The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-07-23
CHAPTER ".

threw Off his sword belt and seated him
self in big easy chair before his fire.
place, deep in thought. Once or twice
he arose and paced restlessly up and
down the room, as he had done in his
excited talk with Rollins some few
hours before. Then he was simply angry
and argumentative or decamatory,
Now he had settled down into very
different frame of mind. He seemed
awed, stunned, crushed. He had all the
bearing and mien of ono who, having
defantly predicted calamity, was
thunderstruck by the verifcation of his
prophecy.
In all his determined arraignment Of
Mr.. Jerrold in all the harsh things he
had said and thought Of him, he had
never imagined any such depth Of
scoundrelism as the revelations of the
night foreshadowed. Chester differed
from many of his brotherhood. There
was no room for rejoicing in his heart
that the worst he had ever said Of Jer-
rold was unequal to the apparent truth.
He took no comfort to MS soul that
those who called him cynical, Grabbed,
unjust even malicious would now be
compelled to admit he was right in his
estimate. Like the best Of us, Chester
could not ordinarily say wade retro"
to the temptation to think, if not to
say, Didn't l tell you so?" when in
everyday affairs his oft disputed views
were proved we'll founded. But in the
face of sucha catastrophe as now ap-
peared engulfng the fair fame Of his
regiment and the honor Of those whom
his colonel held dear, Chester could feel
only dismay and grief. What was his
duty in the light of the discoveries he
had made? To the best Of his belief, he
was the only man in the garrison who
had evidence of Jerrold's absence from
his own quarters and Of the presence of
some one at her window. He had taken
prompt measures to prevent its being
suspected by others. He purposoly sent
his guards to search along the cliff in
the opposite direction, while be went to
Jerrold's room and thence back to re-
move the telltale ladder Should he tell =,
any one until he had confronted Jerrold
with the evidence of his guilt, and
wringing from him his resignation send
him far from the post before handing
1t in? Time and again he wished Frank
Armitage were here. The youngest cap
tain in the regiment, Armitage had
been for years its adjutant and deep in
the confidence Of Colonel Maynard. He
was q thorough soldier, strong, self
reliant, courageous man, and one for
whom Chester had ever felt warm
esteem. Armitage was on leave of alb
sence, however-had been away some
time on account of family matters and
would not return, it was known, until
he had effected the removal of his moth
er and sister to the new home he had
purchased for them III the distant east
1t was to his company that Jerrold had
been promoted, and there was friction
from the very week that the handsome
subaltern joined.
Armitage had long before taken his
measure" and was in no wise pleased
that SO lukewarm a soldier should have
come to him as senior subaltern They
had a very plain talk, for Armitage
was straightforward as a dart, and then,
as Jerrold showed occasional lapses. the
captain shut down ON some of his most
cherished privileges, and, to the indig-
nation Of society, the failure Of Mr.. Jer-
rold to appear at one or two gatherings
where he was confidently expected was
speedily laid at his captains door. The
recent death of his father kept Armitage
from appearing in public, and, as neither
he nor the major (who commanded the
regiment while Maynard was abroad)
vouchsafed the faintest explanation, So
ciety was allowed to form its own con-
illusions and did to the effect that
Mr.. Jerrold was wSonged and per.
secuted man. 1t wa; Sust as the May.
nards arrived at Sibley that Armitagc
departed ON his leave, and, to his un-
speakable bliss, Mr.. Jerrold succeeded
to the command of his company. This
fact, coupled with the charming rela-
tions which were straightway establish
ed with the colonel's family, placed
him in position of independence and
gave him opportunities he had never
known before 1t was speedily evident
that he was neglecting his military du-
ties, that Company 3 was running down
much faster than Armjtage had built it
mp, and yet no man felt like speaking of
Tito the colonel, who saw it only ocoa-
sionally on dress parade Chester had
about determined to write to Armitage
himself and suggest his speedy return
when this cventful night arrived Now
ho fully made up his mind it must be
done at once and had seated himself at
his desk when the roar of the sunrise
gnn and the blare Of the bugles warned
him that reveille had come and he must
again 60 to his guard. Before he return
ed to his quarters another complication,
even more embarrassing, had arisen,
and the letter to Arnitage was post
poned..
He had received the present" of his
guard and verified the presence Of all his
prisoners when he saw Major Sloat
still standing out in the middle Of the
parade, where the adjutant usually re-
ceived the reports Of theroll calls. Sew
eral company officers, having made their
reports, wero sourrying back to oquarters
for another snooze before breakfast time
or to get their cup of coffee before going
out TO the range Chester strolled over
toward him
Whats the matter, Sloatp"
''Nothing much. The colonel told
me to receive the reveille reports for
Hoyt this week. He's on general court
martial"
''Yes, know all that | mean, what
are you waiting for?"
''Mr. Jerrold again, There's no re-
port from his company"
A n os