what was probably his first case
as judge advocate, nevertheless agreed that he was "offish" toward the
general run of "the line," held himself aloof as though he considered
himself of superior clay, didn't drink, smoke, swear, or play cards, and
was therefore destitute of most elements of soldier companionship as
then and there defined. It was resented, too, by almost everybody that
Loring would not say when and how he expected to leave Camp Cooke. He
had come on Sancho's famous roan, but had returned that animal by
special courier without delay. Starke and Turnbull were informed, but at
Loring's request saw fit to hold their tongues. No one should know, he
had said to them, if he was to be responsible for those valuables. It
might leak out, and the veteran officers saw the point. The juniors
could not well ask them, the veterans, but they could and did ask
Loring, and held it up against him in days to come that he declined to
be confidential.

There was a man at Cooke who could have told them Loring showed wisdom
in his observance of caution, and that man was Nevins, who had been sent
for by the commanding officer the morning after the adjournment of the
court, and subjected to a questioning and a lecture that nobody else
heard, but that everybody speedily knew must have been severe, because
Nevins, lately so meek and lachrymose, was seen to go to his tent
flushed with rage, and then from within those canvas walls his voice was
heard uplifted in blasphemy and execration. Nor did he take advantage of
garrison limits the rest of that day, nor once again that day appear
outside. At so great a distance from civilization trifles prove of
absorbing interest, and callers came to see what they "could do for
him," and learn for themselves, and Nevins' face was black as a storm
and his language punctuated with profanity. He raved about tyranny and
oppression, but vouchsafed no intelligible explanation of what he
confessed to be the commanding officer's latest order--that he was
remanded to close arrest.

Let it be here explained for the benefit of the lay reader that when an
officer is accused of a crime, or even of a misdemeanor, he is placed in
arrest, which means that he is suspended for the time being from the
exercise of command, must not wear a sword, and must confine himself to
certain limits--to his tent or quarters if in close arrest, as for one
week the officer generally is, and to the limits of the parade or
garri