Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1899-02-09
CHAPTER v.

The suffers shack at Camp Cooke
was crowded with officers that evening,
and the episode of Nevins' address was
the talk of all tongues Certain civilians
were there. too, frequently of Sancho's
place, but they were silent, observant
and unusually abstemious. 10 say that
Nevlns had astonished every body by an
exhibition of feeling and an excess of
conscience would be putting it mildly
But the fact was indisputable. He him.
self, after adjournment, exhibited to the
lnterrogative major two long letters, re-
Gently received from San Francisco, in
graceful feminine hand and signed,
your sad but devoted wife, Naomi. .
one OF these referred to Lieutenant Lor-
ing, whom Geraldine met at West
Point and saw frequently the summer
and fall that followed his graduation.
There were members of the court who
sought to hear what Loring had to say
on the subject, but he proved unap-
proachable. All men noted the amaze
indeed, the shock-that resulted from
Nevins' public and somewhat abrupt
mention of the sisters name. The
Judge advocate sat for moment as
though stricken dumb, his eyes fixed
and staring, his face pallid, the muscles
OF his compressed lips twitching per
ceptibly, his hand olinched and bearing
hard upon the table.
There were few army women at Camp
Cooke in those days-only two or three
veteran campaigners and one misguided
bride-but had the post been full of
them there could hardly have been curl.
osity more lively than was exhibited by
most OF the court all that long after.
noon and evening. Conjecture, com,
ment and suggestion passed from lip to
lip. One or two men even went so far
as to drop in at the tent assigned to the
lonely accused, and, after expressing in.
terest and sympathy and desire to see
that he got flair play and fresh
start, they ventured to inquire if New
ms knew why Mr.. Loring had been go
much astonished, il not overcome. by
the mention of the name Of Nevins' sis
ter-in-law
Nevins didn't know, but at that mo.
ment he would have given his hopes of
mercy to find out. he was writing to
his wife when his visitors came, de-
manding explanation He could think
OF several possibilities any Of which in
his unenlightened mind might give him
a claim, even g hold. on the hitherto
intractable West Pointer. Why, why
had he not heard or dreamed before this
long trial came to it's dramatic close
that there was some strong and mystic
rious connection between him and Lor
ing, between the prosecutor and &C.
cused2 The one plausible theory was
that Loring and Geraldine were or had
been atfianced
From all his wife had told him in
their few days of moderate content and
apparent bliss he knew Geraldine to be
beautiful. gifted and attractive to any
man despite her poverty That she had
been petted and s-rnied, that she was
selfish to the core, grasping and ambi-
tious, he had never heard, yet might
have inferred from Naomi's falterlne
pleas on her sister, behalf early in the
days of their welded life In his eager.
ness to learn something of the truth he
sent messenger during the afternoon,
after the final adjournment, and begged
that Mr. Loring should come to see
him The reply was that Mr. Loring
would do 80 later Only two men sue.
ceeded in seeing Loring that afternoon
and evening-the post commander. Ma.
Jor Starke. at whose quarters he was
housed. and the veteran president Of the
court On the plea Of being very busy
writing the record of the weeks ees-
zion he had excused himself to every.
body else
There had been something of scene
before the adjournment that morning
The court was ordered to try "such
other prisoners as might properly be
brought before it, and it was under.
stood that two deserters captured at
Tucson, had announced their intention
Of pleading guilty and throwing them.
selves on the mercy Of the court. Hig-
gins had been sent to Fort Yuma 1t
would take long weeks to get the evil
dence in his case from New Orleans,
but the two victims at Cooke knew we'll
that their case was clear. There was no
use in fighting. The sooner they were
tried the shorter terms would they serve
as prisoners. Nevins finished at 10
! O'Clock. Loring's brief stupefaction was
conquered not without evident effort
Vouohsafing no response to the plea Of
the accused for mercy. he announced
that he submitted the case without re-
mark, and the president nodded to
Nevins the intimation that he might
retire. Nevins slowly gained his feet,
took q long look about the silent array,
hesitated, and then with his eyes on
Loring said:
II should like to be assured that the
Judge advocate accepts the trust 1t
will be two or three months before the
orders in my case can get back from
Washington. meantime my pay is stop
ped and has been for three months back.
MY wife must bave means to live on.
land that e all | have to offer There is
4 no other way of getting it to her that
Iconsider safe
Lorings white hand was trembling
lyisibly. but his head was bowed as
though in painful thought. The presi
dent had to speak II presume you will
mt refuaa Mr. IOriDg?''