Under Fire

by Charles King

  CHAPTER XXXII.

  They were discussing matters a week later at old Fort Scott, where twolittle companies of the Fortieth kept watch and ward over the women andchildren of their many comrades in the field. Barely mid-June now, yethow all plans and projects for the summer had been changed. Guarded byChrome's "infantry," as his unhorsed troopers were jocularly described,most of the wounded were being carried by short stages into PawneeStation, where a field hospital had been established. Truman and Sanderswere with these, but Winthrop, assuming command of all the cavalry thatwas available at the forks, had gone on in pursuit of Red Dog's renegadeband. With him were Cranston and Davies; with him, too, were Hay andHastings. Only one officer of the Eleventh remained at Scott, thecaptain of "A" Troop, in arrest awaiting trial. It was a time of soreanxiety to wives and children, to some two or three sweethearts who hadhappened there, and they showed it plainly. It was a time of strangesuspense and trouble to Captain Devers, but he hid it well. Few mencould better have portrayed the chafing, indignant soldier, robbed ofthe right to lead his men to battle, than did Devers when his comradestook the field. Hastings as first lieutenant went in command of "A"Troop, but Devers had importuned head-quarters with letters andtelegrams imploring to be permitted to accompany the column. He askedfor only temporary release from arrest. He courted--he _demanded_ thefullest investigation of his every act. He longed to meet hisaccusers--his defamers, rather, and overthrow them before a jury of hispeers, but, as the court could not proceed now until the campaign wasover, why hold him chafing here? It was all capital, it was eventouching, but it "did not work." The general himself was far away in thedistant Big Horn; his adjutant-general could not act, and thelieutenant-general in Chicago would not. Then, as Devers had been inclose arrest much over seven days, he demanded "extended limits," whichwere readily accorded him. When "A" Troop marched away its captain'sonly solace had been a long, closeted conference with Sergeant Haney,who, as a consequence, had to gallop many a mile to overtake the troop.

  The news of Red Dog's escape and the bolt of the Ogallallas fromMcPhail's bailiwick created consternation at Scott. With the cavalry andall but one company of White's battalion gone from the agency there wasample opportunity, but it had not been foreseen. Then, three days later,by way of Pawnee, came the details of the fierce fighting on the Ska,of Truman's wound and Sanders's, of Chrome's catastrophe, the only humorin the situation being the contemplation of how Captain Canker must havesworn. Then came hurried letters, pencilled in the field, and Leonardhimself took hers to Mrs. Cranston, and then went in search of Mrs.Davies, whom he found at Darling's quarters, though Darling was notthere. The ladies were at luncheon, and the adjutant contented himselfwith sending Mira's missive in. There was a letter for Captain Devers inthe well-known hand of Sergeant Haney. This was sent him by the orderly.There were others for others, which were duly delivered and brought atleast momentary joy, but Mrs. Cranston's eyes were dancing with delightwhen Leonard met her half an hour later.

  "I'm going to Mrs. Davies," she said. "I want to read her what thecaptain says of her husband's conduct all through that fight of Mondayafternoon. He says he never saw anything calmer or braver in his life."

  "Yes, I remember our chaplain's indulging in some prognostication tothat end," said Leonard, gravely; "but, Mrs. Cranston, did you want tosee Mrs. Davies?"

  "Why, yes, assuredly."

  "Well, she isn't home,--I think you'll find her at Mrs. Darling's."

  But Mrs. Cranston's humor changed. She decided to wait and see herlater. She did not care to go to Mrs. Darling's; neither, as ittranspired, did she care to return home, at least not yet awhile. Therewere people capable of believing of Mrs. Cranston that she had noespecial interest in Mrs. Davies, personally, and no genuine desire tocommunicate to her the tidings which Mrs. Davies, perhaps, could hardlyappreciate. Mira had not once set foot within Mrs. Cranston's door sincetheir return from the cantonment, and there had been next to nointercourse between them, and yet on this almost joyous afternoonMargaret had eagerly seized upon this pretext of leaving Agatha Loomisalone with Mr. Langston, who had returned that very day from someinvestigation at Kearney and Cheyenne, and, after half an hour with Mr.Leonard, had hastened to her door. He was still in the parlor when thelady of the house came smilingly in an hour later,--she had beenvisiting Mrs. Leonard the while,--but there was constraint in the air.The boys were out with their ponies. There was no one to entertain himduring her absence but Miss Loomis, and Miss Loomis apparently must havefailed, for Langston's face had grown ten years older, and the momentMrs. Cranston left the room, on household cares intent, he must havetaken his leave, for when she returned from an inspection of the larderin order to see if it would justify an invitation to stay and dine, theparlor was empty. Langston had gone back to Braska, Miss Loomis to herroom. I regret to have to record it of Mrs. Cranston, but during thefollowing week she made more than one effort to induce her friend andkinswoman to say what had happened to put so summary a stop to Mr.Langston's visits, and that she wrote some peppery things to herhusband, the captain, in summing up her conclusions; she also lookedsome, and I fear said some, to Miss Loomis herself, for one day, goingsuddenly into Agatha's room, she surprised that young lady in the act ofpacking her trunk. There ensued a scene which neither cared inafter-years to say much about. There were tears and reproaches on oneside, if not both, but Agatha's determination could not be changed. Shehad made up her mind to leave Fort Scott, return to Chicago, and go shedid,--but not without Mrs. Cranston.

  In less than ten days there came a long letter from the captain. He andhis troop were destined, he said, to long months of scouting in thedistant Northwest. The general had told him as much. They might againhave to go to the Yellowstone, and it would be November before he couldhope to see the inside of a garrison. "So," said he, "stow away thegoods and chattels, leave them with the quartermaster, pack your trunk,and take the boys and Agatha for another visit to the old folks athome,--who are most eager to welcome you." When the Fourth of July came,the Cranston boys, in the added glory of all their experiences at thecantonment, were once more the envied centre of youthful attention atChicago.

  "We will have no more fighting this summer," said he, "for the Indianshave scattered," and "C" Troop did not; but there was abundantopportunity for usefulness and distinction for "the prodigy," asCranston now generally referred in his home letters to Corporal Brannan,whose devoted mother was almost the first to visit Margaret on herarrival and overwhelm her with proffers of hospitality and withquestions about her boy. "C" Troop was detailed as escort to thecommanding general in a long tour he made to the Yellowstone Park, andthe prodigy's letters to that fond mother became more and more a causefor rejoicing. Already had she learned to thrill with pride over theaccounts of his bravery and good conduct in the affairs at the agencyand the fighting on the Ska, but that, said she, was only as she knew hewould behave. From babyhood her boy had been conspicuous among hisfellows for absolute fearlessness and desperate courage, and her memorywas charged with a wealth of corroborative detail which that of hisfellows seemed to have lost. Those who were confidently appealed to werepolite and sympathetic, as became them when responding to a socialmagnate of such prominence and influence, but they looked far fromconfident and said satirical things when once away from her presence;but then, no one knows how a boy is going to turn out. A few weeks andthe general himself would be home, and then, fresh from thecontemplation of the soldierly prowess and graces of her son, what couldhe do less than have him commissioned a colonel or something and orderedin on the staff, and then what store of fatted calves would not beslaughtered in honor of this her son who was lost and was found, and whohad returned to her bringing his sheaves with him? If mother-dreamscould but come true all men would live and die immaculate, ennobled,magnificently brave, steadfast, and commanding. And far away among thefastnesses of the Yellowstone, living in close communion with nature, ina glorious round of days, full of high health, courage, and hope, withambition fired
, purpose strengthened, with freedom from care ortemptation, small wonder was it if Corporal Brannan's letters warrantedall her expectations. But those were the halcyon days of cavalry life,not the typical. Our truest heroes are those who bear with equanimitythe heat and burden of the long, monotonous round of garrison life withits petty tyrannies, exactions, exasperations, and bear them without abreak or murmur. It is a poor, poor soldier who cannot wax enthusiasticon a full stomach--and a good horse--when serving in the field.

  But while "C" Troop was doing escort duty, and its captain's wife andlittle ones were safe at home, "A" Troop, long handicapped by thefrailties of its commander and notorious for bad drill, was now strivingto win a new name under the lead of Bachelor Hastings and its grimBenedick second lieutenant, whose fair young bride could hardly be saidto be safe at Scott, restored to the sympathetic circle of whichMesdames Stone, Flight, and Darling were the guiding stars. Old Peglegseldom left his piazza now except to go to bed or dinner, and did notmuch care what was said or done around him so long as he was left inpeace. The post surgeon had bolstered him up again, after a few days inbed, so that he could sign papers, and while he retained the nominalcommand of the garrison, Leonard was its virtual and actual head, forwhen July came only one detachment of the Fortieth remained with theband as guard.

  But that band was a host in itself, and why should women weep and mopeand mourn--with music and the dance so easily accessible? Mrs. Leonard'sletters to Mrs. Cranston became vividly interesting just about thistime. The hops were resumed, as well as the drives with friends in town.Mr. Langston came no longer, but the bank and the Cattle Club pouredforth their homage. Messrs. Burtis, Courtenay, and Fowler were out twicea week at least. Then Mr. Willett's beautiful team reappeared, andpresently Mr. Willett himself, and he had brought still another stepfrom the distant sea-shore. It is only the first step that counts, andMira had taken that. Mrs. Leonard thought she was learning another. Shedanced as beautifully, dressed as divinely, smiled as bewitchingly, andtalked as inanely as ever. Mr. Leonard disapproved of Mr. Willett, butthat could not keep him off the post. When mid-July came Willett wasthere almost every day. Twice he remained overnight, sleeping at thesutler's. The chaplain had been to talk with Mr. Leonard, and had triedto talk with Mira, but she fled from him in tears. What he said to herwas dreadful!--dreadful! and she should tell Mr. Davies about it just assoon as he returned. "I," said the chaplain, gravely, "shall not waittill then. I shall have to write and tell him now."

  Meantime Captain Devers occupied his quarters in gloomy state and twiceeach day patrolled the garrison limits with the air of an injured man.At other times he was writing long letters and reading those which cameto him by every mail, but none came now from the faithful henchmanHaney, far away on the Indian trail with Tintop's pursuing column. RedDog was known to be with a remnant of his band somewhere in the wild BadLands to the north of the Ska, and the last heard from the colonel wasthat he, with six troops of the Eleventh, was scouring the southernlimit of those dismal features of our frontier landscape, looking forRed Dog not far to the north of Antelope Springs. Devers had beentruculent in his demand for speedy trial up to the third week inJuly,--up to the twentieth of the month in fact,--but that day broughttelegraphic sensation. Tintop had found and struck Red Dog's camp atdawn on the sixteenth, guided thither by Thunder Hawk himself, hadstruck hard and heavily, scattering not only Red Dog's people to thehills but destroying their village and burning another that from itsfoul condition seemed to have been standing there all winter. Red Doghimself was killed, fighting like a tiger, and "A" Troop under Hastingsand Davies had won the distinction of heading the charge, doing most ofthe work, and losing more in killed and wounded than the otherscombined. Hastings was shot through the arm and crippled. Corporal Boyd,one of Devers's pets, was killed, so were two troopers, and SergeantHaney had received what was reported to be a mortal wound. Leaving asmall guard with his invalids and invoking aid from Major White'sinfantry battalion, now garrisoning the stockade where the new post wasto be built, Tintop had gone on into the hills to continue the work ofbreaking up the bands, Davies commanding "A" Troop, and not until thethirtieth was he heard from again.

  But meantime Lieutenant Archer, of the general's staff, who hadaccompanied the cavalry column, was staying with the wounded, and hadremoved them from the smoking, malodorous neighborhood of the ruinedvillages, and could be found, he wrote, with his charges at AntelopeSprings. This was news at which Leonard's eyes flashed. It was tidingsat which Devers turned very pale. The latter begged for authority to goat his own expense and at once, and without a guard, though it involvedfive days of buckboard driving or saddle work from Pawnee Station, tojoin his wounded men. "Debarred," said he, "from the right to battlewith my men, I pray that I may at least be permitted to minister totheir needs,--they who have so gloriously maintained the honor andcredit of their troop." But the adjutant-general at departmenthead-quarters smiled sarcastically and said that this, with others ofDevers's letters and telegrams, deserved to be framed. August came, andDevers again clamored to be brought to trial or relieved from arrest,and two evenings later, as he sat in gloomy state upon his piazza, hewas amazed to see the adjutant turn grimly into the gate and calmlystand attention before him.

  "Captain Devers," said he, "I am directed by the post commander to readto you this despatch:

  "'COMMANDING OFFICER, FORT SCOTT:

  "'Notify Captain Devers that his letters have been received, and that the court for his trial will convene not later than the fifteenth instant.

  "'By command of General ----.'"

  And when it is remembered that he had persistently demanded prompt trialit is surprising that the accused officer looked completelydisconcerted. The fact of the matter was Captain Devers had no idea thatthe members and witnesses could be brought together again beforemid-September, if then. That night he sat up writing until very late,and sent two messages away by wire. He was sorely troubled now, butcould he have seen the group gathered solemnly about the dying sergeantfar away at Antelope Springs, and heard his faint, whispered words asArcher took them down, Devers would have stood aghast.

  A charming little informal dance was going on at the fort one Augustevening about a week later. The Leonards would not attend them now, butwith five such belles as Mesdames Stone, Darling, Davies, Flight, andPlodder, to say nothing of other lesser lights of the garrison galaxy,there was no lack of womanly beauty, only the cavaliers were short. Oneofficer, an infantry subaltern, represented the martial element, theother men were civilians. Courtenay had brought out two Eastern friends;Burtis was on hand as usual, and Willett, metaphorically, at least, atMira's feet. The poor girl actually lacked the sense to see that hisinfatuation was such that he had no eyes, ears, or senses left for anyone else. Possibly she gloried in his devotion. At all events he dancedwith her again and again and watched her jealously when she danced withothers. At last towards eleven o'clock Leonard suddenly appeared at thedoor of the dancing-room, holding an open letter in his hand, andbeckoned to his comrade. "I'll have to trouble you to come with me tothe quartermaster's storehouse," said he. "There is a chest there thatmust be opened to-night." And though the lieutenant was surprised, he,in common with everybody else in the Fortieth, had learned that Leonardrarely opened his mouth except to speak by authority, and so went withbarely a word to the ladies left behind, nor did he return in tenminutes, as he said he would. The old non-commissioned officer left incharge of the "A" company stores was awaiting their coming with thequartermaster sergeant. He looked troubled and perplexed when Leonardhanded him the key and bade him unlock and open Sergeant Haney's chest."I ought to have the orders of the company commander, sir," he began. "Imean Captain Devers."

  "Captain Devers is not the commanding officer," said Leonard, quietly."Here is the written order of the owner, Sergeant Haney, and theinstructions of Lieutenant Hastings. The actual commanding officer ofthe company is with it in the field." So no more was said.

  Down in
the depths of the chest, among a roll of clothing, carefullycovered, but just as described in Hastings's letter, was found a leatherwriting-case. "Lock the chest again," said Leonard, as this was handedto him. "That is all we mean to disturb." And then he took the case tothe office, while the old trooper went to tell his captain what hadhappened. Morning brought, as was to be expected, a letter from Deversprotesting against this new indignity. No property of his officers ormen should have been opened save in his presence, as he was buttemporarily suspended from his functions, and as to him the men wouldlook for the security of their effects. Lying in wait for Leonard as hereturned from the office, Devers demanded to be told what had been takenfrom the sergeant's chest, and then went white as chalk when Leonardcalmly answered, "Certain stolen property, sir, including a map andsome written memoranda which will be required before the court-martialthat meets next week."

  But this was not all that was found in Brannan's case, the lock of whichhad long since been forced. There was a valuable gold watch presented toChaplain Davies by the officers and men of his brigade at the close ofthe war. There were letters which Leonard barely glanced at,--somesilly, sentimental trash addressed to some one's darling Bertie by hisdevoted Mira. All this, opened in presence of a regimental comrade andcertified to by him, was replaced, carefully sealed, and then the casewas locked in the commissary safe. "That goes with me to Omaha Mondaynext," said Leonard to the much-mystified officer, "and you may beneeded to corroborate my testimony. Keep all this to yourself."

  And, despite a vigorous cross-questioning, the youngster managed to holdhis own against even Captain Devers, whose suspicions, however, were nowfully aroused, and who obtained permission from Colonel Stone to visitthe telegraph-office at Braska, and there wired to a legal friend inOmaha and to certain addresses in Washington, and on Friday cametelegraphic instructions permitting Captain Devers, for the purpose ofconsulting with his counsel, to repair to Omaha at once, and he took themidnight train. On Monday, as required, Leonard left, taking his prizeswith him, and on Wednesday the court met, with all but two memberspresent. Colonel Atherton inquired of the judge-advocate if he wereready to proceed to business, and that officer replied that he was, butthat certain witnesses were still to arrive and the accused did notseem to be in the building. A messenger to the hotel brought back wordthat the captain breakfasted there that morning, had paid his bill andgone out, his baggage being taken away by an expressman. This strangenews fluttered about from room to room at the headquarters building. Themembers of the court fidgeted in their full-dress uniforms and smokedand chatted and strolled about, calling on old acquaintances, and theadjutant-general sent orderlies to and fro with inquiries.

  And then came the sensation of the year among military circles in theold frontier department. The grave, dignified, soldierly chief of staffappeared at the court-room door with a telegraphic despatch in histwitching fingers. "Gentlemen," said he, "your services in this casewill not be needed. The accused is beyond our jurisdiction."

  There was a moment of intense silence, a look as of awe on many a face,then came the question from one who knew not Devers:

  "Killed himself?"

  "No! Worse than that,--resigned under fire, and got it accepted."

  Later that day there were shown to certain officers some scraps andletters that had been left in the wastebasket in Devers's room; amongthem was a telegraphic despatch from Butte, Sunday, repeated from Scotton Monday, apparently after Leonard left. It was to this effect:

  "Haney split. Secure box. McGrath found. Send hundred at once."

  And while detectives hastened Butteward in quest of its signer, Howard,only malediction followed its recipient, now speeding eastward fast assteam could carry him.

  "By heaven!" said Leonard, in strange, unnatural excitement, "theEleventh have said all along that Devers could never be cornered, and Ibelieve they're right."

  But on the following morning the adjutant's black eyes glowed with evengreater wrath and amaze. They had gone to the station,--several of theofficers,--to meet the in-coming train on which certain of the witnesseswere expected, and there another despatch was handed, this time toLeonard himself. He tore it open, read it, and then, handing it withouta word to Truman, turned bitterly away.

  And Truman, wondering, read, looked dazed an instant, then--understood.

  "Gone--with Willett--last night."