Part 10 (2/2)
”This is horribly sudden,” he said, as he thrust an open dispatch into Loring's hand. It was the brief announcement that the General commanding the department of California, the chief Loring had so recently left, had dropped dead at his desk the night before. Little as he had liked him, the Engineer was shocked and grieved.
”It may make grave changes,” said the adjutant-general a little later.
”It may send our kind and thoughtful chief to the Pacific coast and give us--whom?”
”It will make one, at least,” said Stone impetuously. ”It'll send that galoot Petty back to his regiment right here in Nebraska and give him a taste of service he will little like.”
”Why do you say back, Stone? Where did Petty ever serve with it except when it was in the garrison of Was.h.i.+ngton?” asked the adjutant-general.
”You know him, I believe, Loring?”
”I know him--yes.”
”Think he'd pan out well in an Indian fight?”
”He might.”
”You're an optimist, Loring,” said Stone, who was ever seeking yet never succeeding in the effort to penetrate the armor of Loring's reserve. ”I believe you think even Burleigh would fight at a pinch.”
”I'm sure he would!” said Loring, as he walked thoughtfully away.
”That's the dash, dashest man I ever met,” said Stone, in terms he never knowingly used in the hearing of his commander. ”What he'd say _to_ a man I can only guess from a letter Skinny wrote from Alcantraz after that row they had at 'Frisco. _Of_ a man you can't get him to speak.”
”We may have to,” said the adjutant-general to himself, as he turned back to his desk and to a packet of papers and dispatches from Gate City.
It was a day of perturbation. Not ten minutes later the Engineer was called to conference with the department commander and found him closeted with his chief of staff.
”You were not favorably impressed with Major Burleigh,” said he, after a moment of silent study of the young officer's face. ”Will you tell me why?”
Loring stood and colored. He had spoken no word of Burleigh, except in answer to direct question. Stone must have seen his aversion, and had possibly told of it.
”You dislike to, I see,” said the General kindly. ”Let me remove your scruples. Major Burleigh has been absent from his post without leave at a time when his services were urgently needed. His affairs are in a good deal of a tangle. It is believed that he has been making use of government funds. I tell you this in strict confidence. Do you know what caused his panic there at Reno and made him insist on being taken right on to Fort Frayne?”
Loring thought a moment, then ”No, sir.”
”Mr. Loring,” said the General, ”Major Burleigh has been an object of distrust for over a month. While he was away on this trip to Warrior Gap matters were brought to my attention that were of a grave nature.
Investigations have been made. Major Bruce at Reno says you seemed struck by the superscription on the envelope of the letter he received there that threw him into such a panic. Would you know the handwriting, do you think?”
”Yes, General.”
Silently the chief-of-staff held forth a note which Loring took and closely examined. It read ”Captain Newhall begs to a.s.sure the adjutant-general, Department of the Platte, that he meant no discourtesy in failing to register. He was unaware of the rule existing at department headquarters, had come here on personal business connected with certain real estate in which he has an interest, is on two months'
leave from his station New Orleans, Louisiana, and will register the moment the office opens in the morning unless he should be compelled to leave for St. Joe to-night.”
Loring looked up, puzzled. The handwriting was familiar; so was a form that he had recently seen vanis.h.i.+ng in the distance one evening a week before, and something in the voice had a familiar ring, but this name was new.
”To explain all this,” said the adjutant-general, ”there was a das.h.i.+ng-looking fellow here for two or three days drinking a good deal down about the depot on the flats and around the quartermasters'
corrals. He said he was Captain Newhall, of the Thirty-ninth Infantry, and the general finally told me to send an aide to look him up and remind him it was his duty to call at headquarters and account for his presence. Between that night and the next morning he disappeared, and at last accounts was hobn.o.bbing with Burleigh at Gate City. You know of him, I see.”
”Possibly.”
”Then, General,” said the chief-of-staff, with prompt decision, ”the quickest way to got at the root of the matter would be to send Loring at once to Gate City.”
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