The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-03-15

III oliiCer sIood so nigh as to be above
suspicion, none so impregnable that.
Judlciously handled, a court could not
down him. Il consider it my bounden
duty" he had once said, s'to convict an
officer If possibly can" And while in
ms regard an acquittal might temporari-
ly and partially vindicate the party ac-
cused. it must forever blight the fair
fame of the judge advocate who tried
the case
Some years of rubbing had so far mod
lied his original views as to teach him
that until charges were actuallv nra-
TERED 1t was not well to look upon any
Oh his new associates as actually and ab.
so1utely attainted; but once that formal
lty had been accomplished, prima facie
evidence of guilt was firmly established
and only with reluctance and inward #
not active, rebellion could he bring him
self to accept Il verdict otherwise. Pro-
ceedings of courts which convicted he
SKINNED through with lenient eve.
there could be no error there: but when
as was his invariable custom. ne GLANCED
at the findings before beginning the re-
view, and there discovered the unwel-
come words mot guilty" no vigilance
could exceed that with which he scruti-
nlzed every line of the record, hopinp
anywhere to light upon flaw. Friends
In the service at large he neither soupbt
nor made. Secure in his position. abste-
mious, frugal and even niggardly. he had
no small vices on which to trip. Life TO
him was one long contemplation of the
failings Of his fellow men.
And this was the gentleman who
being on some temporary investigation
within the lines Of the department. had
received telegraphic orders to proceed at
once to Ryan and look into the matters
thus loudly heralded by the press.
Standing not upon the order of his ro-
ing, he had taken the first train and
reached the post at 1ightfall, eager to
begin. 1t was a source of positive dis
comfort to him to find that he was ex-
pected by the post commander to dine at
Capt. Lanes: but his uneasiness was in
no wise due to the lack of proper ar-
parel. The colonel and the other officers
were IN full uniform, as was army Gus
tom then. before d 1nerciful and level
headed general authorized the wearing
OF civilian evening dress on such occa-
slons. But Col. Lawler was quite aft
ease IN travelling suit of rusty tweeds.
Morris had offered the colonel the use of
his own dress suit, and in fact had
rather urged it as due to Mrs. Lane, but
Lawler promptly replied that Mrs. Lane
must have known when she asked him
that he did not travel around on military
duty with spike tailed coat. and de-
clared that he thought it all unneces-
sary. Spike tailed coats are TOO high
toned for me, anyhow. I never see 4
man in one but what he reminds me of
some butler I've seen in Washington
Morris said no more, but Hrs. Morris
had looked volumes, and it was very rue
fully indeed that the colonel presented
his visitor to their gracious hostess.
Dinner was announced almost immedi-
ately, and ignoring for the time being
the young lady whom he had taken in
on his arm LAWYER sat for some minutes
looking in no little surprise about him.
The sight of so much elegance at front
Ter table could only convey to his mind
the vague impression of peculation in
the past. He WAS surprised to find that
Lane could have had no connection what
ever with cotton cases" during the war.
And now was this young girl with the
big dark eyes, looking so frankly yet
scrutinizingly up into his face, quizzins
him: The fact that for nearly quarter
of century he had been a commissioned
officer and was now high in rank. if not
III public esteem. had given him a GER
tain self confidence of manner, and the
Of being the custodian of
d host of official secrets added to his
sense Of self importance. Yet small and
suspicious by nature he WIS forever look
ing Tor some covert xidicule. He had
come 70 the board q total stranger to
Capt. and Mrs. Lane. yet lie felt GER
tain sense Of superiority to them be-
cause he could, were he so disposed, tell
that young matron host Of ugly things
about her first husband.
Of Lane himself ho knew little or
nothing beyond the fact that the pro-
acedings OF courts martial of which he
had served as judge advocate were al
ways correct. That ne was known in
the fighting force of the army as a brill
liant and gallant soldier. who had been
through many q hard campaign and had
twice or thrice been wounded. was of no
avail in LAWYERS eyes. That might be
very proper thing in its way, but did
not interest him. Just now he was cast
ing up in his mind the probable cost Of
the dainty feast and wondering what
means Lane had outside his pay. Miss
Marshall, being from Cincinnati. would
doubtless know something, and he pro-
posed to put her ON the witness stand
but, lawyer like, to lead up
to the matter by adroit circumlocution.
Yet at tho first clamsily essayeI compli-
ment she had looked up into his face.
merry light in her big, dark, scrutiniz-
ing eyes, and he became instantly sus-
pic-ous that she was quizzing him.
Lawler REDEEMED at the very thought
you seem to have a very correct appre-
citation Of the legal profession" he said,
however, with an effort at gallant bow.
Most young women. [ fancy, are far
more partial to that OF soldier, for in
stance"
'MosG women, you know, admire cour-
age aud truth and straightforwardness,
colonel"
And you mean that these are more
frequent in the arny--that is, among
5ha-the officers of the line-than in the