Show te BY ROBERT AMES BENNET GO i t CHAPTER Continued 13 13 He TIe In turn was so Intent upon maneuvering maneuvering maneuvering ma ma- to have hae himself spoken to toby toby toby by that most genial of hosts the president that he failed to see Marie until she spoke to him The first sight of If her bewildered him hihi and his bow did not altogether hide the effects of the e delicious shock given him by her beauty But he quickly recovered recovered re re- covered revered his self possession when he saw that she was was as with That young man though more mare boyishly boyish boyish- ty ly handsome than ever bore bore himself with irith rather a sullen air He lIe met Hardy's Hardys Hardys Hardy's Har Har- dys dy's clear cleur gaze with a forced smile The TIle smile became still more forced when the girl transferred her hand from rom his arm to Hardys Only a very few minutes she soothed the disappointed lover lo Whatever you say 1 he deferred to her tier caprice and he drew back to speak to s a sharp eyed man near the dent Hardy was gazing into the wonderful wonder wonder- ful ml blue-black blue e eyes es of his companion I when he They illey were as Inscrutable as had last looked Into luto their depths He tried to speak calmly but his voice 2 shook Do you know know that you are by far the most beautiful woman here Her lIer long lashes drooped and rose again to disclose the same Inscrutable look So I 1 have neon Deen told several times Umes already I I I wished a few moments with you that I 1 might thank you for your generosity It has given glen me the great grett opportunity of my my trip abroad and this visit in Washington I 11 am saving sayIng all the Ule reports of your social triumphs he be said They have made me very happy happ Again the girls girl's girls lashes lashes' drooped That Is good of if you you you- youIt It is quite necessary necessary necessary essary for me to to become the rage rage rage-f If I am to force a recognition from Reggie's Reggie's Reg Reg- gies gie's relatives He says that fortunately fortunately fortu fortu- his fiancee has become interest interested ed in another man who Is quite as eligible eligible eli eU- gible as himself Hardys Hardy's eyes contracted yet he did not falter Since It will bring you happiness I 1 wish wish him him good good fortune j You do The question was almost almost al al- most in an exclamation But the But tile the girl at once regained her quiet composure I 1 do not understand If you wish him good fortune why then do you seek to prevent him from receiving his compensation j as attorney for the tribe I 1 said good fortune replied Har Har- dy Any money paid him on that contract would be tainted Marie arched her black eyebrows Is urs It not true that he hc will get through a II much larger appropriation than otherwise otherwise oth oth- would have hae been made The lands are arc fully worth the amount agreed upon stated Hardy Hardy- The tribe Ibe should receive all the ap ap- Honest lobbying would carry the bill blU through at a cost of afew a afew afew few hundred dollars These supposed friends of the tribe want millions Do you wish to deprive me of the iJ share that I would receive through bIm him 1 Yes Yes of of every dishonest dollar doUar raid Hardy his mouth stern though Ms tits eyes besought her to forgive his ness You have enough al alread already al- al ready read Are you certain she rejoined you Too may have heard that mines often pinch out or run into valueless ore oreTon ore ore- Tou Ton can guess why Pere and I have told wid no one least of all aU Reggie Hardy remained unshaken If beb he be heIs Is b worthy of you that will make no terence Difference terence to him But myself I am already used to luxury mury pleaded the girl Down In your heart you know the values ulues Ira In life Ufe that are real he said You Tou ou do not wish for tor wealth gained through fraud I 1 have not admitted that thero there Is any suy fraud In the contract Perhaps It Is as well he remarked You Toa should not doubt your future und She flashed him an odd quizzical look Jock ok No I 1 cannot doubt my future now Captain Hardy I must l In him If I 1 am to be happy I not noU v Yes agreed Hardy She uttered a gay little trill of That Is so good of you to say It it It makes me feel that I 1 3 really Hy Y must do something for you OU Int in t May I not offer you a little loan of ot say three or four thousand d I understand that for some strange ge reason reason or or unreason you unreason you mye refused your pay as captain My y resignation has not been withdrawn with with- t drawn sawn and I am In n a private I cannot draw v pay as an antar tar riT r in the service explained Hardy Few Jew would be so quixotic she ar ar- ar gued Most would make the excuse that Shat an attempt to frustrate what they Uley considered a wrong to others Is not to tobe tobe be considered a private enterprise I must beg to to-dUrer to differ with you Miss I Dupont Dapont Then let it pass puss But the little t. t T fir I I Very good of ot you to offer However How Bow However ever er I believe I 1 have enough left to last m me through And in any event I could not impose on your generosity The money would be used against him which you see would hardly do Then you refuse an any loan 1 It was most kind of you to make the offer Don Quixote de la Ia Mancha I she murmured Tilting at machine windmills I 1 he replied replie Though there was no trace of bitterness bitterness bitterness bitter bitter- ness or satire in his wit her chin lifted lifted lift lift- ed cd to the angle of offended pride That is sufficient Captain Hardy May Mar I 1 ask you to take me back to him 1 was waiting for her near the president As they approached him she gave Hardy a look of half- half Y You u must understand Captain that I must do as my heart dictates though I confess that lobbying lobbying lobbying lobby lobby- i ing is far from agreeable to me I have already met his excellency and h he has been so kind as to promise me mea a hearing I cannot wish you OU success he re re- re- re plied She gave him a quizzical glance and turned away way with Standing In tho eager Jostling crowd that waited for a word or even eyen evena a nod from the president he fully tully appreciated appreciated appreciated ap ap- the ease with which In the midst of so great a crush she managed managed managed man man- aged to obtain several moments' moments conversation con coil apart with the nations nation's chief magistrate She was still beside the president when the sharp-eyed sharp man to whom had spoken came around beside Hardy and murmured a few words In his Ills ear Hardy looked him himIn himin In n the eye bowed and quietly started to o move away The man followed him until he had left the White House CHAPTER Condemned The martial court began its session at nine in the morning and the trial of Hardy was over before three in n the afternoon testified to the suppression by the accused of th the existence existence ex- ex stence of the developed mine and of misconduct Hardys Hardy's statements In explanation of his actions were as brief briet as they were cold and dry Acting as a civil officer he had considered the question of withholding any mention of the mine as a matter within his discretion When interrogated whether he had not taken aken advantage antage of this suppression to o enter the contest and win the mine mineor for tor or himself his bald admission of the fact act unaccompanied by any explanation tion ion of his motives was received by his ils officer Judges with marked gravity The other charges were far tar more serious and he opposed them with vigor He denied emphatically any Intention intention In- In to desert or to remain permanently permanently permanently perma perma- absent from his proper duties without leave and showed the tele- tele 1 ill t I I i r rI I Could Not Impose on Your Gene Gene- rosity gram from a high official In the war department that led him to believe belle his resignation and application for tor leave of absence would be at once favorably acted upon by his commanding officer at Vancouver barracks This In some circumstances might have been considered considered considered con con- sufficient excuse for his conduct conduct con con- duct But his refusal to explain his reason for tor taking advantage of his secret secret secret se se- se- se cret knowledge of the mine perceptibly Influenced the members of the court courto to o doubt the statement of his purpose In coming to Washington Though the martial court adjourned without rendering Its findings he left the courtroom ten years older In appearance appearance appearance ap ap- ap- ap than when he ho entered The regretful commiserating glance of ot the most friendly of his Judges seemed plainly to Indicate what would be the findings The thought of voluntarily resigning from the service had been hard To be cashiered was almost un un- endurable Yet he walked out with his back straight and his head well up Ho went directly to the White House and sent In Iu a written application for tor an on interview tew with the tile president It was refused He went to his lodgings and spent the remainder of ot the day and half the night drafting and redrafting a concise statement of his argument against contract This he addressed to the president and stamped for mailing He wrote nothing nothIng nothing noth noth- ing wi with th regard to his own case When WIlen near morning he at last fell asleep he was so near exhaustion that he did not waken until late The he hour set sot for the reconvening of the tho court- court martial had already come He sprang into his uniform with a celerity that might have bave reminded a n fellow officer of reveille In cadet barracks at West Point The worn soles of his highly polished polIshed polished pol pol- shoes beat n a tattoo on the car- car old stairs by which he be descended descend descend- ed to the street He did not turn to togo togo togo go In for a belated breakfast at the tho meager table of his landlady He hastened along the few feet teet of narrow hall to the street door As he drew it open another man In uniform stepped Into the doorway and confronted confronted confronted con con- fronted him The other officer saluted Hardy responded mechanically For all aU his Ills cool look he lie was astonished The man before him was the presidents president's presidents president's presidents president's dents dent's military aide Captain Floyd Hardy At your service You should now be In attendance upon the martial court-martial stated the aide with cold severity I shall explain to the court replied replied replied re re- re- re plied Hardy If not delayed I shall be only a few few few- You will come with me Interrupted Interrupt Interrupt- ed the aide nide still more severely Your conduct has been brought to the atI attention attention at at- I of ot the president It Is to be seen Been sir whether you will continue to refuse to answer the Inquiries of your superiors Hardy went white but his Jaw set firm with grim resolution He stepped out beside the aide and crossed the sidewalk to the waiting motor As they were whirled away awa over the sleety asphalt the aide s sat t with more than military stiffness 1 his head and body half averted from his companion as If to avoid contamination Hardy sat as stiffly at the other extreme of the seat sent The ride was short The car made madea a sudden turn and curved around to the executive offices of the president Hardy looked at his companion per per- The face of the aide showed only tho the stern stern watchfulness of one who has a reputedly dangerous prisoner prisoner prisoner pris pris- oner under arrest At the entrance he stepped behind as ns If apprehensive that Hardy might attempt to escape A doorkeeper conducted them along a corridor into a small waiting room He passed Into the room beyond but reappeared in a few moments and signed to Hardy to enter Hardy nardY stepped Into the room and the door was closed behind him The aide and the doorkeeper had remained outside Hardy looked around with a frown of perplexity Across the room a man sat writing at a businesslike desk There was no one else present pres pres- ent The man turned In n his swivel chair and abruptly made a beckoning ture Hardys Hardy's hand went up In salute as he stepped forward He was in the presence of the commander In chief of the army and navy The president looked him up and down with a severe glance You are Captain Floyd Hardy Yes sir The same who suppressed the late Insurrection In the Sums Sulus I happened to be In command at atthe atthe atthe the time sir After Atter that you obtained a detail your conduct In discharge of ot which has resulted In your trial by court- court martial on serious charges harges I have before before be be- fore toro me the findings of the court The circumstances are exceptional Because Because Because Be Be- cause of your record and of certain statements that have havo been presented to me I have havo been persuaded to give you an opportunity to explain your conduct Hardy saluted Permit me sir to first present for your consideration a matter relating to the Interests of the tribe which which- which which- Stop I 1 ordered tho president Others are aro waiting for interviews I Ican Ican Ican can give you OU only ten minutes If you expend them on this other matter you will have no further opportunity to state your own case The evidence before the mar court covered the facts sir If It those facts sustain the charges against me then I 1 am om guilty and desire no clemency clem clem- ency That Is all I 1 have to say on my myown myown myown own case sir With regard to the mat matter mat matter ter which I desire to present present- Sit down I 1 ordered tho the president You have nine minutes Bo Be brief Hardy seated himself and proceeded ded to present his argument against the contract He ne spoke deliberately deliberately deliberately but with a conciseness that covered what he had to say fully and clearly In n words as forceful as they were few The president listened attentively attentively attentively at at- but with no change In his ex ex- pres ion At tho the end of eight minutes Hardy stopped The president showed a trace of sur sur- prise Is Is that all aU you have to say There is still a minute That Is all aU sir replied Hardy ris ris- ing The president touched a call button but raised his finger One Ono mom moment nt What If It I should confront you with witnesses 1 As I 1 have stated sir my only request request request re re- quest Is that all aU the witnesses In the case be examined There Thero are son sonjo o already at hand You shall see what they have to say about your charges The aide appeared and Immediately went out again at a sign from the pr president ident He no returned with Vander- Vander and ond Marie Marle At sight of Hardy the young man stopped short but meetIng meetIng meeting meet- meet Ing the presidents president's cordial smile came forward with easy assurance Marie did not not look at lIard Hardy as she fol fol- fol- fol lowed The president addressed Captain Hardy Bary has declined to ask for clemency I have decided to sustain sustain sustain sus sus- tain the findings of the court In the face of all an this he has had the temerity to make a charge of ot fraud against your Indian contract nodded Captain Hardy Hardys is s too skilled a n strategist not to realize that the tile best way to shield himself is isto isto isto to raise the cry of stop thief l' l against others Does he allege that the signatures signatures signatures signa signa- tures to my contract are forged 1 The signatures are genuine The They were obtained by fraud bluntly charged Hardy My word Is as ns good or perhaps somewhat better than that of a cashIered cashiered cashiered cash cash- officer rejoined You deny the Ule charge the president stated rather than inquired Most emphatically pleasantly agreed |