Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-15

eirl the department commander himself
had gone 10 take a look at his nov r,spaas. q
5uities in Hawaii. little Mrs Garrison sll
held court, though with diminished ret,nUo.
az the Preside, when one day. just as O.'1-
Der was ushered in. there came q message
from the adjltant general in ;ovu. Would
Armstrong drop in al the office a, the Grs.
opportunity? A matter o: some Importance
had come UP IN the generals first letter
from Honolulu. one on which Armstrong IS
opinion was desired, and the colonel. hoping
. Tor things OF a chance to move even that
FAR to the front. made immediate opportunity
and took The first car for the Pbelan building.
The alju;ant general looked up from a li-
tered desk as Armstrong entered.
1t Is good OF you TO come so promptly
said he. I'm in a stew, to tell the truth,
and / want your advice" Then he tapped
his bell. Excuse me to any one who comes
for the next ten minutes said he 90 the at
teudaut who entered. Il have business with
Colonel Armstrong"
/ No sooner did the orderly vanish than the
man o, the desk whlred on The man o. the
saddle. Armstrong" said he, you de-
Tended Gray and proved him innocent. What
else has Cauker against him.
Nothing that l know of-why7"
Because he's got him TO arrest again at
| Honolulu, and the chief is worked up over
/ something. Look hcre-do you suppose-lii
you ever hear about certain letters tha.
were stolen from General Drayton's tent2"
Il heard-yes Why" And the look Of
disappointment which had appeared in the
grave face Of the colonel gave way to one
Of alert interest.
"Just read that" said the stan official
holding forth a letter Begin there at
Later"
And Armstrong read, his forehead slowly
growing into something like a frown.
Later. l may have to remain here sew
eral days. Canker with the -teenth. went
ahead before news of the protocol could
stop him, but he leaves here a number OF
sick-Lieutenant Gray, charged with using
threatening and insubordinate language to
his commanding officer, among them; and
Gray is down with brain fever The doctors
say he is too III to be disturbed, and his
side OF the story is hard to get at, as the
boy is too fighty to talk sense. From
Canker's own admission l learned that he
accused Gray of having knowledge Of the
Whereabouts OF that packet of letters stolen
from General Drayton's tent, and the young
ster's reply was furious. Canker had TO
place him in arrest and prefer charges.
When asked IL he was sure of his ground
in making so serious an accusation. he de-
Clared he had proof positive, at least he
would have the instant they reached Manila
and his intention was TO take the boy along
with him to be tried there by Court-martial,
where mo meddling outsiders" as he said,
could buy off witnesses. 1t was plain that
he considered himself out of my jurisdstion,
and that he resented my staff officers ques-
tions. But DR.. Morrow had appealed TO
me in behalf of Gray. Said that II compelled
10 continue prisoner aboard that transport
under Canker's tyranniCal rule Gray might
be goaded into insanity. He was in a Condi-
tion bordering on brain fever when Morrow
came to see me, and in another day was
raving. That settled it. l ordered him
taken off and placed in hospital here, and
Canker had to go without him. But wish
you would see Armstrong and tell him about
Gray. so that I may know the whole situa-
ton as soon as l return. Canker evidently
intended not to let US know his proofs. He
probably believes that he will find a more
credulous and complaisant listener in Dray-
ton but his insinuations pointed to Gray as
at least an abettor in the theft, and he went
so far as to say that If Armstrong could be
brought before the court some very interest
ing testimony could be dragged from him,
and, finally, that both Armstrong and Mrs.
ready well on the way to Manila-might be
compelled to testify. I cannot bring myself
to repeat more that he said, but he iii an
ugly and almost defiant mood, and had 10
give him dressing down. You may say to
Armstrong for me that | do not believe one
word of Cankers Calumny at his expense or
that OF the lady in the case But he de-
clared his intention OF laying the whole
matter before General Drayton Immediately
1.
should be prepared. AS Tor the lady, Canker
said she and Armstrong We're very close
friends when they were at Fort Stanhope
ten years ago. though they no longer meet
as such.
"And that brings me TO another matter. I
declined positively to allow two or three
women, wives of officers to go on to Manila
with Canker's command, and they said that
as l had promised Mrs. Garrison a passage
I had no right to refuse them Pressed for
their authority, two very estlmable women
told me that, at the Preside two days before
We sailed, Mrs. Garrison openly boasted OF
having my promise to send her on the very
next steamer. Now, who is really the fabrl-
Gator? / told her positively that, with my
consent she should not go and she laughed
delghtedly and said she only asked as a
matter OF form-the whole thing had already
been settled. Just see to 1t that II any more
transports start before my return no woman
is permitted aboard except, OF course, au-
thorzed nurses. Gray is a very sick boy to-
night but you might wire his father, saying
nothing Of the arrest, that the doctors are
confident of his recovery in course Of time"
Armstrong read these pages twice over be-
fore he looked up.
How did this letter Gomez" he asked
"By the Salvador yesterday"
And the next mail for Honolulu"
queried Armstrong, rising from his chair
and handing back the folded letter.
"The next mail closed an hour ago, man.
The China sails at 2, No other boat for
week. Where are you going now?"
"To camp for ten minutes, then to the
Presidio."
"Oh, come over to the club and have a
bite irst?" said the adjutant general rising
and wrigglng out OF his uniform coat as he
did So ~ won't keep you half an hour"
That half-hour may prove precious" an
swered Armstrong, already at the door.
Many thanks, all the same"
well Hold on. What am | to saw IN
the general as to Gray and those letters %
asked the staff officer, intent upon the sub