"Marse Tom,if you would only be a little patient,and not fly off the handle at the least little thing.Why,she only wants you to speak to him.""Speak to him!Well,upon my word!All this unseemly rage and row about such a -a -Dorcas,I never saw you carry on like this before.You have alarmed the sentry;he thinks I am being assassinated;he thinks there's a mutiny,a revolt,an insurrection;he -""Marse Tom,you are just putting on;you know it perfectly well;Idon't know what makes you act like that -but you always did,even when you was little,and you can't get over it,I reckon.Are you over it now,Marse Tom?""Oh,well,yes;but it would try anybody to be doing the best he could,offering every kindness he could think of,only to have it rejected with contumely and ...Oh,well,let it go;it's no matter -I'll talk to the doctor.Is that satisfactory,or are you going to break out again?""Yes,sir,it is;and it's only right to talk to him,too,because it's just as she says;she's trying to keep up discipline in the Rangers,and this insubordination of his is a bad example for them -now ain't it so,Marse Tom?""Well,there IS reason in it,I can't deny it;so I will speak to him,though at bottom I think hanging would be more lasting.What is the rest of your errand,Dorcas?""Of course her room is Ranger headquarters now,Marse Tom,while she's sick.Well,soldiers of the cavalry and the dragoons that are off duty come and get her sentries to let them relieve them and serve in their place.It's only out of affection,sir,and because they know military honors please her,and please the children too,for her sake;and they don't bring their muskets;and so -""I've noticed them there,but didn't twig the idea.They are standing guard,are they?""Yes,sir,and she is afraid you will reprove them and hurt their feelings,if you see them there;so she begs,if -if you don't mind coming in the back way -""Bear me up,Dorcas;don't let me faint.""There -sit up and behave,Marse Tom.You are not going to faint;you are only pretending -you used to act just so when you was little;it does seem a long time for you to get grown up.""Dorcas,the way the child is progressing,I shall be out of my job before long -she'll have the whole post in her hands.I must make a stand,I must not go down without a struggle.These encroachments....Dorcas,what do you think she will think of next?""Marse Tom,she don't mean any harm."
"Are you sure of it?"
"Yes,Marse Tom."
"You feel sure she has no ulterior designs?""I don't know what that is,Marse Tom,but I know she hasn't.""Very well,then,for the present I am satisfied.What else have you come about?""I reckon I better tell you the whole thing first,Marse Tom,then tell you what she wants.There's been an emeute,as she calls it.
It was before she got back with BB.The officer of the day reported it to her this morning.It happened at her fort.There was a fuss betwixt Major-General Tommy Drake and Lieutenant-Colonel Agnes Frisbie,and he snatched her doll away,which is made of white kid stuffed with sawdust,and tore every rag of its clothes off,right before them all,and is under arrest,and the charge is conduct un -""Yes,I know -conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman -a plain case,too,it seems to me.This is a serious matter.Well,what is her pleasure?""Well,Marse Tom,she has summoned a court-martial,but the doctor don't think she is well enough to preside over it,and she says there ain't anybody competent but her,because there's a major-general concerned;and so she -she -well,she says,would you preside over it for her?...Marse Tom,SIT up!You ain't any more going to faint than Shekels is.""Look here,Dorcas,go along back,and be tactful.Be persuasive;don't fret her;tell her it's all right,the matter is in my hands,but it isn't good form to hurry so grave a matter as this.Explain to her that we have to go by precedents,and that I believe this one to be new.In fact,you can say I know that nothing just like it has happened in our army,therefore I must be guided by European precedents,and must go cautiously and examine them carefully.
Tell her not to be impatient,it will take me several days,but it will all come out right,and I will come over and report progress as I go along.Do you get the idea,Dorcas?""I don't know as I do,sir."
"Well,it's this.You see,it won't ever do for me,a brigadier in the regular army,to preside over that infant court-martial -there isn't any precedent for it,don't you see.Very well.I will go on examining authorities and reporting progress until she is well enough to get me out of this scrape by presiding herself.Do you get it now?""Oh,yes,sir,I get it,and it's good,I'll go and fix it with her.LAY DOWN!and stay where you are.""Why,what harm is he doing?"
"Oh,it ain't any harm,but it just vexes me to see him act so.""What was he doing?"
"Can't you see,and him in such a sweat?He was starting out to spread it all over the post.NOW I reckon you won't deny,any more,that they go and tell everything they hear,now that you've seen it with yo'own eyes.""Well,I don't like to acknowledge it,Dorcas,but I don't see how I can consistently stick to my doubts in the face of such overwhelming proof as this dog is furnishing.""There,now,you've got in yo'right mind at last!I wonder you can be so stubborn,Marse Tom.But you always was,even when you was little.I'm going now.""Look here;tell her that in view of the delay,it is my judgment that she ought to enlarge the accused on his parole.""Yes,sir,I'll tell her.Marse Tom?"
"Well?"
"She can't get to Soldier Boy,and he stands there all the time,down in the mouth and lonesome;and she says will you shake hands with him and comfort him?Everybody does.""It's a curious kind of lonesomeness;but,all right,I will."
