he little table set apart for him a few yards to the
left of the judge advocate. The silence among the members and along the
benches whereon were seated the dozen spectators was for a moment
unbroken by a sound except a little shuffling of feet. Then one veteran
member cleared his throat with a "hem" of preparation to speak, yet
hesitated. The junior officer of the court, a lieutenant of cavalry,
slowly stretched forth his hand, picked up the solitaire and eyed it
with an assumption of critical yet respectful interest. The president, a
grizzled, red-faced veteran, presently stole a glance at Turnbull, who
sat with stolid features immediately on his right. One by one the nine
members (two of the original eleven having been challenged and excused)
began to look cautiously about them. A captain of infantry was observed
to be very red about the eyelids, but--that might have been, and
possibly was, the result of cocktails. Loring alone remained in the same
position. He had half turned his back to Nevins when the latter began to
speak, rested his left elbow on the table, and his head on his hand, his
eyes shaded under the curving palm against the glare of light that came
from without. There was no room or building big enough for the purpose
at the post, and the court had held its session under a brace of
hospital tent flies stretched on a framework adjoining the office of
the major commanding, and Camp Cooke, as a rule, looked on from afar.
The spectators who ventured beneath the shade were officers of the
little garrison, the sutler and half a dozen "casuals" of the civilian
persuasion, among whom, if not among the members of the court, Nevins'
harangue had created undoubted sensation, for glances indicative of
surprise if not of incredulity passed among them.

At last as though he felt that something must be said rather than that
he knew what was appropriate to say, the presiding officer addressed the
member who had cleared his throat.

"You were about to say something, major?"

"I--er--should like to ask the accused whether--his wife is informed of
his--er--predicament?"

And Nevins, slowly turning, answered, "I wrote last week confessing
everything. It will be a relief to her that I am no longer in the army.
She said she could never look an officer in the face." There was another
pause, then Nevins spoke again. "I hope I have not imposed too much on
the judge advocate. I have asked because he is the only gentleman here