Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-05-16


Without his pipe he found himself unin-
spired.
"Mr. Hayne, if you will permit I'll fiji
up and blow another cloud. Didn't you
ever smoke?'
Eyes. was very fond Of my cigar
six or seven years ago"
"And you gave it up?7 asked the doc
tor, Juggling away at the strings of his
little tobacco pouch.
81 gave up everything that was not an
absolute necessity" said Hayne, calmly.
| "Until | could get free of big load
there was no comfort in anything. After
! that was gone had no more use for such
old friends than certain other old friends
seemed to have for me. 1t was mutual
cut"
ITO the best of my belief you were the
gamer in both cases." said the doctor,
| gruiily. "Thc longer live the more
| agree with Carlyle: the men we live and
move with are mostly fools"
Haynes face was as grave and quiet
as ever.
"These are hard lessons to learn. doc
tor lpresume few young fellows thought
more of human friendship than did the
first two years | was in service"
"Hayne,' said the doctor, ''sometimes
| have thought you did not want to talk
about this matter to any soul on EARTH
but am speaking from no empty curl
osity now. If you forbid it, l shall not
intrude; but there are some questions
that. sipce knowing you. and believing
in you~s | unquestionably do, | would
! like to ask You seem bent on returning
to duty here tomorrow, though YOU
might stay on sick report ten days yet
and want to stand between you and the
possibility of annoyance and trouble if l
| can"
"You are kind, and I appreciate it.
doctor; but do you think that the colonel
is a man who will be apt to let me suffer
injustice at the hands of any one here"
Il don't, indeed. He is full of sympa-
thy for you, and know he means YOU
shall have fair play; but company
commander has as many and as intangi-
bic ways of making man suffer as has
a woman. How do you stand with Ray
ner?"
Precisely where 1 stood five years
ago. He is the most determined enemy
l have in the service, and will down me
if he can; but | have learned good deal
in my time. There is a grim sort of com
fort now in knowing that while he would
gladly trip me 1 can make him miserable
by being too strong for him"
"You still hold the same theory as to
his evidence you did at the time of the
court? OF course have heard what you
said to and of him."
Il have never changed in that re-
spect."
But supposing that-nind you, be-
lieve he was utterly mistaken in what
he thought he heard and saw-suppos-
ing that all that was testified to by him
actually occurred, have you any theory
that would point out the real criminal?'
"Only one. If that money was ever
handed me that day at Battle Butte,
only one man could have made away
} with it; and it is useless to charge it to
him."
You mean Rayner:"
81 have to mean Rayner."
But you claim it never reached your
Certainly"
"Yet every other package, memo
randa and all, was handed you:'
Not only that, but Capt Hull handed
me the money packet with the others
took them all from his saddle bags Just
before the charge. The packet was sealed
when he gave it to me, and when broke
5 the seal it was stuffed with worthless
} blanks"
= And you have never suspected sol
dier-a single messenger or servant
Not one. Whom could r.
"Hayne, had you any knowledge OF
this man Clancy before:'
: Clancy The drunken fellow we
pulled out of the fire."
! The same"
mo; never to my knowledge saw OF
| heard of him, except when he appeared
r as witness at the court
< Yet he was with the TIL cavalry a
-! that very fight at Battle Butte. He wa.
sergeant then, though not in Hull.
troop
}; Does he say he knew me? or does he
t talk Of that affair."" asked the lieutenant
;. with sudden interest.
Y Not that. He cannot be said to say
], anything; but he was wonderfully af
: fected over your rescuing him-strange
K ly so, one of the nurses persists in telling
me, though the steward and Mrs. Clancy
j declare it was just drink and excitement
Still, | have drawn from him that b,
5 knew You well by sight during that cam
n paign; but he says he was not by wher
i Hull was killed
r Does he act as though he knew any
thing that could throw any light on til,
natter
), Il cannot say. His wife declares ht
g has been queer all winter--hard drink
i ing-and OF course that is possible.
5 sam told mo there Was a soldier here
= two nights ago who wanted to talk will
t me, but the man was drunk, and h,
. would not let him in or tell me. Ii,
e thought he wanted to borrow money
= II declare, believe it wa Clancvr
Il said the doctor. If he wants To see yol
/ and talk, let him. There's no telling bu
d what even drink racked brain may
brIpnr the D,ottpr IN li~bt ~