The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1901-05-09

"Crime-ah--is hardly the word, |
Folsom. There has been n misundcr- |
standing of orders, In short, and he
was placed under arrest before--ah--
before I had been furnished with a
mass OF information that should have |
been sent 20 me before"
"Well, what fault is that Of his?
See here, man, you don't mean to say
Il Is because he didn't get here three
days ago? That's no crime, and i
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 whirlcd 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, enforced on me In
fact, by injudicious friends OF this
young man, and he-he must blame
them-hc must blame them, not me.
Now II you'll permit me to glance
over this mass of matter, l can the
sooner do justice In the premises"
And over his goggles the colonel
looked pleadingly up into his visitors
irate features.
"Read all you like, but he 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 nccusers this very day - the
man / 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, Mt
sound of rap at the door, which
opened an inch and the adjutart's
rose became visible at the crack.
"Maj. Burleigh, sir, would like to
see you"
"And I'd like to see Maj. Burleigh!"
storrncd Folsom, springing to his feet.
Commanding officers OF the Stevens
stamp had no terrors for him. He
had known his man too long.
"Gcntlemcn, gentlemen" cried Peck
sniff, ~ can have no disturbance now
over this unfortunate matter. Real
ly. Mr.. Folsom, / cannot permit my
office TO be the scene of any-of any
But his words wandered aimlessly
away into space as he discovered he
had no listener. Folsom, finding that
the major had apparently changed his
mind and was not coming in, had
changed his plan and was going out
He overlook Burlcigh on the board
walk in front and went straight te
the point.
"Maj. Burleigh, you told me short
time ago that you had nothing to dc
with the allegations against this
Young gentleman who was placed II
arrest here this afternoon, yet learr
from my own daughter that yo.
spcke of him to n brother officer o.
his in terms of disparagement the dni
you got aboard the car Mt Sidney. Mr
LOOMS corroborates 1t and SO doe'
Miss Dean. I've heard of two othei
instances OF your speaking sneeringl,
of him. Now I ask you as man t.
man what II Is you have to tell? III
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
him!"
Burleigh listened with solemn fac
,, and with no attempt to interrupt. Ill
waited patiently until Folsom came I,
a full stop before he spoke Mt all
Then his voice was eloquent OF un
deserved rebuke--of infinite sympathy
,, "Mr. Folsom" he said, lit would be use
less for me to deny that before knew
your charming daughter or her-ah-
very interesting friend l did speak II
their presence-ah-incautiously' ~ per
haps, OF Mr.. Dean, but II was In con
: tinuance OF n conversation begun be
fore we boarded the car, and what
said was more in sorrow than in criti
cism. The young gentleman had Mt
! tracted my attention-my favorable
ah--opinion on the trip to the Bi
Horn, and I was-ah-simply disaT
pointed In his conduct on the way back
! 1t was perhaps due to-ah-inexperl
! ence only, and my whole object In CON
ing here In haste this afternoon wa
: to bear testimony to his ability an
! zeal as troop commander, and to urg
E -ah-Col. Stevens to reconsider his nc
tion and restore him at once to duty
I had hoped, sir, TO be here-ah-ahea
: of YOU and to have driven him In IN
4 buggy-ah-to meet you, but am dis
appointed,-I am disappointed in NOR
ways than one.'
Folsom stood and wiped his stream
7 ing face and looked the speaker squar
' in the eye, and Burleigh stood tn
: scrutiny with unlooked-for nerve
? Long years at the poker-table ha
given him command of his features
! and the faculty OF appearing the pei
v soniiication of serene confidence In hi
g hand" when the twitching Of nery
c might cost thousand dollars. FolsoI
3 was no match for him in such gam'
! Little by little the anger and susplcio
= faded from his cycs, and n shnme-face
{ look crcpt into them. Had he reall
c so misjudged, so wronged this gentle
Z man? Certainly there was every al
pearance of genuine sympathy an
feeling in Burlcigh's benevolent fei
lures. Certainly he was here almost q
soon az he himself had come, and ver
q possibly for the same purpose. II wa
|, all that old fool Pecksniif's doing nftC