Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-12-16
TEN YEARS TRIAL
The Story of a Soldiers Struggle
BY Brigadier General Charles King
Copyright, 1901. by Charles King.
CHAPTER Xv-Continned

renew nor the officials reopen it. both
sides being content to ignore it, the
officials claiming that the hands had
sufficiently punished themselves and
The hands protesting to believe that
the road was preparing to accord them
the terms demanded. To the wrath
of Cresswell and doubtless of other
lawyers averse to all settlements out
Of court no proceedings were institut-
ed. The road dealt literally with the
families of employees who had suf-
faTed by the Sioux outbreak and had
cent i-ang.ion to the best hospital in
the state to be most skillfuIly and ten
DERBY cared for. There he pursued his
studies in the days Of his GONZALES
cence and by March was once again
at Brentwood, occupying his old room
over Crcsswell's Office and supervising
from a seat twice week the drill of
the rifles. now at last in full COM
Ealld. for the governor signed that
commission before ever the rifles got
back from the scene of their glory.
Eric was Captain Langdon now and no
Eisstake.
Mr.. Hur!cigh stopped to see him the
week lie hobbled out on crutches and
said that the read had decided to send
Netts elsewhere and to tender Lang
don his old place. Langdon said he
had no objections to their sending
Belts to Halifax if they wished, but
declined tie position.
M, ct roeo,,4 4j,o;n e,,:..-
account of that safe business, l sup.
pose" said Burieigh in lis attractive
western way.
81 resent their treatment Of me at
that time OH every account" was the
answer. "you well !.rsw that others
thul, had The combination, yet they
were retained and one Of them pro.
NOTED"
Bgrlcish WINGED. OF course he knew
1t, but Bctts was close to the manage
ment by marriage and his son a pet of
the connecting link. 1t was their story
and that OF the station master at Gun
nison that hardened the hearts Of the
management against LangdCn. Now
he would not return to their employ.
He stuc,; Eanfclly to his studies in
Cresswell's office, vas able to pitch his
crutch down cellar in April and to drill
his men in the public square under the
CLEAN of the electric lights during the
bright evenings In Nay, was at the de-
pot to see Melville and the family the
lovely June morning when they went
through CT route to the hills, and a
week later was surprised by a letter
from tho major begging that he should
come Nh for o visit, weeks rest, fish
ing and c,asnping.
There were several reasons why Lang
don disliked to go. First, there was
cat" the cavalry colonel who had
Brought him to trial at Pawnee. Cat
would be glad to see him, wrote Mel
vile, but would Langdon be glad to
see 9Cat?" No! Langdon knew he would
not. Melville didn't tell the particulars
of his conference with Cat without
whose full knowledge and consent of
course he would not ask Langdon to be
his guest, and "Cat" did not tell Melville
the real reasons Of his assent. But the
way in which his civilian guests spoke
of Largdon had set the colonel to
thinking. 1t had not previously oc-
cured to him that just as certificates
of long and faithful service in the army
are of little aid in the rush for civil
employment, SO is army condemnation
of little harm when man displays the
traits the people want. Mr.. Burleigh
lacked fiHosse and tact. He was coarse,
but farsis:.!ed and he told Cat that
the road would have given Langdon a
good salary to buy him back, but he
would not be bought. THAT fellow will
be in congress first thing they know,
and he wont be led by the nose" "Cat"
still had an eye on that longed for star,
and suppose now that Langdon should
get there and be assigned to the mill
taly committee. Just how much help
could "Cat" look for at his hands?
''Iell Melville to invite him by all
means" said Mrs. Cat. But eCat"
denurred. Why had Langdon left
Sheridan SC mysteriously Why had
the Big Horn discharged him If they
had not good reason to connect him
with the robbery of the safe? Mel
vile, with his grave, courteous smile,
promptly disposed of the first. 1t was
to spare Nelson a possible breach with
the post commander. Sharpe felt that
he ought not to allow Langdon to re-
main at the post one day after he was
able to move. first, because of the bad
blood between him and Armistead:
second, because of his anomalous posi-
ton as dismissed officer. But Sharpe
knew Nelson was impetuous of speech
and intolerant of interference. He
liked him well and thought for him
and SO chose time when Nelson had
to be at stables to send his adjutant to
Langdon to break to him, diplomatical-
~ rs possible, his desire. and Langdon
left between two bugle calls. hurt and
heartsick, but convinced that the step
was due to Nelson, If not to Sharpe.
When fairly away from Chicago and
beyond reach of Nelson's reproaches or
expostulations, Langdon had written
and given good reasons for his action
on that count at least. The Armistead