The Iola register., 1900-11-30

=
peculiar position"
For Gods sake talk like man and
not like Burleigh," broke in the old
trader, impulsively. 1--WE known you
off and on over 20 years, and you
never used TO talk in this asinine way
until you got to running with him.
Come right to the point What
crime is young Dean charged with?
Those girls of mine will have to know
1t. They will know he's in arrest.
What can / tell them?"
"Crime-ah-is hardly the word.
Folsom. There has been misunder-
standing of orders, in short, and he
was placed under arrest before-ah-
before | had been furnished with a
mass of information that should have
been sent to me before"
"Well, what fault is that of his?
See here, man, you don't mean to say
it is because he didn't get here three
days ago? That's no crime, and /
haven't knocked around with the
army the last 40 years not to know
the regulations in such matters. Do
you mean without ever hearing what
kept him and what splendid, spirited
service he rendered there along the
Laramie, that you've humiliated that
fine young fellow and put him in ar
rest?"
Pecksniff whirled around in his
chair. "Really now, Mr.. Folsom, |
can't permit you TO instruct me in my
military duties. You have no concep-
tion of the way in which I've been ig-
nored and misled in this matter.
There are collateral circumstances
brought about, er-forced on me in
fact, by injudicious friends of this
young man, and he-he must blame
them-he must blame them. not me.
Now if you'll permit me to glance
over this mass of matter, i can the
sooner do justice in the promises. "
And over his goggles the colonel
looked pleadingly up into his visitors
irate features.
"Read all you like, but be quick
about it," was the angry rejoinder. 81
want to take that boy back with me
TO town and confront him with one
of his accusers this very day 49, the
man I believe, by the ghost of jim,
Bridger, is at the bottom of the whole
business" and Folsom Topped heav-
| lily and disgustedly into n chair, at
sound of rap at the door, which
opened an inch and the adiutant's
nose became visible at the crack.
Maj. Burleigh sir, would like -tc
see YOU"
"And I'd like to see Maj Burleighn
stormed Folsom, springing to his feet
Commanding officers of the Stevens
stamp had lG terrors for him. lie
had known his man too long.
Gentlemen, gentlemen" cried Peck
sniff 81 can have no disturbance now
over this unfortunate matter. Real
ly, Mr.. Folsom, l cannot permit my
ofhce to be the scene of any-of any
But his words wandered aimlessly
away into space as he discovered ht
had no listener. Folsom, finding thai
the major had apparently changed his
mind and was not coming in, hac
changed his plan and was going out
lie overlook Burleigh on the board
walk in front and went straight tC
the point.
Mai. Burleigh, you told me a short
time ago that you had nothing to dc
with the allegations against thi!
young gentleman who was placed il
arrest here this afternoon, yet | learI
from my own daughter that yol
spoke of him to a brother officer o
his in terms of disparagement the da.
you got aboard the car at Sidney Mr.
Loomis corroboratcs ii and so doe
Miss Dean I've heard of two othe
instances of your speaking sneeringl,
of him. Now | ask you as man e
man what il is you have to tell? II,
has saved the lives of my son, hi
wife and child and the people of th'
ranch, and by the Eternal I'm hi
friend and mean TO see justice dom
lim!"
Burleigh listened with solemn fac
and with no attempt to interrupt. II
waited patiently until Folsom came T.
full stop before he spoke at all
Then his voice was eloquent of I'm
deserved rebuke-ot infinite sympathy
"Mr. Folsom" he said "it would be use
less for me TO deny that before | knew
your charming daughter or her-ah-
very interesting friend | did speak il
their presence -ah--in incautiously, per
haps. of Mr.. Dean but IL was in con
tinunnce Of conversation begun be
fore we boarded the car. and wEat
said was more i'm sorrow than in criti
ciSm. The Young gentleman had nt