The Advocate and news., 1898-12-07
OHAPTER Vn


rode Tar out ON the Crockett trail to
meet the stage marveled at the change
three months had made in him. He had
grown ton years older and was wrinkled
and gray Winn was Of the party, and
Winn, who month gone by was look
ing haggard, nervous, miserable, now
rode buoyantly, with almost hopeful
eyes and certainly better color than he
had had for months, despite the fact
chat he had lost both flesh and color
during his illness Something had hap
pened 10 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
indnlged in all manner Of theories as to
where the money was coming from,
and Barclay Of course was suspected,
even ihterrogated The fTanksst man in
some respects chat ever lived, Captain
Galbraith Barclay was reticent as o
clam when he saw &c to keep silent,
and men found IL useless TO question or
women to hint. As for VIM, he had
but one classmste at the post, Brayton,
who had never been one Of bis intimates
&C the Point, and being rather, 90 was
aAid, Of the "high and mighty" re.
served and distant sort with the aubal-
terms he found at Worth ON joining
three winters before Winn had never
been popular. Lawrence was his one in-
timate, despite the disparity in years.
And so no man ventured 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
Che loss and fix the responsibility had
no alternative. Winn and his few
friendsqnade hard fight, setting forth
the facts that the count had been made
every month as required by ordera 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's
methods. Oh 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 40 IL tEanspired that
Wtnn had not exercised due vigilance,
hut had trusted almost entirely to his
sergeant, they decided TO cut the Gordian
kmot by saddling the young officer with
the entire responsibility, which meant
sooner or later q ssoppage Of nearly
$4,000 Of his pay.
It 10 sad yet time honored commen-
tary At the expense OF human nature
thAt che contemplation Of the miEfor.
tunes Of our fellow men is not always a
sCutCe Of unalloyed sOrTow. There was
genuine and general sympathy fox Law
fsncS. because he had BEEN poor and
pinched and humbled for years. had
worn shabby clothes and had sought all
possible fell duty, where "deeds, not
dads. as a garrison wit expressed IL,
Geslned to make the man. He had frank
Iy spoken Of his traits and worriea 10
such as spoke TO him in friendahip,
and this, with his deep and tender
love for his children and his capital
record as a scout leader, had won over
~ him all the men who at one time
were envi0us and jealous and had cher
iahed the line mans prejudice against
the fellow whose duties for years had
&0pt him ON che star. The women were
Ml with him and that meant far more
than may seem possible outside the
arnAy. There was many gentle dame
ln the old days Of adobe barracks who
eanld be an Artemisia in the cause Of
&Sr1N
Mo one knew juat whAs object Ned
Lawrence had in coming back to Dixie
EgaVY enc know he had indignantly re-