Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1901-02-25

word He might be only inviting repri
maDd Without word, therefore, he
faced about, went straight to the tele-
graph Office down the avenue and wired
to Washington:
Steamer sails noon Saturday; not yet re-
Eeved What Instructions
By that hour there would be no one
in the office of the chief of engineers at
Washington, but Loring addressed it
direct to the home of the assistant, upon
whose interest in the case he had reason
to rely, and then returned at once to
his desk. We're he not to be there it
would place it in the power of would
be Oppressor to say the officer designat-
ed to receive the property had called
during Office hours and could not find
Mr.. Loring And then, with such pa
thence as he could command, LOring re-
Ceived the visitors who kept dropping
in, among them the boisterous More
land, whose bay of Biscay voice had
become almost as trying to hishost as
to the other occupants of the building,
and during the long afternoon awaited
the action OF the general upon his morn
ing's letter and that Of the war depart
menu upon MS GSl6STiln.
Four o'clock came at last. Office
hours were over Neither relief nor re-
ply had reached him. He heard the
halls resounding to the footsteps of off
GERS and clerks as they closed their
doors and left the building Bidding
his assistant remain a moment, he
strobe to the farther end of the long
passage. The general was at the mo-
ment issuing from his private office.
conversing with two of his staff. The
adjutant general, a bundle of papers in
his hand, was hastily crossing the hall
toward his own office. Loring raised
his hat in grave salutation to his com
mander, who bowed with dignified re-
serve in return, and a moment later the
engineer was facing the colonel at his
desk
Colonel Strain, said he, Il have
much to do Will you name the hour
at which [ am to meet my relief?'
"Mr. Loring, said the official tart
~, when we are ready to relieve you,
the order will be issued-and not be-
fore -
Colonel Strain" answered Loring,
81 shall be at my desk all evening,
ready to receive that order. - And wheel
ing about he met the general at the
door. An open telegram was in the lat
ter's hand, a queer look on his flushed
and angry face Relieving his impatient
clerk, Loring seated himself to answer
letter, and there fell from the package
he drew from his pocket little note.
and with sudden pang of shame and
sorrow he stopped and picked it up. 1t
was only a tiny missive, only a few sad,
almost pleading words. Did he mean
to go without a word of goOdby to
Pancha? His heart reproached him as
he remem bered that this had reached
him two days before.
He was writing note to the lady
superior, telling her of his expectation
of sailing on the morrow and asking if
he might be permitted to call to say
adieu to his little friend of the ship
wreck when an orderly entered.
Colonel Strains compliments, and
he desires to see the lieutenant at once.
1t was not customary for officers to be
so summarily summoned after office
hours, but Loring went. With hand
that trembled visibly, but with every
effort to control his voice, the chief of
staff held forth a telegram and said.
"The general desires to know sir.
whether you have sent any telegram to
Washington which can account fer
this?''
Loring took it and slowly read it Di-
vested of address and signatures. it read
as follows:
The secretary of war is informed that Lieu
tenant Loring has not been relieved as direct
ed. Report reason by telegraph
Loring deliberately finished reading,
and then deliberately looked up
81 have, sir. -
''Then it is the generals order, sir, >
said the chief Of staff, 'that You go at
once to your quarters in close arrest.
To be continued.