The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-10-05
CHAPTER ".

self in a 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 declamatory.
Now he had settled down into very
different frame of mind. He seemed
awed, stunned, crushed. He had all the
bearing and mien of one who, having
defiantly 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 his soul that
those who called him cynical, grabbed,
unjust, even malicious, would now be
compelled to admit he was right i'll his
estimate. Like the best of us, Chester
could not ordinarily say ''Vado retro"
to the temptation to think, if not to
say, Didn't / tell you SOP" when in
everyday affairs his oft disputed views
were proved well founded. But in the
face of such catastrophe as now APP
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 purposely sent
his guards to search along the cliff in
the opposite direction, while he 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
it 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 thorough soldier, n strong, self
reliant, courageous man, and one for
whom Chester had ever felt warm
esteem. Armitage was OH 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 in the distant east.
1t was to his company that Jerrold had
been promoted, and there was friction
from the very week that the handsome
snbaltern joined.
Armitage had long before taken his
measure and was in no wise pleased
that so lukewarm soldier should have
come to him as senior subaltern. They
had very plain talk, for Armitage
was straightforward as 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
:iety was allowed to form it's own con,
illusions and did to the effect thaa
Mr. Jerrold was wronged and per-
secuted man. 1t was just as the May
nards arrived at Sibley that Armitage
departed on his leave, and, to his I'M
speakable bliss Mr.. Jerrold succeeded
to the command of his company. This
fact, coupled with the charming rela-
tons which were straightway establish
ed with the colonel's family, placed
him in q 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 B was running down
much faster than Armitage had built it
ap, and yet no man felt like speaking Of
it to the colonel, who saw it only occa-
sionally ON dress parade. Chester had
about determined to write to Armitage
himself and suggest his speedy return
when this eventful night arrived. Now
he fully made up his mind it must be
done at once and had seated himself at
his desk when the roar of the sunrise
gun and tho blare of the bugles warned
him that reveille had come and he must
again go to his guard. Before he return
cd to his quarters another complication,
even more embarrassing, had arisen,
and the letter to Armitage 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 the roll calls. Sew
eral company officers, having made their
reports, were scurrying back to quarters
for another snooze before breakfast time
or to get their cup Of coffee before going
Al. Tkacka,. "a,