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TBS LANCASTER BAIL"
SATURDAY, MARCH 8. 190.
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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
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