Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-08-24
CHAPTER XXI.-CoNTINuEp.

AcQula Dy noon, can you!
mot if he goes back by way of Old
Scoffer's," remarked a field officer,
thoughtfully. Fred, don't you imagine
the chief wants to smooth things a bit
before you tell Stanton all about it?"
Don't go back, Benton. Just let
him sweat. It'll make him more civil
another time" began an impetuous
comrade, but stopped short at sight
of the cloud in Benton's eyes, the anx-
ious look in the colonel's fine, clearcut,
soldierly face. 1t was the latter who
spoke again, and without interruption. |
for already he had won the faith of
even such martial iconoclasts as the
Black Hats. J This means something
more than a mere difference due to i'll
temper" said he. "You are wanted
for a purpose, Benton. It is-about
Ladue, do you think?"
Fred had already risen. 81 shouldn't
be surprised" he answered, thinking
uncontrollably of the words of his
Washington informant, God help the
man that has to bump up against Stan
ton just now"
Yet he rode back to headquarters
and, surely enough, found his chief
there, chatting and suspicious. What's
Stanton want OF you?" he blurted out.
you haven't-You didn't-make a
row about what | said Monday night,
did you? We were all cross-grained
then, and l didn't happen to think you
had to look me up and so-got lost"
Il have certainly written to a friend
at Washington asking for other duty,
sir" said Benton firmly, though his an
ger had vanished and given place
to sadness and anxiety. Il did not
get lost, however. l obeyed orders,
and under similar circumstances should
do so again."
1--WE told you I didn't understand
the matter at the time or I shouldn't
have said, perhaps, what l did" broke
in Old Scoffer, both hurt and troubled.
IF you're going to start in on your
army career with the idea that you're
never going to get hauled over the
Goals, you've mistaken your profess
SION" Scoffer knew he had been
in the wrong. He wanted to undo
the wrong. He simply didn't know
how, and Benton wouldn't help him.
And so they parted enemies, if any
thing, and, preceded by the story OF
Old Scoffer's vehement assertion, en-
larged, of course, in transit, that he
had more friends in the south than
in the army" Benton reported the
following day at the war department,
and was shown into the presence OF the
angering secretary.
For a moment each studied the other,
and the menace in Stanton's frown
reused the spirit of fight in Benton's
not too pacific temperament. VIVA
business has a man to look at me as
though he thought I ought to be hang
ed, no matter if he is war secretary
was the question uppermost in the
Badgers mind. His father, the squire
had once trounced a brother-in-law fol-
less. The bump Of characterization was
rising even before the secretary's first
question.
How came you so late, sir?"
And the bump was in his throat, as
flushing to the brows, the Badger an
swered:
Possibly because | was kept waiting
an hour outside, sir"
Stanton's veins seemed to swell Il
thrice their natural size, and his stronE
face, fringed by the iron-gray beard
turned almost purple.
"You will be wise to keep your tenn
per, young sir, if you wish to keep you
commission. You owe your escape
from rebel hands, / am told, to certail
members of DR.. Chilton's family, 0
Charlottesville"
No answer.
1T is SO. is it not?"
"One member only, SIR"
Lieut.. Ladue was your intimat
friend at home, / believe" Stahto-
was tapping the desk with a Ion
ruler-an ominous sign, said they VIII
knew him.
HE was, sir"
t WAS IL W oAuolC oSSouAAo 49, -
Chiltons you sought to shield him?"
II have had to shield him in no way
sir. He had been brought here befor
, could see him again."
Stanton actually smiled, but tn
smile was grim as any scowl.
Then it was by helping young Chi
ton. was it," And the professions
cross-examiner tapped more swift
on the table, and his eyes fairl
olazed through the spectacles.
Benton was boiling over now
II never heard until an hour az
that he had got away, sir" I'm g.
"Glad, | dare say said the seer
tary, with sarcastic force. "We hear
as much of you-and more" The
sudden as a steel trap, What did yC
do with the papers you received frol
Ladue?"
Nothing, as YETI was the unlooke
for reply.
Then you still have those papers
and Stanton seemed rising from h
chair.
Eyes, sir and Benton seemed reat
to spring TO meet him, with fight
every line Of his face.
"Here?" and Stanton had droppt
the ruler and gripped the arm Of b
chair
Here" and Benton had the ''toucl
if-you-dare' look Of a bulldog waite
Ing a bone.
"You may deliver them to Ms
Thorpe" said Stanton, as though Il
matter were settled, and the maj
accordingly, but uncertainty, advanc
a step or two. He was fifty years
age, and Benton was barely half b
$500. L,,+ az a1dnr IittIo Ii1kod ri