"It would be idle, Major White, to feign ignorance of what you refer to,
but let me say right here and now that you have been utterly misled as
to that young officer's character, and I doubt if you properly estimate
that of his detractors."

"I base my opinion on a cavalry report, Captain Cranston,--on Mr.
Archer's vindication of Captain Devers."

"As one-sided a report as was ever written, sir, for the other side--Mr.
Davies--had never a hearing,--never even heard of the investigation
itself until a week ago, and is now bound to silence pending action at
department head-quarters; but meantime, sir, as a friend of his, and a
man who believes in him, I protest against any such impression as you
have received, and I ask you how it is that you can believe such a story
of an officer who, single-handed, arrested Red Dog in the face of his
followers? There has been an insidious influence at work against him
ever since last summer, and we of the Eleventh know just where to place
it."

"If I've wronged him, Cranston, you know me well enough to know that
I'll make every amend possible. I have heard, I own, much more than
Archer's report, so have my brother officers, not only before the recent
outbreak in which he seems to have outwrestled Red Dog, but since. Since
his recent visit to Scott stories have come to our ears very much to his
discredit."

"Not from Leonard, sir, I warrant you," interposed Cranston, hotly.

"No, not from Leonard, for Leonard never talks against anybody, but from
officers at Scott who seem to speak by the card. There is general
indignation because of his affront to the wife of one of our number. If
your friend is so far above suspicion, and did not feel some sense of
the sentiment against him, why did he utterly shun the society of every
officer at the post-except the chaplain? It reminds me of that English
snob who was sent to Coventry for abandoning the Prince Imperial, and
then took refuge in the prayers of the Church."

"Major White, there are reasons for Davies's conduct for which I will be
answerable, and which you could not fail to respect. The fault, sir, lay
on the other side. This is something that can't be discussed here, for a
woman's war is mixed up in it, but if I have any place in your esteem,
let me urge you to suspend judgment. While the responsibility for the
original wrong done Davies must rest in my regiment, there have been
later wrongs done him in yours, and I learn it for