The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-03-21

stralnts SEM fur un1 engineer and re-
quiredscf him a statement as to the
truth or falsity of these allegations, and
when Loring, startled and indignant,
answered, False, of course, sir. and
demanded what further accusation there
was the chief tossed aside the paper
folder he was nervously lingering.
sprang up and began to pace the floor.
favorite method, said those who long
had known him. of working off steam
when he was much excited.
IL can't discuss this painful matter,
Mr. Loring, said he testify. you'll
have to see Colonel Strain, the adjutant
general THIS deplorable loss of Colonel
Turnbull has upset every body"
So Loring went to Colonel Strain, a
man to whom he was but slightly
known, and then it was DEVELOPED that
a young lady, wearing mourning,
very lovely girl, so every one described
her. had called no less than three times
to inquire if Mr.. Loring were not re-
turned. Once only had the general seen
her, but Strain was three times her lis
tenes, and q patient one he proved and
most assiduous friend and sympathiz-
er for several days until, as it subse
quently TRANSFERRED, in some way mat
tiers reached the ears of Mrs. Strain.
The colonel very pointedly told the
engineer lieutenant that the lady claim
ed to have received letters proving that
be was still in possession of the Nevins
Jewels while sojourning at Fort Yuma,
had endeavored to compromise the mat
ter hy the tender of a check of $500,
which in her destitute condition her
sister had felt compelled to accept until
she could have legal advice, and this,
said Colonel Strain, followed now by
the claim of this Mexican agent, ''has
created such scandal in the generals
eyes that you cannot too speedily take
steps to assure him of your innocence,
which, of course. you should have no
difficulty in doing unless, unless
and the colonel cougbed obviously
For moment Loring stood there like
one in a daze. Good God! Geraldine AL
Ign his accuserl The girl who had
Wronged him SO bitterly before! The
girl whom he had sought to aid when
he found her we'll nigh destitute!
Gradually the whole force of the situa-
ton dawned upon him. With Turnbull
dead, the captain daft and Traynor tell
ing the strange story of his (Loring's)
eagerness to examine the Escalante
packet early on the voyage, and now
declaring that he had given it into Lor-
ing's keeping, who in the name of heav-
an was left to speak for him?
LoriEg had come a stranger to this
distant station. He had chosen to be
sent at once to duty in desert land.
He was personally as little known to his
superiors here at San Francisco as
though they had never met Even aa
men began about the steamship offices
and Oh the streets and in the hotels,
whittier tho Idaho's few passengers had
| told the tale, to speak of Walter Loring
! as the man who really quelled the
panic, it not a mutiny, and saved the
lives OF score of helpless men and
women, that officer stood accused before
his comrades of the army of breach OF
, tAuoU VI AACdu 0luU6ZZl6ulcut, VI lOW
down theft and trickery, and not a man
could he name to help to prove him in
nocent,
Blake, to be sure, was at Yuma, but
what could he establish save that the
stage had been attacked, Loring left
alone, and when the cavalry returned
there lay the engineer apparently un-
conscious, the empty saddlebag beside
him? Blake had seen no robbers. Blake
suspected Sancho of every villainy, but
could convict him Of none. Traynor.
the purser, whether he believed or dis
believed his own story that he had pass
ed that packet down to Loring, could
truthfully declare that Loring Lad dis
i played most mysterious and unaccount-
able interest in it.
One talk with Pancha, it seems, had
hanished Loring S intention of contiding
aas suspicious and the whole story, in
/ lacs, TO Mr.. Traynor. And SO there was
no friend TO whom he could turn. Five
days after his arrival in San Francisco
Loring found himself facing charges of
the gravest nature, for Traynor, being
sent for, told his story to the general in
person. and Loring stood alone.