The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times., 1917-11-29

tion OF buying her back within q yeah
He had then started east, too intent
upon his purpose to delay even for .
telegram from Vancouver barracks.
and never doubling that his command
Ing officer had granted him the cus-
tomary leave Of absence pending tho
acceptance Of his unconditional and
immediate resignation.
Great had been his consternatios
when, the day OF his arrl1pl In WASH
ington he had reported himself at tho
war department. Not only had leave
of absence been denied him and all
action ON his resignation been suspend
ed he had been posted for desertlon.
However. his record on the one hand.
and the indecent haste of the attack
on the other, had brought about sum-
cient Intervention by members Of the
general stan to cause several months
delay In the plan Of his enemies to
crush him. Action on the charges filed
against him by the Indian commission
ers and by his commanding officer had
been postponed from month to month.
Meantime he had been placed under
the nominal arrest of confinement to
the limits Of the District of Columbia.
which left him free to pursue the ends
for which he had come east. To his
surprise, no contest had been filed
against his mineral claim. On the con-
trnry, he had soon found himself 10.
gally entitled to assign the mine to
Marie. His carefully drawn and duly
witnessed conveyance had started west
in the next mal. Mnrlcs note of nc.
acknowledgement stated the este I'm an6
gratitude of the writer in the most
correct and conventional Of terms.
His progress toward the accomplish.
ment Of his second purpose had been
far less smooth. In fact. after months
Of persistent endeavor, he could not
be sure that he had made any prog
ress whatever. He had not been bar
red from IN inspection of the docu.
ments relating to the new treaty with
the tribe. and among them he had
found vandervyn's alleged contract. II
purported to appoint the young man
attorney and tribal representative and
to fix his compensation at twenty per
cent Of any moneys appropriated q
the tribe In payment for the ce6et
mineral lands.
Hardy had at first considered ths
signatures forged. But examination
with microscope had shown him THAI
the thumb prints were identical WITH
those on the memorandum Of the pro
! Af hn frth n.
had been quick to perceive that hii
only chance Of defeating the outrage
GUS contract was to bring about either
an executive or a congressional inveS
tgatlon. There had been no difficulty
In divining the manner In which Van,
dervyn had obtained tho signatures a.
the tribal council.
Yet so far his every move had bees
blocked. He had interested one mas
of official position or influence aftei
another, only to be met later with eva
sion or procrastination or even out
right rebuffs. One door after another
had been shut In his face. At last hS
had found himself regarded as
crank, than which. In Washington, NJ
more opprobrious term can be applied
| to man.
With the opening Of congress the In
fluences opposed to him had at last
been able to overcome the opposition
that had delayed trial Of the charges
against him. The afternoon that he
came back to his shabby lodgings after
n final attempt to obtain an interview
with the chief OF the Indian bureau
he> was officially notified to appear the
following morning for trial by court
martial.
He already knew the charges against
him. They included desertion, failur,
TO report at Vancouver barracks and
under the head Of conduct unbecom
Ing an officer and gentleman, his con
ccalment OF the developed mine.
The nearncss OF the trial brough'
matters to desperate pass with him
lie must act quickly.
1t was the night of the first ball a
the White House. AS usual, there wai
n great crush. Hardy, In conventional