The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-09
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| said everybody else.
With feverish eagerness Loring awaited
| the sailing OF the next steamer. Every
item for which he stood accountable wal
! then In his office. Invoices and receipts
made out in fun. Nothing was needed bu
| the officer designated 10 relieve him. TIL,
| Columbia was 10 leave on Saturday, ant
| up 10 Thursday evening no relief had ap
| peared, Friday morning the adjutant gen
/ eral received "a written communica tior
most respectful, yet urgent in terms, re
| questing that the officer might be deslg
mated without further delay. and as nc
answer was received up TO noon Lorins
! followed IL with a personal call upon the
| chief OF STAFF, who said the general had
the matter under advisement
MY luggage goes aboard the Columbia
| tonighfs sir, and l should be aboard by
10 clock tomorrow" said Lorlng Colonel
Strain coughed dubiously
1T might be imprac ticable to relieve
you from duty so soon The general is In
communication with the war department
upon the subject. and possibly if-you-
had had the courtesy TO call upon the
general or upon me, his chief OF stan.
and 10 explain your wishes the thing
might have been arranged"
Loring flushed. He saw through the
motive at glance, and could have
found II easy 10 express his opinion in
very few words. There are times when a
man is so goaded that an outburst is the
only natural relief, but IL is none the less
fatal. There might even be method in
the colonels manner. and Loring curbed
with long practiced hand both tongue and
temper III would have been warrantable
to say that the manner OF both the gen.
eral and his chief OF staff had been too
repellant to invite calls. but he knew
that whatever the merits Of the case. su-
perior officers. like inferior papers, al
ways have the last word. He might be
only inviting reprimand. Without a word.
therefore, he faced about went straight
TO the telegraph office down the avenue
and wired TO Washington:
Steamer sails noon Saturday; not yet re-
lieved. What instructions7
BY that hour there would be no one
In the office OF the chief of engineers at
Washington, but Loring addressed IL d.
rect 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. Were he not TO be there II would
place IL In the power OF a would be op-
pressor TO say the officer designated 10
receive the property had called during Of
flee hours and could not find Mr.. Loring
And then. with such patience as he could
command, Loring received the visitors
who kept dropping In. among them the
cay voice had become almost as trying to
his host as TO the other occupants of the
building, and during the long afternoon
awaited the action OF the general upon
his mornings letter and that OF the war
department upon his telegram.
Four O'Clock came at last. Office hours
were over. Neither relief nor reply had
reached him. He heard the halls resound-
ing TO the footsteps of officers and clerks
as they closed their doors and left the
a moment. he strode to the farther END
Of the long passage. The general was
at the moment Issuing from his private
office. .conversing with two OF his stan.
in his hand, was hastily crossing the hall
toward his own office. Loring raised
his hat in grave salutatlon TO his COM
mander. who bowed with dignifed re-
serve in return. and a moment later the
engineer was facing the colonel at his
desk
to do. VIII you name the hour at which
'Mr Lorng" said the official. tartly,
when we are. ready to relieve you. the
Col. Strain. answered Loring, II
shall be at my desk all evening, ready to
receive that order And wheeling aoou,
telegram was I'm the lattcrs hand a queer
look on his flushed and angry face. Re;
lieving his impatient clerk. Loring seated
from the package ne drew from his pock-
| ct n little note, and with sudden pans
| of shame and sorrow he stopped anc
! pickedrit up. IL was only a tiny missive
only few sad. almost pleading words
| Did he mean 10 go without n word oi
| gocdby 10 Pancha7 His heart reproaohet
| him as he remembered that this hat
| reached him two days before.
! He was writing a note TO the lady su
| perior. telling her of his expectation o
| sailing on the morrow and asking IN N
! might be permitted to call to say adiei
| 10 his little frined OF the shipwreck wher
4 an orderly entered.
| Col Strains compliments, and he de
/ sires to see the lieutenant at once. i
! was-Het- customary r-e4ieeFs- to be ~
! summarily summoned after orice hours
| but Loring went With n band tina
trcmbled visibiy, but with every effort 4
| control his voice the chief OF stan hell
| forth a telegram and said, THE genera
| wishes 10 know. sir. whether you havl
| sent any telegram TO Washington which
| can account for this7"
| 1,orlng took II and slowly read It, Di
| vested OF address and signatures. IL rea'
| as follows:
! The secretary OF war Is informed tina
| Lieut.. Lorng has not been relieved as oil
| rected Report reason by telegraph.
| Loring deliberately finished reading
| and then deliberately looked up.
| II have, sir
"Then Il Is the generals order sir.
| said the chief OF stan. that you go a
| once to your quarters in close arrest"
| CTo BE continued)