case were
aroused long months ago," said Elmendorf, when the judge-advocate of the
department suavely spoke:

"Kindly spare us your suspicions, Mr. Elmendorf. You promised facts,
and, as time is short, owing to your own delay, we desire facts alone."

"The facts," said Elmendorf, nettled, "are that the gentleman in
question, while posing as a man of honor and a welcome guest in a most
estimable family circle, has long been secretly laying siege to the
affections of a young and comparatively friendless girl, with such
success that their relations became the talk of the neighborhood. I
found that she had been seen at his lodgings after dark, that they were
frequently seen alone together as late as midnight, and that they were
often alone in the private rooms at the Lambert. These facts were so
well known that when he was suddenly ordered to leave Chicago last
winter the explanation arrived at by common consent was that the general
sent him off to his regiment to avert further scandal, and that his
second orders were for practically the same reason. It is notorious
that because of this affair the girl has been threatened with discharge
from the position she holds, and so I am here to say that since this
poor clerk and this poor girl are made the sufferers and the only ones,
I, as the ever ready representative of the people, demand the prompt
punishment of the real offender, whom doubtless his class would shield.
Nothing but my dislike of involving a poor working-girl in further
scandal and trouble has held me silent until now."

"I see," said the judge-advocate, reflectively; "and you have intimated
that in order to spare her further publicity you would be willing to
abandon your purpose, provided----?"

"Provided Mr. Forrest tender his immediate and unconditional resignation
from the service, and I be furnished written assurance that it will be
accepted, also admission that my statement as to the cause of his sudden
orders to leave Chicago was true."

The scene in the office that sultry afternoon was something to remember
long days after. Cranston couldn't help thinking what a blessing it was
that the breeze at last was blowing fresh from the lake and the white
caps were bounding beyond the breakwater. It was a group worthy of a
painter's brush,--Elmendorf's sublime confidence in the criminality of
his fellow-man and the unassailable integrity of his own position,
Kenyon's attitude of close and appreciative study of