storian, it
is difficult to write, since long association with Stannard had forcibly
impressed his views as to Rallston's character. Perhaps we were as
reluctant to hear of his subsequent behavior and to believe in his
contrition as Mrs. Whaling with all her meek and lowly piety was to
conceive of Ray's innocence of the various charges laid at his door;
but, in the absence of proof to the contrary, we simply place before
the patient reader Nellie Ray Rallston's own statement: that her husband
emerged from that trying illness a very different man, that he humbly
begged Will's forgiveness and hers, and that when he was well enough to
be moved home he had grown so fond of Will that he could not bear to
have him out of his sight, and that he was rejoiced when orders came for
Will to go to Chicago, as it enabled him to travel with them as far as
Omaha. But you must remember, we feel bound to say, that she was of that
loyal loving Kentucky nature--singularly like her brother for that
matter--that having once given itself in its entirety to the service of
lover or friend, is apt to stick to it through thick and thin. We may be
pardoned--we worldlings--for doubting as yet the depth and sincerity of
Rallston's repentance. "When the devil was ill, the devil a saint would
be," etc. You know the application; but, for the time being, Mrs.
Rallston went home happier than she had been for ages.

And Ray went on to division headquarters at Chicago, wondering what on
earth was up now. He was still on leave, still clamoring to be tried,
that he might be cleared of those charges and allowed to rejoin his
regiment. His wound had healed, though he was still thin and worn, and
he could not bear to think that there might be any more fighting for the
dear old --th and he not there.

But Rand had taken Rallston's letters and some other papers with him to
Chicago, as directed, and the commanding general had seen in less than
no time what an outrageous case had been built up against a young
officer whose record up to date had been one that appealed to all his
sympathies. Ever since that daring night ride Ray had been an object of
the liveliest interest to the general,--himself the cavalry leader _par
excellence_ of his day,--and when Rand laid before him all the papers in
the case there was an eruption that made the rafters ring.

But when it came to cooling down and acting on the case, much as the
general might think Ray deserved a triumphant