The Delta independent., 1898-10-21
CHAPTER Ill.

that gloomy month of March The news
from Washington via department head
quarters was most discouraging to Law
renee. He was both looking and doing
i'll. Il seemed to ..break him all up,
said letter from friend i'll the adju-
tant generals office. that 50 few could
b found to urge the secretary to do
something for him. What could they
dor was the answer. Admitting that
Lawrence had been grievously wronged.
"whose fault was it:'' said the secre-
tary; mot mine" He had only acted
on the information and recommendation
of officers to whom this work had been
intrusted. II they had erred. he should
have been informed Of 1t before. How
could you be informed" said the sena-
tor who had championed the poor fel-
lows cause, "when you resorted to
system that would have shamed Span
lard In the days Of the inquisition or
and the BastiLe7'' No one dreamed that
Lawrence was In danger until he was
done to death. and %. ont of money, out
of clothes. ont Of hopes, health and
courage, poor Ned was frettipg his
heart out, while tender women and
loyal friends were keeping guard over
his shabby army home and caring for
his two motherless lambs away out on
the far frontier. awaiting the day when
he should be restored to them.
II did not come, nor did Lawrence.
An old oomrads Of the Sixth corps. q
gallant volunteer brigade commander.
s,. -;r gt. M
Washington. had given him the shelter
Of his home. only too gladly keeping
him In rations and cigars, as he would
have done in clothes and pocket money.
but be shook his head at whisky. For
Tod . sake, Ned, and for your babies
sake. leave that alone. 1t can't help
you. You never were drinking man
before. Don't drink now. or your nerve
will give out utterly" This aud more
he urged aud pleaded, but Lawrence's
pride seemed crushed and his heart
broken. Legal advisers told his friends
at last that restoration was impossible.
His place was filed. He had only one
oourss left il he would listen to nothing
but restoration to the army. and that
was to acce6t second heutcnancy and
begin over again at the bottom Of the
list They broached Il to him. aud he
broke oat into wild. derisive laughter
''Good God. do you mean that . man
who hes served Is years in the army.
fought sll throught the war and served
- have served, must step down from
The squadron captaincy to ride behind
The boys Just oct of the Point? Be ranked
~,ne - .,r~ ~&o~~ l,v vv,v ovru so,, In .lavv
the next thing know! I'll see the army
In h-l nrse,.' was his furious reply.
"No, Ned, not hell, but Texas Take
It Go back to the line. and once you're
back In the army in any grade we'll
legislate you up to tho majority you de-
serve. See IL we don't"
But Lawrence had lost all faith in
promises, or In congressional action.
He turned In contempt from the propo-
sition. and in early April came the It'd
fngs to San Antonio that he was desper-
ately i'll.
Meanwhile Mr.. Hodge had lost the
prestige Of his first appearance mt
Worth and fell into the customary rut
of the subaItern. People found him as
monotonous ~ did the martyrs Of ths
upper Platte, and from having been the
most sought after of second lieutenants
- dropped back to the plane Of semi
obscurity. TLis was CALLING. Hodges
stock In trade had been the facts or IN.
bles in his possession concerning the
absent Captain Barclay, whose present
whereabouts and plans were shrouded
In mystery. A rumor came that he had
decided noe b Join at all: that he was
II Washingtou striving to arrange .
tsanAes; that his assignment to tho
EsgiDeus md 70 the post where he must
Asss ths woman who had Tilted him
for . cavalry subaltern wss something
unforeseen aud not to be tolerated The
mustes roll couldn't account for him
Other than ~ permitted to delay three
months BY special orders No. so-and-so.
war department.. A. q. o. Jan. 25.
1871. This gave Hodge unlocked for
Fe-euforcemenfa A fortnight passed in
March without . bid tn dinner any
wbese without . request for further par
sicuiars ~ to Sir Galahad. So long -
that interesting personage was expected
sny day 70 appear and answer for him
self Il bebooved Hodge TO be measurnbly
guarded in his statements, to keep with
in the limits Of his authoritiea, but ono
day there came . letter from . lsdy at
department. headquarters 70 Mrs.
Bsuuks. and before Brooks himself was
nads aware Of the contents, Inc being
~ the clabroom playing "pitch" and
sbssefoss beyond the pale q feminine
cuosidesneioa. the news was going tie
rod a the garrison