etts and urged him to telegraph, but
he said he could get some of it, at least, at the fort. So I drove him
and Cary out in a sleigh, left them at the store, and, circling the
fort, spent two hours with Miss Mayhew. Then getting uneasy, as they did
not come, drove round back to the store just in time to see Lieutenant
Foster's sleigh going like the wind to town, and found Rafferty in
frantic excitement. He said there was hell to pay. The lieutenant was in
arrest. Lowndes and Cary had run away with some of his clothes. There'd
been a shindy up the row, and just then a soldier friend came running.
'Skip for your life, Rawdon,' said he. 'There's been robbery at Captain
Sumter's, and Sergeant Fitzroy swears it was you, and that you've struck
him and assaulted him. The colonel orders you arrested wherever found.
The patrols are out now!' There was no time to explain. I lashed my
team to town, caught Lowndes in cavalry overcoat and cap, the fool, and
with not a cent to his name. I gave Cary a note to Miss Mayhew, which he
never delivered, and took Lowndes with me on Number Six at 11.40."

"Then you were not at Captain Sumter's that night?"

"Nowhere near it, sir."

Snaffle's eyes were fairly popping from their sockets. Hadn't he said
all along it was Lanier?

"Now, another matter," continued Riggs. "That night at Laramie of which
you told me. These gentlemen will be interested."

"There was nothing remarkable in that. I had heard of the same thing
being done at West Point. I heard in the nick of time of the order to
the officer-of-the-day to inspect for Lieutenant Lanier. I imagined that
something very serious would happen to him. I knew he'd gone to the
post with Lowndes, and why. So, with my apologies now to the lieutenant,
I slipped round to his tent and into his blankets."

"Did the lieutenant know of it--or of the reason?"

"Never, so far as I know. I doubt if he knows it now. Lowndes told me
the lieutenant--before he entered West Point--was a member of our
fraternity. That was enough."

"And so far as I am concerned," said Riggs, "that is enough. Have you
gentlemen any questions to ask?"

"Not--now," answered Button slowly. "But I desire personally to see--the
witness--later."

XIV

One more witness appeared before this informal court that memorable day,
and with him, as prearranged, the tall, elderly civilian who had arrived
with Stannard and his party from the East. Mr. Arnold came in, hat in
han