: "Mr. llayitc, I am especially glad te see you nnd te thank you here for all your caie nnd kimlnc te our men. The doctor tells me that many of them would have had te sulTer the less of noses and cars, een of hands and feet in seme cnss, but for your attention. Maj. Stnunard will add his thanks te mine when he returns. Take n seat, sir, for the present. Yeu are acquainted with the officers of your own regiment, doubt less. Mr. Hillings, introduce Mr. Ilayne te ours." Whereat the adjutant courteously greeted the newcomer, presented n small party of yellow btrapped shoulders, nnd then drew him into earnest talk about the adventure of the train. It was no ticed that Mr. Ilayni' neither by word nor glapce gave the slightest rccegni. tien of the presence of thu officers of his own regiment, and that they ns studi studi eunly avoided him. One or two of their number had indeed risen nnd btepped ferward.ns though te offer him the civil greeting due te ene of their own cloth; but it was with evident deibt of thu ro re bult. They reddened when he met their tentative which was that of a gentle manwith n celtl leek of utter icpudia icpudia tien. Hu did net cIioemj te see them, and, of course, that ended It. Ner was his greeting heaity among the cavalrymen. There were only a few present, as most of the tli were still out in the Held ami marching slew y home heme w ard. The Introductions w ere courteous and formal, tbeie was even constraint nmeng two or three, but there was civil ity and an evident desire te refer te his services in behalf of their men. All such attempts, howecr, Mr. Ilayne waved asidu by an immediate changu of the sub ject. It was plain that te them, tee, he liad the manner of a man w he was nt odds with the world nnd desired te initie no friends. Thu colonel quickly noted thu general, silence and constraint, and resehed tiJ (shorten it as much m possible. Drnppin A his pen, he wheeled aieuud in his chaiil with determined cheerfulness: I "Mr. Ilayne, you will need u day or two te leek about and select quarters and get ready for work, I presume." "Thankyeu, colonel. Ne, sir. I shall inove in this ufternoeu anil lw en duty kfclllejTOw morning," was the calm reply, mere was aa wwure pause ter a moment. The officers looked blankly from one te another, and then began craning their necks te search for the pest quartermaster, who sat an absorbed listener. Then the colonel spoke again: ""I appreciate your promptness, Mr. TJayne; but have you considered that In cheesing quarters according te your rank you will necessarily niove somebody out? We are crowded new, nnd many of your juniors nre married, and the ladies will want tlme te pack." An anxious silence again. Capt. Ray ncr was gazing at his beet tee and try ing te nptear utterly Indifferent; ethers leaned forward, as though eager te hear the answer. A faint smile crossed Mr. Hayne's features; he seemed rather te enjoy the situatien: "I have considered, colonel. I shall turn nobody out, and nobody need be in commoded in the least." '"Oh! then you will share quarter with some of the bachelors?" asked the colonel, with evident relief. "Ne, sir;" and the answer was stern in tone, though perfectly respectful; "1 shall live as I have lived for years lit lit terlv alone." One con Id havehenrd n pin drop in the office even en the mntted fleer. The colonel halt arese: "Why, Mr. Hayne, there Is net a va cant set of quarters in the garrison. Yeu will have te meve seme ene out if you decide te live nlone." "There may be no quarters In the pest, sir, but, if you will permit me, I can llve near my company and yet In officers' quarters." "Hew se, sir?" "In the house out there en the edge et the garrison, facing the prairie. It Is within stene's threw of the barracks of Company It, nnd is exactly llke these built for the officers In here along the parade." "Why, Mr. Ilayne, no officers ever lived there. It is utterly out of the way and isolated. I bclicve It was built for the sutler years age, but was bought in by the government nt forwards. Who lives there new, Mr. Quartermaster?" "Ne ene, sir. It is being used as a tail ors' shop; half a dozen of thu company tailors work there; but I can send them back te their own barracks. The house is lu geed repair, and, as Mr. Ilayne says, exactly llke these built for officers' use." "And you inenn you want te live there nlone, Mr. Hayne?" "I de, sir, exactly." The colonel turned sharply te his desk once mere. The strained sllcnce continued a moment. Then hu faced his officers, "Mr. Hayne, will you remain a few moments? I wish te speak with you. Gentlemen, that is all this morning." And se the meeting ndjeurned. While many of the cavalry officers strolled Inte the neighboring club and reading room it was noticed that their comrades of the Infantry lest no tlme al intermediate- points, but took the short est read te the row of brown cottages known as the officers' quarters. The feeling of constraint that had settled upon all was still apparent in the group that entered the club room, and for a moment no ene spoke. There was a general Bottling into easy chairs and picking up of newspapers without refer ence te age or date. Ne ene seemed te want te say anything, nnd yet every ene felt it necessary te have seme apparent oxciise for becoming absorbed in ether matters. This was se evident te Lieut. Ulaku that hu sccdily burst into n laugh the llrst that had been heard anil when two or three heads pepped out from behind their printed screens te in- quire into the cause of his mirth that light hearted gentleman was seen sprawl ing his long legs apart and gazing out of thu window aftur the groups of infantry men. "What de you see that's se intensely funny?" giewled ene of the elders among thu (1 lagoons. "Nothing, old mole nothing," said lllake, turning suddenly uheut. "It leeks tee much like a funeral precessiuu fei fun. What I'm chuckling at is tbu ab surdity et our coming in here lil.it he many mutes in weepers It'suoneof out funeral." "Strikes me the situation is damned nwkwaid," growled "tbe niole" again. "Here's a fellow comes in who's cut by his regiment nnd has placed ours under lasting obligation befoie he gets umide the H)St." "Well, does nny man here knew the rights and wrongs of the case, nnj hew?'' said n tall, Ixarded captain ns he threw nside the paper which hu hud net been leading, und rose impatiently te his feet. "It seems te me from thu little I'vu heard of Mr. Ilayne and the little l'veseen, that there is n bread variation between facts and appearances, lle loekslikua gentle man." "Ne ene does knew nny thing meru of the matter than was known at the time of the court martial llve years age," an swered "the mole." "Of course you have heard all about that, mid my experience is that when it body of officers nnd gen tlemen find, after due deliberation en the evidence, that another has been guilty of conduct unbecoming nn officer and a gentleman, the chances nre a hundred te ene he has been doing something dis reputable, te say the least." "Then why wasu't he dismissed?'' queried n young lieutenant. "Thu law says hu must be." "That's light, Delly; pullyeur Ives nnd Dcnct en 'em and show you knew nil about military law and courts martial," 6a!d the captain, crushlngly. "It's ene thing for u court tosentence and another for the president te approve. Hay no was dismissed, be faras a court could de It, but the president remitted the whole thing." "There was meru te it than that, though, and you knew it, Huxlen," Eaid Blake. "Neither the department com mander nor Gen. Sherman thought thu ovidenco jConclusive, and they said se, especially old Gray Fex. And you ask any of these fellows here new whether they liolitive Ilayne was really guilty, and I'll bet you that eight out of ten will flunk nt the question." "And yetthcy nil cut him dead. That's prima fncie evidence of what they think." "Cut lw Mewed! Uy gad, If any man asked me te testify en oath as te where thu cut lay, I should say he had cut them. Did you see hew he ignored Fester und Graham this morning?" "1 did, and I thought it damned un gentlemanly in him, Theso fellows did thu proper thing, and he ought te have acknowledged it," breke in a third officer. "I'm net defending that point; the Lord knows he has dene nothing te en en en toumge civility with his own people; but there am two sides te every btery, and I asked their adjutant last fall, when there was seme talk of his company's being sent here, what Hayne's status was, and he told me. There isn't a squarer man or bounder beldler in the army than the adjutant of the Riflcrs; and hu said that it was Hayne's btubbern prlde that luore than anything else steed in the way of his restoration te becial standing. He had made it a rule that every ene who was net for him was against him, und refused te admit any man te his society who would net first come te hlutef his own volition iiiidtBay he believed him utterly inuecent. As that Involved the necessity of their look ing upon Rayuer ns either icrjured) or grossly and persistently mistaken,; no ene felt called upon te de it, Guilty or Innocent, lie has lived the life of a Pariah ever since." "I wanted te open out te him, today," aid Capt. Gregg, "but the moment I began te speak of his great kindness te our men he freze as stiff as Mulligan's rar. What wan tha use? I simply couldn't thaw an icicle. What made him se effective in getting the frost out of them was his capacity for absorbing it into his own system." "Well, here, gentlemen," aald Buxton, impatiently, " wo've get te face this thing sooner or laUr, and may as well de it new. I knew Itayner and llke him, and don't bclicve he's the kind of man te wilfully wrong another. I don't knew Mr. Hayne, nnd Mr. Hayne apparently don't want te knew me. I think that where a man has been convicted of dis honorable disgraceful conduct and is cut by his whole regiment it is our busi ness te back the regiment, net the man. New the question is, where shall we draw the line In this case? It's none of our funeral, as Blake says, but ordinarily it would be our duty te call upon this officer. Shall we de it, new that he is t in Coventry, or shall we leave him te his own devlccs?" "I'll answer for myself, Buxton," said Blake, "and you can de as you please. Except that ene thing, and the net un usual friveltles of a youngster that oc curred previous te this trial,! understand that his character has been above re proach. Se far as I can learn, he is a far mero reputable character than I am, and a better officer than most of us. Growl nil you want te, comrades mine; 'it's n way we have in the army,' nnd I like it. Se long ns I include myself in theso mal odorous comparisons, you needn't swear. It is ruy conviction that the Riflcrs wouldn't say he waa guilty today If they hadn't said se five years age. It is my information that he has paid every cent of the damages, whether he caused them or net, and it is my Intention te go and call upon Mr. Hayne as seen ns he's set tled. I don't propeso te influence any man in his action; nnd excuse ine, Bux ton, I think you did." The captain looked wrathful. Blake was en oddity of whom he rather steed In nwe, for there was no mistaking the popularity nnd respect in which he was held in his own regiment. The th was somewbat rcmarkable for being emphati cally an "outspoken crowd," and for sem; years, thanks te n leaven et strong nnd trutliful men in whom this trait was pro nounced und sustained, it had grown te be the custom et nil but a few et the offi cers te discuss openly and fully all mat ters of regimental policy nnd utterly te disceuntenance covert action of any kind. Blake was thoroughly popular and gen erally respected, desplte a tendency te rant and rattle en most occasions. Never theless, there were signs of dissent as te the line of action he proposed, though it were only for his own guidance. "And hew de you suppese Rayncr and the Riflcrs generally will regard your calling en their black sheep? ' asked Bux ton, after n pause, "I don't knew," said Blake, mero seri ously, and with a tene of concern. "I llke Rayncr, nnd have found most of these fellows thorough gentlemen nnd geed friends. This will test the question thoroughly. I bclicve most of thorn, ex cept, of course, Rayncr, would de the same were they in my place. At all events, I mean te see." "What nre you going te de, Gregg?" asked "the mole," wheeling suddenly en his brother troop commander. "I don't knew," said Gregg, doubt fully. "I think I'll ask the colonel." "What de you suppese he means te de?" "I don't knew again; but I'll bet we nil knew ns seen ns he makes up his mind; nnd he is making up his mind new or be's made it up, for there gees Mr. Hayne, and here comes the orderly. Something's up nlready. Every head was turned te the door way as the orderly's step waa heard in the outer hall, and every volce stilled te hear the message, it was se unusual for the commanding officer te send for ene of his subordinates after the morning meeting. The soldier tapped at the panel, and nt thu prompt "Come In" pushed it partly open and steed with ene white gloved hand resting en the knob, the ether raised te his cap visor in salute. "Lieut. lllake?" he asked, as he glanced ureund. "What is it?" asked Blake, stepping quickly from the window. "The commanding officer's compli ments, sir, nnd could he see the lieuten ant ene minute befere the court meets?" "Coming nt ence," said Blake, as he pushed his way through the chairs, and thu orderly faced about and disappeared. "I'll bet it's about Hayne," was the apparently unanimous sentiment as the cavalry party breke up and scattered for the morning's duties. Some waited pur posely te hear. , The adjutant nlone stoe4in the colo nel's presencu ns Blake knocked and en tered. All ethers had gene. There was n moment's hesitation, und the colonel paused nnd looked his man ever befere he speke: "Ven will excuse my sending for you, Mr. Blake, when I tell you that it is a matter that has te be decided at ence. In this case you will consider, tee, that I want you te say yes or no exactly as you would te a comrade of your own grade. If you were asked te meet Mr, Ilayne at any ether heuse in the garri son than mine, would you desire te ac cept? Yeu nre nware of all the circum stances, the ndjutant tells me." "I am, sir, and have just announced my intention of calling upon him." "Then will you dine with us this evening te meet Mr. Ilnyne?" "I will de se with pleasure, sir." It could hardly have been an hour afterwards when Mrs. Rayncr entered the librnry hi her cescy home and found Miss Travcrs entertaining herself with n book. "Have you written te Miss Van Ant werp this morning?' she asked. "I thought that was what you came here for." "I did mean te, but Mrs. Waldren has been hert and I was interrupted." "It is fully lifteen minutes since she left, -Nellie, you iiugm nave wruicn tw e or three pag nlready; und you knew that nil maimer of visitors will be coming in by neon." "I was just thinking ever something bIiu told me. I'll write presently." "Mrs. Waldren is a woman who talks nboutevcrj thing nnd everybody. I ml vise you te listen te her no mero than you can help. What was it she told you?" Miss Travcrs smiled reguishly: "Why thou Id you want te knew, Kate, if you disappreve of her revelations?" "Oh," with vislble nnnoyance, "it is te I wanted te knew se as te let you bee that it was bemcthitig unfounded, ns usual." "She said bhe had just been told that" the colonel was going te gien diiincr party this evening te Mr. Hayne." "What?" "She said she had just been told that thu colonel was going te xlve a dinner party this eenlng te.Mr. Hayne." "Who told her?" "Kate, I didn't nsk." "Who arc invited? Neue of ours?" 'KuU, I don't knew." "Whcre did she say bhe had heard itr a "81m didn't sav." Mrs.5 Kayaer paused one moment, ir ir reeolute: "Didn't site tell you anything mere about it?" "Nothing, ataer mine. Why should you feel such an interest in what Mrs. Waldren says, if she's such a gossip?" And Miss Travcrs was evidently having hard work te keep from laughing out right, "Yeu had better write your letter," said her Mg sister, and flounced suddenly out of the room and up the stain. A moment later she was nt the parlor deer with a wrap thrown ever her shoulders. "If Capt. Rayncr comes In, tell him I want particularly te see him befere he gees out again." "Whcre nre you going, Knte?" "Oh, just ever te Mrs. Waldren's a moment " CHAPTER IV. Thetr hottest led him te her piano. Facing the bread, bleak prairie, sepa rated from it only by a rough, unpainted picket tence, and flanked by uncouth structures of pine, ene of which was used as n storehouse for quartermaster's prop erty, the ether as the pest trader's deposi tory for skins nnd furs, there steed the framocettago which Mr. Hay no had chos en ns his home. As has been said, it was precisely like theso built for the subal tern officers, he far as material, plan nnd dimensions were concerned. The locali ty made the vast difference which really existed. Theirs steed all in n row, front ing thu grassy level of the parade, sur rounded by verandas, bordering en a well kept gravel path and nn equally well graded drive Clear, sparkling water rippled in tiny accquias through the front yards of each, and se furnished the moisture needed for the life of the various little Bhrubs and flowering plants. The surroundings were nt least "socia ble," and there was companionship nnd jollity, with un occasional tiif te keep things lively. The luarried officers, ns n rule, had chosen their quarters farthest from thu entrance gatennd nearest theso of thu colonel commanding. The bache lors, except the two or three who were old in thu Kurvicn and had "rank" in lieu of encumbrances, were nil herded together along thu eastern end, a situation that had disadvantages as connected with du ties which required the frequent pres pres ence of the occupants nt the court mar tial rooms or at headquarters, and that was correspondingly far distant from thu barracks of the soldiers, it had its recommendations in being con venient te tbe card room and billiard tables at "the store," and In embracing within its limits ene heuse which Ks seased mysterious interest in the eyes of every woman and most of thu men in the garrison; it was said te be haunted. A Berely perplexed man was the pest quartermaster when the rumor cauiu out from the railway station that Mr. Hayne had arrived and was coining te report for duty. As n first lieutenant he would have cheice of quarters ever every sec ond ljeutcnant in the garrison. There were ten of these young gentlemen, and four of the ten were married. Every set of quarters- had its occupants, nnd Hayne could meve in nowhere, unless ns occupant et a room or two in thu house of seme comrade, without llrst compel ling ethers te meve out. Till proceed ing would lead te vast discomfort, oc curring as it would in the dead of winter, and the youngsters were naturally per turbed in spirit their wives especially 60. What made the prospects infinitely werse was the fact that the cavalry bacheleis were already living three in a house; the only Bpare rooms were in the quarters of the second lieutenants of the infantry, nnd they were net en speaking terms with Mr. Hnyne. Everything, therefore, pointed te the probability of his "displacing" a junior, who would in turn displace somebody else, nnd se they would go tumbling like a row of bricks until the lowest and last waa reached. All this would involve no end of worry for the quartermaster, who even under the most faverable circumstances is sure te be thu least nppreclated and most abused officer under the commandant himself, nnd that worthy was simply ngasp with lellef nnd joy when he heard Mr. Hayim's astonishing announcement that he would take the quarters out en "Prairie aenue." It was the talk of the garrison all that day. The ladies, especially, had a geed deal te say, liccause many of the meu seemed nver60 te expressing their views. "Quite the proper thing for Mr. Hayne te de," was the apparent opinion of the majority of the young w ivea and moth ers. As a particularly kind und cou ceu cou siderate tiling it was net icmarked by enu of them, though that view of the case went net entirely unrepresented. In cheesing te live thcie Mr. Hayne separated himself from companionship. That, baid bome of the commentators men as well as women he bimply ac cepted ns the virtue of necessity, nnd se there was nothing te commend in his action. But Mr. Ilayne was said te pos sess nn oye for the picturesque and beau tiful. It se, he deliberately condemned himself te the daily contemplation of a treeless ban en, streaked in occasional shallows with dingy patches of snow, ornamented only in spots by abandoned old huts, lioets, or tin cans blown be yond the jurisdiction of the garrison pelice parties. A line of telegraph poles was nil that Intervened between his fence and the low Ij ing hills of the eastern horizon. Southeastward lay the distant reefs nnd the low, bquat buildings of the fron tier town; southward the shallow valley of the winding creek in which lay the long line of btables for the cavalry and the great stacks of hay; while the row en which he chese te live "Prairie ave nue," ns it was termed was far werse at his end of it than nt the ether. Itcov Itcev cfed the w hele cistern front. The big, brown hospital building btoed nt the northern end. Then came the quarters of the burgeon nnd his nssistants, then the 6img home of the pest trader, then the "stere" nnd its scattering uppcn dages, then the entrance gateway, then a bread Micant bpace, through which the wind swept liUe n hurricane, then the little shanty of the trader's fur house and enu or two hovel llke structures used by thu tailors nnd cobbler of the adjacent infantry companies. Then came thu cottage itself; south et it steed the quartermaster's storeroom, back of which lay-u;i extension filled with erd nance stores, tnen ehmt aea m sheds devoted te cemmkwary wrapltea, the pest batcher shop, the addier' shop, then big coal sheds, and thea tba brew of the bluff, down which at a steep grade plunged the read te th sublet, tt waa as unprrpeaeaalng a place for a home aa ever waa chosen by a man of education or position; and Mr. Hayne waa possessed of both. la garrison, despite the flat parade, there was a grand expanse of country te be seen stretching away towards the new covered Reckies. There was Ufa and the sense of nelghberliaett te one's kind. Out en Prairie avenue all waa wtetry, desolation, except when twice each day the cavalry officers went plod ding by en their way te and from the tables, muffled up in their fur caps and coats, and hardly distinguishable from e many bean, much leas from one another. And yet Mr. Hayne smiled net unhap pily as he glanced from his eastern win dow at this group of burly warrior the afternoon succeeding bis dinner at the colonel's. He had been busy all day long unpacking books, book shelves, some row pictures which he loved, ana nis sitnple, soldierly outfit of household goods, and getting them into shape. His sole assistant was a Chinese servant, who worked rapidly and well, and who seemed in no wise dismayed by the bleakness of their surroundings. If any thing, he was disposed te grin and in dulge in high pitched commentaries in "pidgin English" upon the unaccustomed amount of room. His master had been restricted te two rooms and a kitchen during the two years he had served him. New they had a beuse te themselves, and mero rooms than they knew what te de with. The quartermaster had sent a detail of men te put up the stoves and move out the rubbish left by the tailors; "Sam" had worked vigorously with soft soap, het water and a big mop in sprucing up the rooms; the adjutant had sent a little note during the morn ing, saying that the colonel would be glad te order him any men he needed te put the quarters in proper shape, and that Capt. Rayncr had expressed his readi ness te send a detail from the company te unload and unpack his boxes, etc., te which Mr. Hayne replied in person that he thanked the commanding officer for his theughtfnlncss, but that he had very little te unpack, and needed no assist assist ance beyond that already afforded by the quartermaster's men. Mr. Billings could net help noting that he made no allusion te that part of the letter which speke of Capt. Rayner's offer. It increased his respect for Mr. Hayne's pcrceptive powers. While every officer of the infantry bat talion was ready te admit that Mr Hayne had rendered valuable scrvice te the men of the cavalry regiment, they were net se unanimous in their opinion as te hew it should be acknowledged and requited by its officers. Ne ene was prepared for the announcement that the colonel had asked him te dinner and that Blake and Billings wcre te meet him. Some few of their number thought it going tee far, but no ene quite coincided with the ve hement declaration of Mrs. Rayncr that it was an eutrage and an affront aimed at the regiment in general and nt Capt Rayner in particular. She was an ener getic woman when aroused, and there was no doubt of her being very much aroused ns she sped from heuse te heuse te see what the ether ladies thought of it. Rayner's wealth nnd Mrs. Rayner's qualities had made her an undoubted though net always popular leader in all social matters in the Riflcrs. She was an nutlierity, se te speak, and ene who knew it. Already there had been some points en which she had differed with the colonel's wife, and it was plain te all that it was a difficult thing for her te ceme down from being the authority the leader of the social element of a gar gar rieonand from the position of second or third impertance which she had been accorded when first assigned te the sta tion. There wcre many, indeed, who assert ed that it was because bIie found her new position unbearable that she decided en lier long visit te the east, nnd departed thither befere the Riflers had been at War rener a month. The colonel's wife had greeted her and her lovely sister with charming grace en their arrival two days previous te the stirring event of the din ner, nnd every ene was looking forward te a probable scries of pleasant entertain ments by the two households, even while wondering hew long the entente cerdiale would last when the colonel's invitation te Mr. Ilayne brought en nn immediate crisis. It is safe te bay that Mis. Rayner was madder than the captain her hus band, who hardly knew hew te take it. He was by no means the best liked officer in his regiment, nor the "deepest" and best informed, but he had n native shrewdness which helped him. He noted even before his wife would speak of it te him the gradual dying out of the bitter feeling that hud ence existed at nayne's expense. He felt, though it hurt him seriously te make inquiries, that the man whom he had practically crushed und ruined in the long age was slowly but surely gaining strength, even where he would net make friends. Werse than nil, he was beginning te doubt the ovidence of his own benses as the years receded, and unknown te any soul en earth, even his wife, there was growing up deep down in his heart a gnawing, insidious, ever festering fear that after all, after all, he might have been mistaken. And yet en the sacred oath of a soldier and a gentleman, against the most searching croas-exnminatien, I again and again had he most confidently and positively declared that he had both seen nnd heard the fatal interview en which the whole case hinged. And as te the exact language employed, he nlone of theso w ithin earshot had lived te tes tify for or against the accused; of the five soldiers who steed in that new celo cele brated group, three wcre hhet te death within the hour. He was grewing1 ner vous, irritable, haggard; he was getting te hate the incre mention of the case. The promotion of Ilayne te his own com pany thrilled him with nn almost super stitious dismay. Wcre his words com ing true? Was it the judgment of nn offended Ged that his hideous pride, ob stinacy nnd old time hatred of this officer were new te be revenged by daily, hour ly contact witli the victim of his criminal persecution? He had grown morbidly sensitlve te nny icmarks as te Hayne's having "lived down" the toils in which he had been encircled. Might he net "live down" the ensnarer? He dreaded te see him though Rayner was no coward and he feared day by day te hear of his restoration te fellowship in the regiment, nnd yet would have given half his wealth te bring it about, could itbuthaa been accomplished without the dreadful admission, "I was wrong. I was utterly wrong." He had grown lavish in hospitality; he had liccome almost aggressively open handed te his comrades, and had bought te' press money upon inen who in no wise needed it. He was as eager te lend ns seme me te borrow, and his brother officers dubbed him "Midas," net because everything he touched would turn te geld, but because he would intrude his geld upon them at every turn. There were 6eme who borrowed; nnd these ha struggled net te let repay. Hebeemed te have nn insane, idea that it hu could but get his regimental friends bound te him Decuniarilv he could control Uudr opmiene ane aessMta, it Mm akk at heart, aad K t aue secret doubly via41ettre aM' i Mat .against the man he had deemed te year' of suttering. inis mewm out Mat very .Morning. Mn. Rayntr had bagtm talk, and be turned fiercely upenlktt ., "Met a word en that subject, Kate; ! you love met net even the mention of ate aamct I must hare peace m my ewa house. It te enough te hare te talk of tt Talk of it he had te. The major early that morning asked him, as they wen going te the matinee: "Have you seen Hayae yetr "Net since he reported en the yesterday," was the curt reply. "Well. I suppose you will sead help him get these quarters into habita ble shape?" "I will, of course, major, If he ask It -I don't propose sending men te de such work for an officer unless the request come." . "He is entitled te that constderatiea. Rayner, and I think the mea'sbeaJd be eat te him. He is hardly likely te ask." "Then he is less likely te get thea." aid the captain, shortly, for, except the pest commander,,he well knew that no officer could order it te be done. He waa angry nt the tnajer for interfering. They were old associates and had entered ser vice almost at the same time, but we friend had the better luck la promettoa and was new his battalion commander. Rayner made en excuse of stepping te speak with the officer of the day, and the major went en without him. He was a quiet old soldier; he wanted no disturbance with his troubled friend, and, like a sensible man, he turned the matter ever te their common superior, In a very few words, befere the arrival of the general audience. It was this that had caused the colonel te turn quietly te Rayner nnd say, In the most matter of fact way: "Oh, Capt. Rayner, I presume Mr. Hayne will need three or four men te help him get his quarters In shape. I suppose you have already thought te send them?" And Rayncr flushed, nnd stammered, "They have net geno yet, sir; but I had thought of It" Later, when the sergeant sent tbe re quired detail he reported te the captain in the company office in five minutes: "The lieutenant's compliments and thanks, but he docs net need the men." The dinner at the colonel's, quiet as it was and with only eight at table, was an affair of almost momentous importance te Mr. Hayne. It was the first thing of the kind he had attended in five years, and though he well knew that it was in tended by the cavalry commander mere especially as a recognition of the services rendered their suffering men, honteuld net but rejeice in the courtesy and tact with which he was received and enter tained. The colonel's wife, the adju tant's, and theso of two captains away with the field battalion were thef our lad(i who were there te greet him when, es-i certcd by Mr. Blake, he made his appear ance. Hew long hew very long it seemed te him since he had sat in tl presence of refined and attractive women and listened te their gay and anlmatea chatl They seemed all such geed friend, they made him se thoroughly at bome, and they showed se much tact and ease that never ence did it seem apparent that they knew of his trouble in his own regimcnt;tnndyct there was no actual avoidance of matters in which the Riflers were generally interested. It was mainly of his brief visit te the east, however, that they made him talk of the operas and theatres he had attended, the pictures he had seen, the music that was most popular; and when dinner was ever their hostess led him te her piano, and he played and sang for them again and again. His veice was soft and sweet, and, though it was uncultivated, he sang with expression and grace, playing with mero skill but less feeling and effect than he sang. Music and books had been the solace of lonely years, and he could easily see that he had pleased them with his songs. He went home te the dreary rookery out en Prairie avenue and laughed at the howling wind. The bare grimy walls and the dim keresene lamp, even Sam's unmelodious snore in the back room, sent no gloom te his soul. It had been a happy evening. It had cost him n hard struggle te restrain the emotion which he had felt at times; and when he withdrew, seen after the trumpets sounded tattoo, and the ladies fell te discussing him, as women will, there was but one verdict his manners were perfect. But the colonel said mere than that. He had found him far better read than any ether officer of his age he had ever met; and one nnd nil they expressed the liope that they might see him frequently. Ne wonder it was of momentous import ance te him. It was tlie opening te a new life. It meant that here ut least he had met soldiers and gentlemen und their fair and gracious wives who had wel comed him te their homes, and, though they must have known that a pall of sus picion and cri me had ocrshadewed his past, they believed cither that he was in nocent of the grievous charge or that his years of cxile and suffering had amply atoned. It was a happy evening indeed te him; but there was gloom at Capt. Rayner's. The captain himself had gene out seen after tattoo. He found that the parlor was filled with young visitors of both sexes, aud he w as in no mood for merri ment. Miss Travcrs was being welcomed te the pest in genuine army style, and was evidently enjoying it. Mrs. Rayner was flitting nervously in and out of the parlor w ith a cloud upon her brew, nnd for ence in her life compelled te preserve temporary silence upon the subject up permost in her thoughts. She had been forbidden te speak of it te her husband; yet she knew he had geno out again with every probability of needing wme one te talk te about the matter. She could net well breach the topic in the parlor because she was net at all sure hew Capt, and Mrs. Gregg of the cavalry would take it; und they were still there. She was n loyal wife; her husbatd's quarrel was hers and mere, tee; and she was a woman of intuition even keener than that which we se readily accord the sex. She knew, and knew well, that a hideous doubt had been preying for a long time in her husband's heart of hearts, aud she knew still better that it would crush him te bcliove it was even suspected by any one else. Right or wrong, the ene thing for her te de, she doubted net, was te maintain the origi nal guilt against all comers, and te lese no opportunity of feeding the flame that consumed Mr. Hayne's record and repu tation, no was guilty he must be guilty; and though she was a Christian according te her view of the case a pil lar et the church In matters of public charity and picturesque conformity te all tbe rubric called for in the services, nnd much that it did net she was unre lenting in her condemnation of Mr. Hayne. Te theso who pointed out that he bad made every atonement man could make she responded with the severity et con scious irtue that there could be no atonement without repentance and no re pentance without humility. Mr, Hayne's whole attitude was that of stubborn pride and resentment. His atonement was that nntfiMu xx the !wnnlraffui verdict i tVUjs.tf '.fV V -B.tw"
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