ion
passed from, lip to lip. One or two men even went so far as to drop in
at the tent assigned to the lonely accused and after expressing interest
and sympathy and a desire to see that he got "fair play and a fresh
start," they ventured to inquire if Nevins knew why Mr. Loring had been
so much astonished, if not overcome, by the mention of the name of
Nevins' sister-in-law. Nevins didn't know, but at that moment he would
have given his hopes of mercy to find out. He was writing to his wife
when his visitors came, and demanding explanation. He could think of
several possibilities, any one of which in his unenlightened mind might
give him a claim, even a hold on the hitherto intractable West Pointer.
Why, why had he not heard or dreamed before this long trial came to its
dramatic close that there was some strong and mysterious connection
between him and Loring, between prosecutor and accused? The one
plausible theory was that Loring and Geraldine were or had been
affianced. From all his wife had told him in their few days of moderate
content and apparent bliss, he knew Geraldine to be beautiful, gifted
and attractive to any man, despite her poverty. That she had been petted
and spoiled, that she was selfish to the core, grasping and ambitious,
he had never heard, yet might have inferred from Naomi's faltering pleas
on her sister's behalf early in the days of their wedded life. In his
eagerness to learn something of the truth he sent a messenger during the
afternoon, after the final adjournment, and begged that Mr. Loring
should come to see him. The reply was that Mr. Loring would do so later.
Only two men succeeded in seeing Loring that afternoon and evening, the
post commander, Major Stark, at whose quarters he was housed, and the
veteran president of the court. On the plea of being very busy writing
the record of the week's session, he had excused himself to everybody
else. There had been something of a scene before the adjournment that
morning. The court was ordered to try "such other prisoners as might
properly be brought before it," and it was understood that two
deserters, captured at Tucson, had announced their intention of pleading
guilty and throwing themselves on the mercy of the court. Higgins had
been sent to Fort Yuma. It would take long weeks to get the evidence in
his case from New Orleans, but the two victims at Cooke knew well that
their case was clear. There was no use in fighting. The sooner they
were t