Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-06-20


trophc to those who first arrived. AID as
the story went from mouth to mouth it
grew no better for Buxton. Once he
turned short on Mr.. Foster, and in ag-
grevcd and sullen tone remarked:
81 thought you fellows III the Rihers
said he bad no relations"
owe weren't apt to be invited to meet
them if he had; but I don't know that
anybody was in position to know any
thing about it. What's that got to do
with this affair, I'd like to hcat:'
At last somebody took him home.
Mrs. Waldron, meantime, had arrived
and been admitted to Mrs. Hurlev's
room. The doctor refused to go to Can't.
Rayner's, even when a messenger came
from Mrs. Ravnrr herself lie referred
her to his assistant, Dir. Grimes. Havne
had rcgained Consciousness, but was
sOrcly shaken. lie had been foorod bv
a blow from the butt Of a musl,et. but
the report that he was shot proved hap
PLY untrue. His right hand still Law
near the hilt of lis light sword; there
was little question that he had raised his
weapon against Il superior officer. and
would have used it with telling effect.
Few people slept that night along off
GERS row. Never had Warrener heard
of such excitement. Buxton knew not
what to do. lie paced the floor in agony
of mind, for he well understood that
there was no Sinking the response
bility. From beginning to end lie was
the cause Of the whole catastrophe. He
had gone so far as to order hi, corporal
to fire, and he knew it could be proved
against him. Thank God, the rorplcxod
corporal had shot high, and the other
men, barring the one who had saved
Rayncr from a furious luncc Of the lieu
tenants sword, had used their weapons
as giugerlv and reluctantly rs possible
At the very least, he knew, an investiga-
ton and fearful scandal must come of it.
Night though it was, he sent for the act
ing ad jutant and several of his brother
captains. and, setting refreshments he
fore them, bcsourht their advice He
was still commanding officer de iure, but
he had lost all stomach for its functions.
lie would have been glad to send for
Blake and beg his pardon for submitting
u his insubOrdinate and abusive lam
guage, if that course could have stopped
inquiry; but he we'll knew that the whole
thing would be noised abroad in less than
no time
At first he thought to give orders
against the telegraph operators sending
any messages concerning the matter; hut
that would have been only temporary
hinierance: he could not control the in
struments and operators i'll town. only
three miles away. He almost wished ne
had been knocked down. shot or stabbed
in the melee; but he had kept in the rear
when the skirmish began, and Rayner
and the corporal were the sufferers.
They had been knocked "cndwise" hv
Mr.. Hurey's praCticcd fists after Havne
was struck down by the corporal's mus
kct. 1t was the universal sentiment
among the officers of the til as thew
scattered to their homes that Buxton had
wound himself up this time, anyhow"
and no one had any sympathy for him
not one The very best light in which he
/ could tell the story only showed the af-
fair as a fragrant and incXcusable out
rage.
/ Capt. Rayner. too. was in fearful
J
but all the old story of his persecution
of IIayne would now be revived; all men
would see in his participation in the af-
/ fair only additional reason to aiiudge
/ him cruelty persistent in his hatred Of
the young officer, and, in view of the
utter ruthleSsness and wrong of this as
sault, would be more than ever confident
Of the falsity of his position in the orig
inal case As he was slowly led uD
stairs to his room and his fearful wife
and silent sister-in-law bathed and
clcansed his wound, hn saw with fright
full clearness how the crush of circum-
stances was now upon MIN and his good
name. Great heaven how those words
Of Haynes five year, .eiore rang, throh-
bed, burned, beat i.,.e trip hammers
through his whiring brain. 1t seemed
as though they followed him and his
fortunes like a curse. He sat silent,
stunned, awe stricken at the force Of the
calamity that had beiaIien him.
How could he ever induce an officer
and a gentleman to believe that he was
no instigator in this matter:-that it was
all BuXton's doing, BuXton's low imagi-
nation that had conceived the possibility
Of such crime on the part Of Mr.. Hayne,
and BuXton's numbering. bull headed
abuse of authority that had capped the
fatal climax; 1t was some time before
his wife could get him to speak ut all.
She was Historically bcmOanlng the late
that had brought them into contact with
such people and from time 10 time
giving vent to the comforting assertion
that never had there been cloud on
their domestic or reSimental Sky until
that wretch had been assigned to the
Rihers. She knew from the hurried and
guarded explanations of Dr. Grimes and
one or two young officers who helped
Rayner home that the fracas had oc-
CURED at Mr.. Hayne shat there had
been a mistake for which her husband was
not responsible, but that Capt. Buxton
was entirely to blame. But her husbands
ashen face told her a story of something
far deeper; she knew that now he was
involved in fearful trouble, and, what
ever may have been her inn0rmOst