Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1899-01-26

who could do no field service was IN
charge OF supply camp for scouting
PARTIES escorts, attachments, ETC., and,
to the wrath of the regimental officers,
this veteran was relieved and Lieutenant
and Brevet Captain Nevins, by depart
ment orders, was detailed in his place
This made him independent of almost
everybody, besides placing in his hands
large quantities of commissary and
quartermaster stores, which were worth
far more to the miner, prospector and
teamster than their invoice price. Ths
stories that began to come into Yuma
and Drum barracks and other old time
stations of the "high jinks" going on
day and night at Nevins' camp, the or
ders for liquors, cigars and supplies re-
ceived at San Francisco and filled by
every stage or steamer, the lavish en-
tertainment accorded to officers of any
grade and to wayfarers with any sign
of money, the complaints of victims
who had been fleeced, the gloomy silence
OF certain fedgeling subalterns after
brief visits at Camp Ochre, as Blake
had dubbed it, all pointed significantly
to but one ccnclusion-that,s so far from
living on his pay, Nevins was gormand-
izing on that of everybody else and
doubtless raising the wind" in other
ways at the expense of Uncle Sam.
Even in Arizona in the days of the
empire it couldn't last forever Easy
come, easy go. Nevins had lavishly
spent what was SO lightly Won Tucson
and Yuma City We're within easy stage
ride; even San Francisco had twice been
found accessible. Dashing associates of
both sexes were ever at hand. The sud-
den turn of the tide came with the or
der that broke up the supply camp, re-
quired him to turn over his funds and
stores to the quartermaster at Camp
Cooke and report for duty in person at
that post
Then came the expected discovery of
grievous shortages in both funds and
property, the order for the arrest of the
delinquent officer and his trial by court
martial. Colonel Turnbull, inspector
general of the department., was hurried
out from the shores of the Pacific to sit
as one of senior members of the court
Lieutenant Loring, vainly striving along
the ella to find some resemblance be-
tween Its tracing on government map
and its meanderings through the desert,
was selected to perform the duties of
judge advocate
The court was authorized to sit with.
out regard to hours and to sift the Off
clal career Of the protege of the house
committee of military affairs without
regard to consequences when that VIOLA
tile and accused person took matters
into his own hands and between the
setting and rising Of the sun disap-
peared from the brush, canvas and
adobe shelters of old Camp Cooke and
left for parts unknown, taking with
him the best horse in the commanding
officers stable and, as genius has ever
its followers, the admiration if not the
regard of much Of the garrison.
But other followers were needed at
once. THAT man must be caught at
any cost, Loring" said the colonel.
No one begins to know the extent of
his rascalities, and you and Blake must
catch him. .
For answer the engineer took out his
watch-it was just l2:45-stepped out
into the glare of the sunshine aud gazed
to the far horizon The plain to the
east was fiat as a board for many a mile
and we'll nigh as barren. Then he
turned abruptly to Sancho Dinner
ready" he asked.
In one, two minutes, senior CAPT.
tan, responded the ranchman gravity,
comforting on the officer the brevet of
courtesy.
Out in front of the ranch the old red
stage long since faded to dun color,
stood baking in the burning rays The
mules had been taken into the corral for
water. fodder and shade The driver
was RECALLING himself within the bar. A
few loungers, smoking, but silent,
seemed DOING the noontide away Lor-
ing stepped to the side Of the vehicle and
drew forth a leather valise, swung it to
his shoulder and strobe back to where
the colonel stood bordering under the
canvas screen
Good netting power i'll that right
arm of his, muttered one of the loun