Evening star., 1952-10-02
XXI

WaCeIy SunllgnC OF Misty SaI
Francisco morning, falling on the
desk Of Capt. Theodore Break
stone. USNR, district legal Officer
Of Com Twelve, illumined a shea.
OF long white sheets of paper rulec
on either side with a blue line,
the report of the Board of Inves.
tigation into the unauthorized re.
lief of 1t. Comdr. P. F.. Queeg
commanding officer of the u. S. S
Caine. Capt. Breakstone could no
recall a case that had unsettled
and depressed him more. The in.
quiry had been a botch. The rec.
concentrations were stupid. TIL,
facts Of the case, so far as they
had been uncovered. were Z
hideous tangled mess.
He heard tapping on the glas.
partition between his cubicle ane
the Gathering Office full of desks
files and blue-shirted Waves. He
swiveled around, throwing the pa.
pers on his desk. Hello, Challee
Come in"
A lieutenant commander walked
in through the open doorway
1--WE thought of a guy, sir"
Good. Who?"
You don't know him, sir. Bar
ney Greenwald-"
Regular"
Reserve, sir. But a pretty red.
hot officer. Fighter pilot. Lieu.
tenant"
What the hell does a fly boy
know about law?"
He's a lawyer in civilian life
I'm sure he's the guy for us, sir.
What make you so sure?"
well. sir, Maryk is a deac
pigeon. the way I see it, and Bar.
ney goes for that kind of case.
Challee paused. Il guess you'd cal
him odd in way. Very odd. He.
from Albuquerqe. Barney is inter.
ested as hell in the Indians. Yor
might say he's nuts on the subject
He specialized in Indian cases afte]
getting out of law school-won 9
lot OF them, too. He was workine
up a pretty good general practice
In Washington before he joined
up"
What was he. ROTC?"
mo. VT. then switched to air. y
Fears Possible Controversy.
Captain Breakstone laced his
fingers together and cracked his
knuckles. He swiveled from side
to side. Cant we get a regular?
II there's one kind of smell we
don't want to have hung on this
case. it's regulars versus reserve
Il talked to eight guys, sir, or
the list you gave me. It's a hot
potato. They're afraid of it,"
Hell, somebody's got to defend
the case. Get this Greenwald ur
here"
1t. Greenwald came to Capt
Breakstone's Office late that day
After a brief. grumpy questioning
the legal officer gave hime the
Caine folder. Next morning wher
the captain came to his cubicle he
found the skinny pilot waiting
outside. slumped on a chair.
well. come on in, Greenwald
Think you can handle the case?'
He took off his raincoat and
draped it on a hanger, noticing
that the folder lay on his desk.
I'D rather not, sir.
Breakstone glanced around in
annoyed surprise. The pilot stood
awkwardly in the doorway, looking
at his shoes. He had a loose,
adolescent mouth and pale face,
curly brown hair, and long dang
ling hands.
Whats the matter? Case too
tough for you?"
We'll. I don't want to waste
your time with my opinions on it,
sir.-seeing that"
I'm asking you to waste my
time. Sit down. Challee told me
you were a great one for defend
ing the underdog-"
These men are no underdogs,
sir. They deserve to get slugged." "
"Oh. you think so? Well,
frankly. so do I, but they're still
entitled to a good defense, and
they can't find themselves coun-
sci. So"
Il think they'll be acquitted.
That is. sir. if there's halfway
intelligent defense"
Breakstone arched his brows.
"Oh. you do?"
Keith and StilweIl certainly
will be. So will Maryk. if the
case is handled with any brains.
I guess I could get them off,"
Baffied by His Arrogance.
The legal ofiicer was baffled by
this arrogance, expressed in hesi-
tant. difndent tones by the
slouching lieutenant. please tell
me how"
well. the charge is absurd, for
one thing. Making a mutiny.
There's no question of force or
violence or diSreSpect. Maryk was