The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-08

Two Of the bystanders walked up to He'd
ley and put their hands upon him, as police
men might upon prisoner. Hedey shook
them off. blind with passion.
Let any other man lay hands on me like
that" he said fiercely, land / will strike
him TO the ground. Now, SIR he added
TO the colonel, Il am here to await any
action you care to take. You have done
your best to ruin and crush me- l have
given you cause to do more mischief still
If your lust for vengeance is not glutted
YOU have chances yet of doing more to
Stake it,
The matter now is one for the civil
authorities replied the colonel. THANK
God, what has been done just now is not
the act of a British officer and a gentle
man."
Nor was your act in India twenty years
ago precisely in keeping with the character
of an officer and gentleman, of which you
seem to be so jealous answered Hedley
The colonel, pale before, turned Iivid at
this, but he managed to articulate, point
ing to the main gate of the barrack square,
Leave the precincts of the barracks or
will have you put into the road with ALI
the ignominy you deserve"
Hedley's passion hlazed afresh. ~ will
say what l said a moment ago. The first
man who lays a hand like that on me will
strike down-if 1 have to use his own
bayonet to do it,"
For Gods sake, sir" said Major Wildly,
member of the court, don't prolong this
awful scene. Think of the honor of the
regiment
| The major took the colonel off, and Whit
| tingham came up to Hedley.
Arthur" he whispered, IF you care to
keep my friendship, leave the place at once.
I will see you at my lodgings tonight; nv
wife is absent, and We'll talk things over
| Not word now-go."
Hedley obeyed and left the parade The
sentry shouldered as he passed, and looked
curiously at the downcast, man who re-
turned his last military salute instinctively.
Arthur" said Nottingham, graveIy.
when Hedley took a chair in his not too
luxurious dining room, its no good mincing
matters, what you did to-day has made your
| chance of reinstatement hopeless"
Il don't expect to wear her Majesty's uni
| form again" said Hedley. But l couldn't
keep it long, even if they gave it back to
| me; I'm a doomed man. This afternoon 1
went and got examined by a doctor, and
! what I've long suspected has come to pass
I'm a consumptive, and bad one at that"
Wilmington rose and pressed his hand in
silence.
This days work brought on internal hem
| orrhage," proceeded Hedley calmly land
| I've had fits of coughing that have nearly
wrecked me- But l will live to clear myself
from the foul stain that has been put upon
| me. God grant me that and l shall die
| content. The doctor orders me to the cape
| as the only hope-as if 1 could go to the
| cape, fixed as I'm fixed now"
But you must do as he says
II won't leave this town while I've got a
leg to stand on. I'll stay here and fight my
case till DROP
Arthur" said Nottingham, earnestly.
rising and looking closely at his friend, you
must be guided by me in this matter If
you mean to get vestige of success you
must have a stronger will than your own
and less hasty temper. Forgive my plain
| speaking; we understand each other, 1 hope
| by this time
You've always been a real friend said
Hedley, in thick tones; but even you can't
| know how I've suffered and how / suffer
still. Think of it-found guilty, and as in
| nocent as yourself"
Its a miscarriage of justice, and when
! your father reaches home from India he'll
move heaven and earth to put you right
| But he can't be here for month, and you
must make the best of things. AS to what
| you did to the colonel that may by wonder
| full good luck be overlooked. 1t seems to me
it a common assault, and if he doesn't
prosecute no steps need be taken.
IF he prosecutes I'll tell the world the real
story of his disgrace" said Hedley 81 have
the whip-hand of him now, and he fears me-
L ought never to have let ideas of honor
trouble me when a creature like him was
| concerned"
| well, WELL, urged Nottingham, pacific
ally, don't worry now, you must get to
Southport. I'll put you in good hands and
run over as often as 1 can get leave"
lyon can do no more" said Hedley, CRATE
! fully I'm in your hands; 1 should be
brute to go against your wishes
| 1t was a week after this that the Gazette
gave its message to the world concerning
| Hedley Nottingham was with him when
| he read the extract in the next days Times.
| He had known that this must come, and yet
when he saw the bold announcement he suf-
fered with a keenness that he had not felt
even when the finding of the court was first
made known to him. 1t was long before he
could compose himself to speak to Whiting
| ham.
They might have let disease and fate do
their work. Charlie he said, instead of
bringing me to this. 1 was lost before even
the court-martial sat. All men are not so
merciful as you, God help me-"
Don't trouble Arthur, you'll soon be
right with the world. Try and rest a bit
you need it, and you can't mend matters
by worrying yourself. Martin will be COM
ing soon to see you. 1 nave sent specially
for him. You remember Martin? He had a
taste of the service before resigning and be-
ginning private practice"
Il wish to heaven had sent in my papers
long ago, then 1 could never have come to
this. 1 wouldn't mind so much for myself
1 could get over the disgrace of it; but
think of the family name and fathers feel
ings. How they'll talk at him when he gets
back to England and how they'll feign pity
for him though all the time they're think
ing of the offense of which his son has been
found guilty"
The sick man raised himself in his bed and
looked earnestly at his friend. Charlie"
he said, Il tell you once again, as told the
court, that I'm not guilty. If l fell back
now and breathed my last | would say that
once more. Some day the world will know
the truth, and will see how an innocent
officer was cashiered for a crime he never
did. You don't believe I'm guilty?"