The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1910-11-18

Il
yes, sir. and because I found complets
refutation Of the stories about the ON.
GERS. both as regarded their dealing
with the Indians and with their own
men,"
"Were there any persons with tho
command who knew you and your
missionY'
1.-TWO, sir. as 1t turned out Trooper
Cary. who enlisted at the same time
I did, and a civilian. Mr.. Lowndes.
who recognized us at Fort Frayne.
We were at college together. He and
Gary became very intimate toward tina
last. and yet i think they kept my
secret In spite of our falling out"
"Do you care to tell us why you fell
outg
81 prefer that Mr.. Lowndes should
do that. He and Cary had been chums
In college days. and. though we were
in the same society, I did not know
them then as do now"
"YOu had trouble with Sergeant
F1tzroy at first. We have heard bis
version. What is yoursT'
Rawdon's eyes never finched.
ut was partly on account Of the
lady who is now my wife and partly
on account of-money. Fitzroy Is an
out and out usurer and has a dozen
sergeants in the regiment In his debt
and under his thumb. Captain Snaf1ie,s
first sergeaDk among them"
"It's lie!" said Snafle.
"It's the TRUTH" said Riggs. "and
have other proofs. You will curb your
tongue and your temper. Captain Snat-
fle. If you please. Go on. Rawdon."
II had reason TO believe he was
squeezing DR.. Mayhem. had learned
to love Mayhew's daughter. made
DR.. Mayhem take enough to free him
self and won Fitzroy's hate on both
accounts"
"You are accused Of assaulting him
the night Of the 10th. What of thatT
81 did not even see him or speak to
him. had been In town In the after
noon arranging for our marriage. DR..
Mayhem would not hear of it until
I had got my discharge, but we had
decided to be married Saturday morn
ing and to 60 east that afternoon, as
important business called me. Mr..
Lowndes will tell you that he owed me
much money. had lost my position
as correspondent, needed the cash and
pressed him for II. He had promised
faithfully to have 1t ready. but ready
1t was not knew Of his relatives
In Massachusetts and urged him to
telegraph, but he said he could get
some of it at least at the fort. SO I
drove him and Cary out in sleigh,
left them ut the store and, circling the
fort, spent two hours with Miss May
hew, then, getting uneasy. as they
did not come, drove round back to the
store just in time to see Lieutenant
Fosters sleigh going like the wind to
town and found Rafferty, in frantic
excitement He said there was hell
to pay. The lieutenant was In arrest.
Lowndes and Cary had run away with
some of his clothes. There'd been q
shindy up the row, and just then a
soldier friend came running. Skip for
your life, Rawdon,' said he. There's
been robbery at Captain Sumter's,
and Sergeant Fitzroy swears 1t was
you and that you've struck him and
assaulted him. The colonel orders
you arrested wherever found. The
patrols are out nowp There was no
time to explain. l dashed my team to
town, caught Lowndes in cavalry over
coat and cap, the fool, and with not
cent to his name. gave Cary q note
to Miss Mayhem, which he never de-
livered. and took Lowndes with me on
No. at II 40"
"Then you were not at Captain Sum-
ter's that nightT
Nowhere near 1t, SIR"
Now, another matter" continued
Riggs-"that night at Laramie Of
which you told me. These gentlemen
will be interested"
There was nothing remarkable in
that. had heard Of the same thing be-
ing done at West Point. l heard In the
nick of time of the order to the officer
Of the day to inspect for Lieutenant
Lanier. imagined that something
very serious would happen to him.
knew he'd gone to the post with
Lowndes and why. So, with my apoi-
ogies now to the lieutenant, slipped
round to his tent and into his blan-
kets."
"Did the lieutenant know Of 1t or OF
the reasonr
Never. SO far as I know. / doubt
If he knows 1t now. Lowndes told me
the lieutenant before he entered West
Point was a member Of our fraternity.
That was enough"
And so far as am concerned" said
Riggs. that is enough. Have you
gentlemen any questions to askr'
"Not-now," answered Button slow
ly. "But l desire personally to see
the WitneSs-later."