The Advocate and news., 1898-10-26
CHAPTER I.

UAuHGO VA4O gOAOuDA AAO ANAO OAA uAAO AAV-
tered desk before him an official COM
munication just received from depart
ment headquarters, especially army
life, and more especially army life in
Texas"
Now, what are you philosophizing
About?" asked his second in command, a
burly major, glancing over the top Of
the latest home paper, three weeks old
that day.
"D'ye remember Pigott, that little
cad that was court martialed at San
Antonio in 1868 for quintuplicating his
pay accounts? He married the widow of
old Alamo Hendrix that winter. He's
worth half a million today, is running
for congress and will probably be on the
military committee next year, while
here's Lawrence, who was judge advo-
cate Of the court that tried him, gone
all to smash" And the veteran officer
commanding the --th infantry and the
big post at Fort Worth glanced warily
along into the adjoining Office, where o
clerk was asserting the papers ON the
adjutant's desk.
''It's the saddest case l ever heard
Of, " said Major Brooks, tossing aside
the Toledo Blade and tripping up over
his own, which he had thoughtfully
propped between his legs as he took his
seat and thoughtlessly ignored as he left
it, Damn that saber-and the service
generality" he growled M he recovered
his balance and tramped to the window.
"Id almost be willing to quit it as
Pigott did il I could see my way to a
moderate competence anywhere out Of
It. Lawrence was as good q soldier as
we had in the Twelfth, and yet what
can you do or say9 The misohief's
done. And, beating the DEVILS tattoo
on she window, the major stood gloom
lily gazing out over the parade.
1T isn't Lawrence himself I'm So
Orderly, shut that door," cried the
chief, whirling around in his chair,
land tell those clerks l want it kept
shut until the adjutant comes, and you
stay out on the porch. 1t isn't Law
renee I'm go sorely troubled about,
Brooks, He has ability and could pick
mp and do we'll eventually, but he's ut
terly discouraged and swamped. What's
to become, though, Of that poor child
Ada and his little boy?"
"God knows" said Brooks sadly.
"Ive got five Of my own to look after,
and you've got four. No use talking Of
adopting them, even if Lawrence would
listen, and he never would listen to
anything or anybody-they tell me,
he added after a minute reflection. II
don't know it myself. It's what Bux.
ton and Canker and some Of those fell
lows told me on the Republican last
summer. hadn't seen him since Get.
tysburg until we met here"
Buxton and Canker be--exterminat.
ed" said the colonel hotly. ''I never
met Buxton, and never want TO. AS for
Canker, by CAD, there's another absurd.
ity. They put him in the cavalry be-
cause consolidation left no room for
him with us. What do you suppose
they'll do with him in the --th?"
1.-THE Lord knows, as said before
He never rode anything but o hobby in
his life. don't wonder Lawrence
couldn't tolerate preaching from him.
But what I don't understand is who
made the allegation. What's his Of
fense? Every one knows that he's in
debt and trouble and that he's had hard
lines and nothing else ever since the
war, but the court acquitted him Of all
blame in that money business
"And now to make room for fellows
with friends at court" burst in the
colonel wrathfully. "He and other poor
devils with nothing but fighting REQ.
ord aud family 70 provide for are