The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-09-25
CHAPTER VII.

within the fortnight came poor Ned
Lawrence back to Worth, and men who
rode far out on the Crockett trail 10
meet the stage marveled 1T the change
three months had made in him. He had
grown ten years older aud was wrinkled
and gray. Winn was of the party, and
Winn, VINO a month gone by was look
ing baggard, nervous, miserable, now
rode buoyantly, with almost hopeful
eyes and certainly better color than he
had had for months, despite the fact
that he had lost both flesh and color
during his illness. Something had hap
pened to Tighten his load of dread and
care. Something must have happened
to enable Lawrence To take that long.
long journey back to Texas Fort Worth
indulged in all manner of theories as to
where tho money was coming from,
and Barclay of course was suspected,
even interrogated. The frankest man in
some respects that ever lived, Captain
Galbraith Barclay was reticent as q
clam when he saw fit to keep silent.
and men found it useless Co question or
women to hint. AS for Winn, he had
but one classmate ut the post, Brayton,
who had never been one of his intimates
at the Point, and being rather, as was
said. of the "high and mighty" re-
served and distant aOrt with the subal-
terms he found at Worth on joining
three winters before; Winn had never
been popular. Lawrence was mis- one in
innate, despite the disparity in years.
And so no man verkured to ask by what
means he expected, TO meet the demands
thus made upon him. The board Of sur
vey ordered to determine the amount Of
the loss and fix the responsibility had
no alternative. Winn and his few
friends made hard fight, setting forth
the facts that the count had been made
every month as naquired by orders and
regulations. and that except by burst
ing open every bale, box and barrel and
sitting over the contents it would have
been impossible to detect Marsden' 8
methods. On some things the board was
disposed to dare regulations and raps on
the knuckles and to let Winn of on
several others, but what was the use,
"the proceedings would only be sent
back for reconsideration, said their
president, and as it transpired that
Winn had not exercised due vigilance,
| out ndQ VEuSCeu almost cntlrely 70 DIS
sergeant, they decided TO cut the Gordian
knot by saddling the young officer with
the entire responsibility, which meant
sooner or later a stoppage of nearly
1000 Of his pay.
It is sad yet time honored commen-
tary at the expense Of human nature
that the contemplation of the misfor.
tunes of our fellow men is not always a
source of unalloyed sorrow. There was
genuine and general sympathy for Law
renee, because he had been poor and
pinched and humbled for years, had
worn shabby clothes and had sought al
possible field duty, where ''deeds, not
duds, as q garrison wit expressed it.
seemed to make the man. He had frank
Iy spoken Of his traits and worries &C
such as spoke to him in friendship,
and this, with his deep and tender
love for his children and his capital
record as n scout leader, had won ovel
to him all the men who at one time
were envious and jealous and had cher
ished the line mans prejudice against
= the fellow whose le6ties for yeArf hsd
Il 81 u. It-