The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-01-13
Author Of 'The Luck of Roaring
Camp," Two Men of Sandy Bar" etc.
Copyright, 4ss4. by Bret Harte.)
PART III.
CHAPTER 1.


PART Ill
CHAPTER 1
1t was sunset Of rot day at Wash
tngton. Even at that hour the broad
avenues which diverged from the Capl-
toll like the rays of another sun were
fierce and glittering The sterile dis
tances between g1owe6 more cruelty
than ever, and pedestrians, keeping an
the scant shade, hesitated On the curb
stones before 'plunging into the Sahara
like waste crossings. The city seemed
deserted. Even that vast army of con-
tractors, Spectators, pIace-hunters. and
lobbyists, which hung on the heels OF
the other army and had turned this
qlacific camp of the nation into d Dat
tlefeld Of ignoble conflict and conten-
tion-more disastrous than the one TO
the south-had SUNK into their holes in
hotel back bedrooms. in shady bar
rooms or in the negro quarters Of
Georgetown, as if the majestic, white
robed goddess enthroned upon the dome
of the Capitol had at last descended
among them and was smiling 10 right
and left with the fat and flash of her
insufferable sword.
and corruption Clarence Brant stepped
from the shadow of the War Depart
menI. For the last three weeks he had
haunted its anterooms 2=ld audience
chambers, in the vain hope of righting
himself before his superiors, VINO We're
content. without formulating charges
a gainst him. to keep him in this dis
grace Of inaction and the anxiety OF
suspense. Unable to obtain the det1ils
OF the accusation. and conscious of his
own secret. ne was debarred the last re-
sort Of demanding court martial,
which he knew could only eXCnerate
him by the exposure Of the guilt of his
wife, whom ne still hoped had safely
escap ped. His division commander, in
active operations in the field, had no
time 70 help him at Washington. Ell
bowed aside by greedy contractors,
-6orestalled by selfish politicians, and
disdaining the ordinary methods Of in
fuence, ne had TO friend 10 turn to.
In his few years of campaigning he had
lost his instinct OF diplomacy without
acquiring a soldiers biuntness.
The nearly level rays of The sun
forced him at last to turn aside into
one of the openings of a large building
"a famous caraVansary of that hotel
haunted capital-and he presently found
himself in the luxurious .barrOom, fra
grant with mint and cool with ice
slabs, piled symmetrically upon its
marble counters. \ few groups OF men
We're seeking GOODNESS at small tables,
with glasses before them and palm leaf
fans in their hands. but larger and
noisier assemblage was collected before
the bar. where a man collarless, and in
his shirt sleeves, with his back to the
counter. was pretentOuSly addressing
them. Brant. VINO mad modify dropped
into q chair in the corner, after order
ing a cooling drink as an excuse for his
temporary refuge from the sitting
street, half regretted his enforced par
ticipation IN their cOnviviality. But
the sudden lowering OF the speaker 5
voice into note Of gloomy signffi-
@ance seemed familiar 10 him. He
[ glanced at him Suicllly from the shadow
D of mis- corner He was not mistaken
Y was Jim Hooker.
For the first time in his life, Brant
wished to evade him. In the days ot
4 his own prosperity his heart had a.
Always gone out toward this Cd compan-
ii lien of his hoyhood; in his present hui
Sanitation his presence Jared upon him.
die would have slipped away, but to do
50 he would have had To pass before the
counter again, and Hooker, with the
self-coasciousnes Of g. story teller, had
an eye on his audience Brant, with a
palm leaf before his face, was obliged
10 listen.
Yes. gentlemen" said Hooker. ex.
amlning his glass dramatically. when
2 mans been cooped up in a rebel pris-
on. with a death line before him thai
he's obliged to cross every time he
wants a square drink, il seems sort 81
like Z dream Of his hOyhood 10 be stand,
in here comf'ble before his liquor
alongside o white men once more. AND
when he knows he's bin put to all thai
~
another man, and the secrets of a few
high and mighty ones. it's almos
enough 20 make his liquor go agiT
him" He stopped eatricaIly, seemed
70 choke emotiOnally over his brandy
smash, but with a pause of dramati,
Determination. finally dashed it down
mo, gentlemen" he continued COON
lily, L don't say what I'm back il
Washington for-I don't say what I've
bin sayin' TO myself when I've DIN pick
ing the weevils outer my biscuits il
liboy prison-but eff You don't see somt
pretty big men in the war department
obliged to climb down in the next few
days my name amt Jim Hooker, o
Hooker, Meecham & Co, army bee
contractors, and the man who savet
the fight at Gray Oaks
The smile of satisfaction that wen
around his audience-an audie9c.
quick 10 seize the weakness of any per
formance-night have startled a van
lily less obvious than HCoker's, but :
only aroused Brant's indignation ant
pity, and made his position still NOR
iGtolerabla BIT Hooker, scornfull,
sXpectoTating a thin stream OF tobac
co juice against the spittoon, remained
for an instant gloomily silent.
Tell us about the fight again." sail
2 smiling auditor
Hooker looked around the room witt
certain dark suspiciousness, and thel
in an affected lower voice, which hi
theatrical experience made perfect!
audible, went on: 1T amt much t,
speak OF, and if it wasn't for the priu
ciple Of the thing l wouldn't be talk
In. A man who's seen Injin fightin
don't go much on this West Poin
Iightin' by rule-of-thIee-but that ain
here or there. Well, I'd been out
scOutin'-iuSt TO help the boys along
and 1 was sittin' in my wagon abou
daybreak, when along comes a brig
adler general, and he looks into tn
wagon flap. l oughter tell you first
gentlemen. that every mint he wa
expectin' an attack-but he didn't le
on a. h Of it to me- How are you
Jim% Sd s he. How are you, gener
alp says Would you mind lendin,
ME your coat and hat?' says ne. Tv
got a little game here with our pick
cts, and I don't want 10 be recognized.
Anything TO oblige, general says !
and with that I strips off my coat anc
hat, and he peels and puts them on
Nearly the same figure, Jim he saws
loohin' at me; suppose you Just try an
my things and See With that h.
fands me his coat-full uuiforrn-Nitl
The little gold cords and faces and tn