Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-24
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I with his statement he will explain what
! now passes your or possibly our. under
standing"
Wallis nodded his aristocratic head APP
preciatively. The other members sat ex-
pectant win you read your statement
asked the Judge advocate. and with a
graham arose. look a folded paper from
the breast OF his jacket. and in the midst
of most impressive silence began:
! Il had had no previous experience when.
Goacif1cation to the first charge. I received
Colonel, now General, Hunters personal
instructions to ride ahead. find my way to
Arlington and notify Colonel Burnside that
the division commander would be at his
camp In a few minutes and desired par
ticularly to see him. In my inexperlence L
conceived 1t my duty to ride with all rea-
sonable speed and to deliver my message
without unnecessary delay. / even imagin-
ed 1t to be the duty of officers and guards
and sentries of the army to aid a courier
going with dispatches-to expedite his eff
forts in every possible way l found. to
my surprise and presently to my distress.
that is very opposite was the rule.
found. except on the length of the Long
bridge. officers. guards and sentries sta
toned every quarter, of mile who halted
me-were slow in examining my pass-per-
sisted IN doubling and questioning after
they had examined 1T, and SO OBTAINING and
delaying me on what considered then and
consider now frivolous and trivial pre-
texts"
Bang came Stout's fist en- the rasound-
ing table top. stop that! he shouted.
MIR. Judge Advocate, you should have in
formed the prisoner that the court cannot
listen to insubordinate criticism of his su
periors-"
'Ah-but my dear colonel promptly in
terposed Major Wallis. "the-ah-prisoner
is simply stating facts-as to our system. or
lack of system, with regards to courers
and guards-facts that have most impor-
bearing q
that indeed deserve the attention of this
court on other accounts. l beg. In behalf
of my associates of this honorable court.
thet he he allowed to proceed unimpeded.
Let us not follow the example of the SEN
tries"
q dare say he got his ideas from you.
Major Wallis. 1t sounds enough like
you" began the president haplessly for,
raised In depreciation. but not so his voice
for in the same even modulated tone he
promptly spoke again:
Then l shall be compelled again. sir.
to ask that the court be cleared.
The court was cleared. everybody but
the thirteen members thereof and the judge
advocate finding way to the open air
without and the sentry supposedly in
charge of the prisoner saluted. gulped.
looked unhappily about him. and didn t
seem to know just what he ought to do
when a major of the medical staff. accom-
panied by very pretty. anxiOus-faced
backing him into corner, engaged him
In confidential inaudible conversation.
1t would have been a desperately hope
less thing for the prisoner to attempt to
escape even If he cared to do SO, which
to all. and the best of appearances. he did
not. He was looking down into the faintly
blushing face upturned to his. though the
soft eyes were frequently shrouded by their
white lids and long. sweeping lashes. He
was absorbed so Judged the sentry in
what she. the girl, was hurriedly saying.
Rex Ingraham. even while standing with
bowed head and attentive ear, found him
self going over again and again in memory,
those words Of poor VIM that had re-
vealed both his own deep sorrow and her
precious secret-that there was a reason
why this sturdy soldier could not hope to
win her heart-that there was in fact 'an-
other" Rex was wondering II she dreamed
that. only a few nights before. he had
been near enough to that Other to put
forth his hand, collar him and proclaim
him a prisoner. had not the presence of
two of his superiors-two officers Of rank
In the army of the United States-pre-
vented his uttering a word at sight of
Edouard Premier.
For some unaccountable reason. Wallis.
as a member of the court, was taking up