Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-01-22

can, that | believed for a while that you
inspired the charges against him. ! know
now that you refused to press the matter,
and that-that am not to blame any one
In his deep misfortune my duty is with my
husband, and he-consented that | should
see you. Capt. Lane" she said, rising as
she spoke, do not try to spare my feelings
now. | am prepared for anything ready
to share his downfall. If you are asked as
to the contents of the note you sent him
before the fight. must you tell what they
werei Do you recall tnem%
81 must, Mrs. Noel. I remember almost
the exact words" he replied gently, sor-
rowfully.
''But that is all, is it noti You know
nothing more about the delay in reaching
your" And her eyes, piteous in entreaty,
in shame, in suffering, sought one instant
his sad face, then fell before the sorrow and
sympathy in his
For moment there was no answer. and
at last she looked up, alarmed.
MRS. Noel" he said, II could not help
IT, Twas eagerly awaiting their coming. |
saw them approach the ford and the pass
saw that there were only six Apaches to
resist them, and the next thing saw was
the retreat"
"Oh, Capt Laner' she cried, must you
testify as to this?" And her trembling
hands were clasped in misery. as there
no Wayne wayY
even if there WERE" he answered,
slowly and mournfully, "Mr. Mason's tes-
timony and that Of the men would be still
more conclusive"
Throwing herself upon the sofa, the poor
girl gave way to fit of uncomfortable
weeping; and Lane stood helplessly, miser-
ably by Once he strove TO speak. but she
could not listen. He brought her glass
of water presently and begged her to drink
| it: there was still something he had to sug
gest. She took the goblet from his hand
and looked up eagerly through her tears.
| He was thinking only Of her-for her-now.
The man who had robbed him of happi
ness of love- of wife and home and hope,
and who had done the utmost that he dared
to rob him of honor and his soldier reputa-
tion--the man now wretchedly listening
overhead TO the murmur of voices below
he forgot entirely except as the man she
loved
"Mrs Noel. your friendships friends
are most influential Can they not be tele-
graphed to that his resignation will be ten
dered2 Can they not stop the trial in that
way?"
at is hopeless IL has been tried, and re-
fused If he is found guilty there is moth
ing left-nothing left" she moaned. but
to take him back to the east with me, and
with the little we have now TO buy s,eie
quiet home in the country, where our
wretched past need not be known-where
we can be forgotten-where my poor hus
band need not have to hang his head in
shame Oh. God oh. Godl what ruined
lifel''
as there nothing can do for you, Mrs
Noeli Listen, that court cannot begin the
the case tomorrow Four members are
still to come. 1t may be two days yet
perhaps three. Perhaps Mr.. Withers and
his friends do not appreciate the danger
and have not brought pressure to bear on
the president; but-forgive me for the pain
this must give you-there are other new
charges coming from division headquarters,
that fear will harm still more. grieve
to have to tell you this. Try and make
Mr.. Withers understand. Try and get the
resignation through. If you will see Mr..
Falconer and-and the captain now, | can
get the telegraph operator"
"What charges-what new accusations
do you meant" she asked, her eyes dilating
with dread Are we not crushed enough
already Oh, forgive me, Capt Lanel |
ought not to speak bitterly, you-you have
been so good. so gentle. You, the last man
on earth from whom should seek mercy"
she broke forth impetuously: you are yet
the one to whom first appeal Oh, if after
this night never see you again, believe
that suffer, that | realize the wrong
have done. | was never worthy the faint
est atom of your regard; but there's one
thing-one thing you must hear, wrote
you fully, frankly, imploringly before
before you came-and saw Indeed, indeed
had waited days for your reply, refusing
to see him until after papa died. and then
was weak and ILL., You never read the
letter. You sent them all back unopened
cannot look in your face. 1t may have
been hard for while, but the time will
soon come when you will thank God
thank God-I proved faithless.
And then, leaving him to make his own
way from the house, she rushed sobbing
to her room. When next he saw her Reg.
nald, her brother, with Lowndes and his
fearful wife, was lifting her into the am
bulance that was to take them to the rail
way. and the doctor rode away beside
them But this was ten days after
True 20 Lanes prediction. the court met
and adjourned on the following day Col
Standard and Mai Turner telegrlphed
that they wcrc delayed en- route to the rail
way. AMI aatiiag was heard from the
other missi 2 meililers Two days more
foan'i TIE caIm IL raniaeSs but The trial
Iii ua, iv-a. There arrived on the ex
9r' f~an tlr isi. The night before all
~ r-h tar The opening session,
- .. fhe cssalry recruiting
st- ...i fyrd ;sd,...i~ wno escorted the
-. .sia.or
Cos .iu- Capt Naai had been com
i;l...asi 'ic-,ssSiJa, but he himself had
ss sa- .a 1t was Lowndes who took
t.4r res. i, 81 tie o-.ies The first meeting
% The cl@rs .yrs t. have occurred on Mon.
ass Ta,es ~ eveai.ag the judge advocate
sci; 20 The recessed o..icer copy OF the adj
ditional specifications to the cnarse 81 con
dact uuhecoinins IN officer AMI gentle
man. and notified him th1t the witnesses
had just arrived by train
At O'Clock Wednesday morning Mrs. |
I4owndes wits aroused 10y tapping at her
door, and recognized the voice OF Mrs. Noel /
calling her name HASTILY she arose and /
r.. h..r ffnrtfr,.r nor