he
declares, you twice choked him off when he tried to tell you what his
orders were by saying he shouldn't mind such orders. Here, Leonard, the
shortest way will be to read the whole letter. You do it." And slowly
Leonard took the official sheet and began.

"POST ADJUTANT, FORT SCOTT, NEBRASKA.

"SIR,--It is with extreme regret that I feel it necessary to
report to the commanding officer certain occurrences tending to
the overthrow of good order and military discipline in the
command. Yesterday morning there arrived from the Ogallalla
Agency, Trooper Brannan of Troop 'A,' Eleventh Calvary, who had
been ordered hither by Lieutenant Boynton as attendant or
escort to the mail-rider. First Sergeant Haney reported to me
at ten o'clock that the man had evidently been drinking on the
way and was in an advanced stage of intoxication. On
examination of the man I was convinced that he needed medical
attendance rather than incarceration, and, instead of sending
him to the guard-house, as is customary in such cases, caused
him to be taken to the hospital, where under Dr. Burroughs's
orders he was put to bed and an attendant from my troop was
detailed with instructions to see that no stimulants of any
kind were given him. All seemed to progress favorably until
shortly after taps, when Trooper Paine, the attendant in
question, reported to me that Lieutenant Davies, Eleventh
Calvary, entered the ward, accompanied by a member of the
household of Captain Cranston, declared the treatment of the
patient unjustifiable and ordered him, the attendant, out of
the room. On Paine's attempting to define his orders he was
abruptly silenced and again ordered to leave. Being on duty
under the instructions of superior authority, Trooper Paine
again strove to explain his orders, and this time was curtly
told that he should pay no heed to such instructions, and was
then sent out of the hospital. The trooper called the doctor on
his way and then, very properly, reported his embarrassing
dilemma to me. I closely questioned him, and there can be no
doubt as to the language imputed to Lieutenant Davies, whose
propensity to interfere in the discipline of the troop I had
frequent occasion to notice and rebuke during the campaign of
the past summer. As courteous and kindly admonition had