Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1899-03-30

er-people who were your accusers.
The general was seated at his big
desk. He was f1anked by the adjutant
general and backed by brace of aids
Moreland, the mariner, was standing at
the table and started forward as Loring
entered as though to grasp his hand
The general still considered it essential
to observe certain air of formality in
speaking 1t was as though he had be-
gun to believe Loring an injured man.
and therefore he himself must be an ag-
grieved one, for surely the lieutenant
should have spared the general the
modification of being placed in the
wrong.
But to this tentative remark Mr.
Loring made no reply He stood calmly
before the department commander, look
ing straight into his face, but did not
open his lips
81 say, I" repeated the general in
louder tone, "the captain appears to
know and may be able to tell us some
thing about the people who were your
accusers -
Possibly, sir, said Loring. finding
that he was expected to say something
but with an indifference of manner
most culpable in one so far inferior in
rank
~ was i'll hopes, Mr.. Loring," said
the general, evidently nettled, "that
you would appreciate the evident desire
of myself and confidential officers to
see you relieved Of these-er-asper
slons. For that reason | urged Captain
Moreland to make his statement pub
lic
And still looking straight at the de-
partment commander, whose forid face
was turning purple, Loring was silent
Perhaps after month of accusation,
real or implied, on the part of the gen.
eral and the confidential officers he
found it difficult to account for the sud
den manifestation of desire to acuuit
He was thinking, too, of a tear stained
little letter that had come to him only
few days earlier-the last from Pancha
before the child was formally entered
at the school Of the good gray sisters
He was wondering if she at l6 were
really more alone in her little world
than he in the broad and liberal sphere
of soldier life. Then the sight of More
lands weather beaten face, perturbed
and aggrieved, gave him a sense of
sympathy that through all the weeks of
his virtual ostracism had been lacking.
He had other letters, too, worth more
than dollar apiece, which was what
their carriage cost him, bidding him
have no fear; documents of weight were
coming that would teach the authorities
of the Pacific coast the error of their
views and ways, but Of these he did not
care to speak. He choose to wait the
coming of the documents themselves.
The silence, however. was oppressive,
and the sailor spoke.
If the only accusers this gentleman
has are Escalantes, or associates of the
Escalantes, you'd better beg his pardon
and have done with it,, said he, and
thereby put the matter in its most luck
less way.
Angrily the general turned to the
aid -de-camp fidgeting on his left.
DO you know whether the Escalan.
ties are the sole accusers, captain?" said
he deliberately.
II regret to say that they are not, .
was the answer "And Mr. Loring has
shown strange reluctance, to put it
mildly, to meet the Others y
II have answered. once and for all,
every charge brought to my ears" said
Loring, turning on the speaker, with
eyes that blazed, and Moreand, who
had seen him cool and composed in the
face of panic, lnarveled now to note the
intensity of his emotion, for Loring was
white and trembling, though his gaze
was steady as the hand that held back
the terror stricken crew that wild night
on the waters.
perhaps you are unaware of the
more recent developments-and the
source of information, said the aid
uneasily.
II am, and l demand the right to
know or to meet both without delay