Never during the long hours of these weeks and months of torture did he
lose his dignity or his lofty bearing quail before his tormentor. He was
too refined and dignified to be abusive, and too proud in General Miles'
delicate phraseology to "beg."
The loving wife began now her desperate fight to nurse him back into
life again.
The new Commandant of the fort, General Burton, who replaced Miles,
proved himself a gentleman and a soldier of the old school. He
immediately gave to the prisoner every courtesy possible and to his wife
sympathy and help.
The Bishop of Montreal sent him a case of green chartreuse from his own
stores. This powerful digestive stimulant helped his feeble appetite to
take the nourishment needed to sustain life and slowly build his
strength.
He could sleep only when read to, and many a day dawned on the worn
figure of his wife still droning her voice into his sensitive ears, with
one hand on his pulse praying God it might still beat. At times it
stopped, and then she roused the sleeper, gave him the stimulant and
made him eat something which she always kept ready. Dr. Cooper had
warned that the walls of his heart were so weak even a sound sleep might
prove his death if too long continued.
CHAPTER XLVII
VINDICATION
When Socola had finished his work developing the history and character
of Conover and his crew of professional perjurers there was a sudden
collapse in the machinery of the Bureau of Military Justice.
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