tored at
the hotel. Never having given up his room when hurrying off to Gate
City; expecting to be back within a week and merely to pay room rent
when absent, as was the arrangement of the day, Loring had left his
trunks and desks securely locked. Two officers and the protesting hotel
clerk were present at the opening. The locksmith, even, seemed to hate
his job; the adjutant had never a meaner one, but Petty was eager. Fresh
from an interview with Geraldine, he was the directing spirit. It was
his hand that extracted from deep down under the packed clothing in the
trunk, a small tin box, wrapped in a silk handkerchief. Within the box,
when opened, were certain letters in a woman's hand--Geraldine
Allyn's--letters written to Loring in the days of their brief
engagement, letters long since returned to her under his hand and seal,
and with them, in closely-folded wraps of tissue paper, inclosed in
stout envelope, a valuable solitaire and as valuable a ring. The
regimental adjutant it was who opened the box and who made these
discoveries. Half an hour later they were identified by Nevins, in the
presence of old Pecksniff, as the diamonds intrusted to Loring's care in
Arizona, and Nevins professed to be disappointed because the watch, too,
was not found with them.

Not until late July did Loring learn of the action taken in his enforced
absence, and of the resulting developments. Not a word would he
vouchsafe in explanation, when old Pecksniff, wilting under the
criticisms of his superiors, sent his adjutant to "invite remarks." "The
court has been ordered," said Loring, with coolness described as
contemptuous, "I'll make my remarks there." But long before that court
could meet, the colonel, as has been said, went back to his post. The
new commander arrived, and ordered Nevins to an Iowa prison to serve out
the year awarded him; sent Captain Petty summarily to Laramie, and bade
Mrs. Burton go about her business when that lachrymose person came to
urge that he should do something "to make Lieutenant Loring settle."
She had lost her lovely boarder, too, for no sooner had "Mrs. Fletcher"
heard of the new accusations against Loring than she appeared at Omaha,
and whisked her sister away, no one at Omaha knew where, but indignant
old John Folsom could perhaps have told. He cut Pecksniff dead when that
officer returned to Emory, and refused to go near the fort. He threw
open his doors and his heart to Loring when the convalescing