Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-05-27


'EYou mean to be courteous, sir, in
your inquiry, and for this I beg to
thank you-to renew my thanks for
your prompt service of last night. But
now may I say, once for ali, that We
need, and can accept, no further as
s1stance; and, if you are sincere inyour
desire to be courteous, you will not
again seek TO enter my door
Lambert flushed to his very browe.
1T is a more important matter than
YOU have perhaps thought, Mrs Walton,
that has made me ask TO see you. One
OF the men who broke in here last
night"
II know what you would say" she
promptly, firmly interposed, again up
lifting, with that almost imperious ges-
ture, the fragile white hand. Il am
framing letter to be delivered to your
commander upon his return tonight
upon his return" she quickly corrected
herself TT will cover the case so far
as we are concerned. Meantime I beg
to be excused from further allusion to
it" And the stately inclination With
which she accompanied the words was
unquestionably a dismissal
Lambert stood speechless one instant.
Then, simply raising his forage cap, he
whirled about and left
The boy was thinking of his own
mother when he tripped so lightly up
that worn old gravel path on his way
to inquire how he could be of service
to one whose dignity and sorrow and
suffering had SO impressed him. He had
donned his best uniform for the mis-
sion, and little dreamed how in so do
ing he had rendered himself much the
more persona non grata. He, who could
not war upon women and children un-
der any circumstances, had not begun
TO learn how bitterly the recent war
had borne upon the women of the south,
or how, even so long after, they suffered
from its effects. He had gone to o1er
the aid and protection of a loyal heart
and a strong arm, and had not realized
that it was the very last tsuccor Walton
would seek, SO long as both heart and
dfm were draped by the union blue.
Not ten minutes after his return, chs
comfited and disnayed, there rode up
the muddy, red bridlepath-for it was
little more-a broad-faced young fellow
who was attired in the clumsiest of
"store clothing" and whose lean and
Iong-necked steed looked detection it
self as his vigorous rider disInounted,
slung the reins over the gate post, and,
after one sharp and warning survey of
the silent negroes still lowering about,
swung cheerily up the walk. To him
the old doors opened wide without
summons, and eager hands were thrust
forth in welcome.
Lambert, hearing the first heavy
drops come humping on his canvas
roof, thought it was the rain that so
quickly thinned the group of darkies
on the road. He could hear the mule
hoofs sputtering away through the mud
as the rain came quicker and faster, but
not until several hours later did further
explanation dawn upon him. Then he
heard Burns and Watts III converse ton
at the first sergeant's tent.
Did you see how the niggcrs kind o
lit out when he came?" asked Burns.
81 haven't seen him around here since
August. Reckon he knows captains
away. He hates him like poison ever
since cap interfered in that row he had
with Parmelee."
Looks like pleasant enough fellow.
Id rather back him than Parrnelee my
day, IS far as looks go. What's he doing
here ?"
Hes some kin to the old lady-they're
all related hereabouts-and she's sent
for him to come, probably, after last
nights row."
"But they're talking all over the COM
pany about Murphy's yarn about
there being some relative there-some
man-last night. You heard it when
he talked to the lieutenant"
"Oh, yes" answered Burns, evasively,
II heard whot he had to say, but Riggs
shut him up short as soon as he was
sober enough to know what Murphy
was saying. Wait till Riggs tells his
side of the story to the lieutenant. Then
perhaps wen know what brought Mr..
Barton Potts over here"
Lambert was up and at the door of his
tent in a minute. Did you say that
L.
place now, sergeant?'
"Yes, SIR" answered Burns, whirling
about in the mud and promptly salut-
ing.
"Then have some man let me know
when he comes out l wish to speak
to him. And if Riggs is sober enough
now, send him here"
Presently, looking moist, blear-eyed,
and detected, the ex-trooper and ser
geant was marched up through the pat
tering rain, and, with the big drops
triclling down from the visor of his
old war-pattern forage cap, stood sui
lenly at the tent of his young COM
mander. The guarding sentry, after the
fashion prevailing among some of the
regular infantry at the time, allowed
his rifle to topple forward from the
"carTy" into the grasp of the left hand,
a foot or so in front of the right breast,
and with this well-intended effort at
the rifle salute" of the '60's, Private
Mulligan reported
Prisoner Riggs, sOrrs to spake to
the lieutenant"
It was the first time Lambert had con-
Quoted an investigation of the kind, and
he had no precedent to guide him.
Riggs" said he, Murphy tells mo
your going to town last night was at
the instance of some relative of Mrs.
Walton's, who asked you to do them
a service. Was that true2"
cit was, sir
'Then he viii doubtless be glad to
come forward and exonerate you, or at
least explain your conduct in the early
evening. Your later conduct only
court-martial can properly consider.
Where is this gentlemanP"
II don't know, sir"
"What is his name?'
"I-can't tell, sir"
"You know 1t, do you notP'
u suppose I do, sir, butt can't tell
IT."
"Ln the event of your trial he is the
only man who can help you, and the re-
port l have to make of your miscon-
duct is most serious. Drunkenness
only aggravates housebreaking and at
tempted robbery, as well as assault"
~ broke no houses, sir, and attempted