Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-03-04

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II trust yOU 1riU not make it necessary
for me to be more imperdtirc."
The afternoon was lovely and full of
sunshine. Thanks to the startling and
sensational disclosures in The Palladium,
Che post had become an object of unusual
interest to the surrounding populace, and,
as the hour for dress parade approached,
vehicles Of every description came stream
ing across the bridge, and before the
trumpet sounded first CALI the road in
front of the officers quarters was we'll
filled with carriages, buggies, carryalls
and light wagons, while some enterpris-
ing livery stable keeper had fitted up a
few open stages and placarded them with
inscriptions setting forth that ITO the
fort and back only a quarter, was lux
ury now within the reach of everybody.
The populace was beginning to gather
as the cavalry officers came Sauntering
back from the stables, and Mr. Abrams,
of Chicago, again alighted from his bug
gy with an air that fully conveyed his
appreciation of the fact that he was the
popular hero of the moment-the daring
Journalist who had bearded the lion in
his den, had publicly denounced the
brutality of these arrogant wearers of
straps a2a swords, and had even brought
to the bar of justice one of their num-
Der. There was the utmost curiosity to
see the representative of The Palladium,
and that eminent journalist. true to his
principles of conforming with the views
and wishes of the public, graciously ac-
corded every opportunity.
1t was in passing this gentleman, sur
rounded by a gaping party of Central
citizens. that the colonel somewhat os-
tentatiousiv called ont. Orderly. give
my compliments to the adiutant. and
say that, in view of the presence of so
many gentlemen and ladies from town.
| desire him to have the band ordered
out at once" and went on his wav
amid sucn audible evidences of popular
approval as "Ah, that's businessw
Amt he Jim Dandy?" That's my
candidate for brigadier.' He amt no
stuck up second lieutenant" And the
poor devils Of handsmen, just seating
themselves at their supper of hot potato
stew and coffee. were compelled to drop
the savory bowls, and hastily button
their full uniforms over their anything
but full stomachS and march forth upon
the parade to entertain the populace
until the rest of the show was ready.
If but now an apoplectic stroke were to
create vacancy among the brigadiers,
Morriss star might indeed be in the
ascendant
1t had been the custom of the ladies at
Capt. Lanes to appear ON the piazza
about the time that the officers came up
from evening stables, and, REINFORCED by
the Whartons. next door, and sometimes
by other fair ones, to serve 4 fragrant
cup of tea to such of their regimental
friends as had time to drop in. Today.
too, the coy little tables had been set
upon the veranda. but the close prox-
unity of the southwest gate, through
which all the teams came driving in, and
the rude stares of the occupants of the
various vehicles speedily drove the ladies
away; and Sam Ling, the Chinaman, an
old retainer of Lanes, was busily carry
ing the pretty china within doors again
and lamenting in voluble '"pidgin" the
coating of dust which had been received.
when the captain walked by with Hearn
at his side. In vain Mrs. Lane called to
him from the doorway to brina in any
one who would come. He shook his head
and walked on, talking gravely and
earnestly with his younger friend.
Miss Marshall, standing at the win
dow. noted the inexpressible sadness and
distress in Hearn's once buoyant. hand
some face. He had grown years older
In one day, she thought; all the color
had fled from his sun tanned cheeks and
the light from his brave blue eyes; yet
there was a CLEAN in them. as he bent
his head to talk with his friend, the cap
tain, that spoke of the srnouldering fire
within. She had thought him grossly
wronged in the occurrences of the pre-
vious day, but it was the coming of The
Palladium on the noon train that capped
the climax. Omitting all the ingenious
and alluring head lines, condensing the
sensational details in which the CORE
spondent had worked up the case, Lieut..
Hearn stood accused before the whole
United States of having forcibly elected
from the reservation a highly respecta-
BILE business man who had vainly i'm
portuned him to pay the sum he for
years had owed the estate of the former
post trader. ''most of it borrowed money
to help him out of gambling scrapes, /"
and had at last ventured to press his
claim in person, only to be met with
outrage and insult. There could be no
doubt of the truth, said the correspond
emit; the books were open to the whole