Waterbury Democrat., 1901-06-19
CHAPTER XI.
Copyright. 1901. by Charles King.


 serve to be held in abhorrence-those who are forever saying mean things about their fellows and those forever hearing them. The first are active mis- chief makers, the second passive. The first are /generally regarded as the more dangerous and objectionable. But aS the result of some 20 years study I am constrained to believe the second the worst. The first has at least the courage of his convictions z and says what he is mean enough to think. The second lacks even that de- gree of personal pluck and, not daring to say the islander himself. gives it birth under the cloak of "I heard" How r2any of you who read have fail- ed to meet the man who draws his chair close to yours and confdentially begins: Say, what's this about Jimmy Rush? Now, was told last night by a man In position to know" etc. Ask him who the man is, and he shirks and becomes mysterious. Hes a. We'll, promised not to mention his name, but he's a gentleman. 1t was told me eonfdentially." The source is always intangible, but in nine cases out of ten you can safely bet your last dollar the informant never existed and your hopes of eternity that if he did he wasn't a gentleman. Gentlemen do. not circulate islander.
 But cads who have fallen below the plane Of their fellow men and cannot climb back seek to restore their social equilibrium by pulling others down. Captain Nathan got back to Pawnee to find himself in bad odor. Torrance, who would gladly have done soldiers duty had he been permitted, was involv- cd, through his intimacy. with Nathan, tn Eathan's growing unpopularity. Santley, who had had to serve as Ma than's adjutant, now had unjustly to shoulder a section of Nathan's obloquy. Woodrow escaped because Nathan ac- cused him of rank insubordination, and the youngster, with Rodney May and others to back him, as much as told Nathan he hoped he would prefer charges and have him tried by court martial. A most unhappy state of af- fairs was sprung on the batteries at Pawnee, and the politely yelled com passion of the cavalry was something that made the gunners swear. Two or three troops under Charming and Stry- ker had done tiptop service during the riots. Infantry from Omaha and Leav- enworfh had saved hundreds of thou sands of dollars in property and COW cred themselves with credit for cool, even tempered, forbearing but resolute work Everywhere had the regulars won unstinted praise from all law abiding citizens except that one mis- handled little battalion at Brentwood, and nothing prevented court of in- quiry but the feeling that, for the sake of the cloth, the whole thing were best ignored or forgotten. "An error of Judgment" was laid at Nathan's door, but nothing more serious. And old Cat" who secretly sympathized with Woodrow, was instructed to release the lad from arrest, with the caution to hold his tongue and temper in the future Then Melville was sent south at the urgent advice of the doctors, and by tacit consent Pawnee ceased discussion of Nathan's failure.
 But great was the glorification among the guRrdsmen of Nebraska, and wide spread was the story of MT. Langdon's prowess, and keen was the ridicule at the expense of the Brentwood rifles and the rejoicing over the triumph of the Grays- Great was the applause that greeted Langdon's soldier pupils when they bore away the prize and Langdon on their shoulders and great CT stin the grief with which, a few weeks later, it was learned that the Big Horn had held that gentleman ac- countable for the robbery of it's safe at Brentwood and discharged him from the service of the road.
 And this takes us back to "hearers' at Pawnee- sT heard" said Captain Nathan conndentially to the new post commander six months after the riots and not six days after the receipt of the latest news from Nebraska -"I heard from a source that can't be ques- toned that the real reason was that he had been peculating for months, and the robbery was to conceal his own stealings." 'T heard" whispered Tor rance in the condolences begotten of Burgundy to Major Snicker of the staff, 'sthat he had blown in over $2, GOO in bucket shop in Chicago, and de- fectives had been on to him for weeks" All manner of things detrimental to Langdon had Nathan and his few sat elites heard in the same way, and all they did hear and much more they did not was duly communicated to such as would listen, who were, fortunately, few. It was Nathan's insidious stories that turned the local shopmen against the absent and the exile and inciden- tally pretty penny for their inform ant. as the tradesmen sold their claims to him for 60 cents on the dollar, and So confessed to Melville long weeks later.
 T heard" said, Torrance, "that old Sharp ordered Langdon away from Sheridan and sent the sergeant of the guard to see him off the reservation"
 ssI heard" said Nathan, "that Dr. Ar mistead gave him warning that if be wasn't of the post before morning gun fire he'd give the whole story of his ma1treatment of his wife to the pa pers, and that's what started him."
 And now there was no Melville to stand his friend at Pawnee, for the major was summering at the seashore, slowly regaining health and strength, 1o1o Iflxa Rodnau May and W06d-