The Ely miner., 1917-02-23
CHAPTER XIV.
Tiltinu at WindmiIIS,

Tilting at WindmiIIs.
The early winter rains that followed
an ideal Indian summer at the national
capital were chill and sleety. But con-
gress was now in session, and Wash
ington was bright and gay with the
activities of Oflicialdom and official So
ciety.
One of the first events of the season
had been a ball in honor of the superb
French beauty and heiress, Miss Du-
pont. She had arrived with a matron-
ly French lady well known in Partisan
society; a tall, olive-tinted maid, who
was said to be Of Spanish or Hindu
origin; and male relative, Monsieur
Jacques Dupont, who spoke French
with French Canadian idioms and Eng
lish with quaint sprinkling of west
ern Americanisms. BY those who saw
him before they had the pleasure and
privilege of meeting Miss Dupont, he
was said to be quite impossible" But
after meeting her, they usually agreed
with the general verdict that he was
decidedly amusing and picturesque"
Letters to the wives Of three or four
ambassadors opened to the heiress the
doors Of the most exclusive official
society, and her wonderful beauty and
charm carried all before her by storm.
Men raved over her eyes; women over
her French gowns. She soon had q
suite Of devoted admirers and suitors,
among whom, despite his engagement
to the daughter of his eminent uncle,
Mr.. Reginald Vandervyn was one Of
the most ardent.
All this had come to Hardy through
society reports in the newspapers and
from the chance remarks of acquaint-
ances. The remarks very seldom were
made by persons fortunate enough to
have attended functions graced by the
presence Of Miss Dupont. Hardy's
neatly kept clothes were somewhat out
Of style, and his lodgings, In an old
warren down on NJ street, were cheap
and shabby.
There were still better reasons for
the worldly wise to shun the company
Of the officer so lately distinguished
for his services in the Philippines. 1t
was whispered that the interests for
which he had been diligently lobbying
since midsummer were opposed to the
interests Of the pro-administratio
group of which the eminent Senator
Clemmer was the leader. More openly
the fact was bruited about that he
was to be subjected to trial by court
martial on grave charges.
For he was still in the service.
Upon his return from the hard-won
race for the mine, he had filed his
claim with the commissioners, and
journeyed on as soon as possible to
the railroad. There he had sold his
mare at low price, but with the op-
tion of buying her back within year.
upon his purpose to delay even for q
telegram from Vancouver barracks,
and never doubling that his command
ing officer had granted him the Gus
tomary leave of absence pending the
acceptance of his unconditional and
lIiLuculdle TeSlSudllOu.
Great had been his CONSERVATION
when, the day of his arrival in Wash
ington, he had reported himself at the
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 desertion.
However, his record on the one hand,
and the indecent haste of the attack
on the other, had brought about suffi-
cient Intervention by members Of the
general staff 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-
trary, he had soon found himself le-
gally entitled to assign the mine to
Marie. His carefully drawn and duly
witnessed conveyance had started west
in the next mail. Marie's note Of ac-
acknowledgement stated the esteem and
gratitude of the wrl.er 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
be sure that he had made any prog
ress whatever. He had not been bar
red from an inspection Of the dOcu-
ments relating to the new treaty with
the tribe, and among them he had
found Vandervyn's alleged contract. 1t
purported to appoint the young man
attorney and tribal representative and
to fix his compensation at twenty per
cent of any moneys appropriated to
the tribe in payment for the ceded
mineral lands.
Hardy had at first considered the
signatures forged. But examination
with microscope had shown him that
the thumb prints were identical with
those on the memorandum of the pro-
ceedings of the tribal council. He
had been quick to perceive that his
only chance of defeating the outrage
Gus contract was to bring about either
an executive or a congressional inves-
tjgation. There had been no difficulty
in divining the manner in which Van
dervyn had obtained the signatures at
the tribal council.
Yet so far his every move had been
blocked. He had interested one man
of official position or influence after
another, only to be met later with eva
..... a., ,,nooro cti n lion or orror, out