ried the shorter term would they serve as prisoners. Nevins
finished at ten o'clock. Loring's brief stupefaction was conquered not
without evident effort. Vouchsafing no response to the plea of the
accused for mercy, he announced that he submitted the case without
remark, and the president nodded to Nevins the intimation that he might
retire. Nevins slowly gained his feet, took a long look about the silent
array, hesitated, and then with his eyes on Loring said:

"I should like to be assured that the judge advocate accepts the trust.
It will be two or three months before the orders in my case can get back
from Washington, meantime my pay is stopped and has been for three
months back. My wife must have means to live on, and that's all I have
to offer. There is no other way of getting it to her that I consider
safe."

Loring's white hand was trembling visibly, but his head was bowed as
though in painful thought. The president had to speak. "I presume you
will not refuse, Mr. Loring?"

For another moment there was silence. At last, slowly, the judge
advocate looked up, turned to the accused and said, "Write Mrs. Nevins'
address on that," holding forth as he did so a heavy official envelope.
Wrapping the pin and ring together in note paper he stowed them in a
smaller envelope, moistened the gummed flap, closed it and slid it
within the heavier one which Nevins, after addressing, laid before him.
Then turning to the president, Loring calmly bowed and said, "I will
accept, sir."

Five minutes later, cleared of all persons except the members and the
judge advocate, who in those days did not withdraw during the
deliberations of the court, this open-air temple of military justice was
given over to the discussion on the findings and the determination of
the sentence. In low, grave tones those members who had opinions to
express gave utterance to their views. The votes on each specification
and to the various charges were recorded, and finally the sentence was
arrived at. By 11:30 the case of Brevet-Captain Nevins was practically
concluded and the president, eager as were his associates to finish
their work after their long detention at this hot, barren, yet not
inhospitable post, looked briskly up at the silent, somber young officer
at the opposite end of the long table.

"Shall we take ten minutes' recess and have a stretch before you go on
with the next case, Mr. Judge Advocate? I understand both victims plead
guilty and