in their old regiments, and yet were mysteriously "left out in the
cold." And of such was "that man Gleason." Six years had he served with
the new regiment in the field, and not a friend could he muster among
the officers,--not one who either liked or respected him,--not one who
more than tolerated him except among the two or three who daily and
nightly haunted the card-room at the trader's store; but to hear Gleason
talk one would fancy him to be on terms of intimacy with every "solid"
man of the regiment, and the casual visitor at the garrison would be
more than apt to leave it with the impression that Gleason was the
figure-head of the commissioned element. He had fair manners; his
appearance was prepossessing; he was bland and insinuating among daily
associates, confidential and hospitable with strangers. A visitor could
go nowhere without meeting Gleason, for his social status was just so
balanced between adverse influences that one could neither forbid nor
welcome him to his home. No matter who might be the entertaining
officer, the first to call and pay his respects to the guest would be
that objectionable Gleason, and very sprightly and interesting could he
be. Ten to one the chances were that when he took his departure he had
left a pleasant impression on the mind of the new arrival, who would
find himself at a loss to account for the evident perturbation with
which his host proper regarded his acceptance of Gleason's hospitable
invitations. Gleason's horse, Gleason's dogs or guns or rods were
promptly at the door for him to try, and when others sought to do him
honor, and other invitations came to hunt or ride or dine, Gleason had
the inside track, and somehow or other it seemed to make the better men
of the --th retire into their shells when they heard of it. This had
been the way with visiting officers from other posts and regiments when
in Arizona, and the same thing was being repeated here in Kansas. The
--th did not like it, but could not exactly see how to help it. The only
vulnerable and tangible points upon which he could be "sent to Coventry"
were shady transactions at cards or horse-racing that had occurred in
Arizona, and his failure to resent Ray's blow; but two and three years
had elapsed since these occurrences; the scattered condition of the
regiment had prevented regimental notice of them at the time, and it was
generally held that now it was too late for any such action. With any
other man coldn