CHAPTER XXVIII.
A DAY OF RECKONING.
Victory had neither glossed over nor defeat buried from sight those dishonest army contracts.

Louder and louder grew the murmurs against the fraud that had contributed so disastrously to the unhappy issue of the war, until at last a high military officer opened his mouth and declared, emphatically, "The parties responsible for such an outrage deserve to be hanged!" Soon after this bold utterance a decree went forth for an investigation of the scandal and the condign punishment of the guilty ones.

Confusion and panic followed in more than one family of exalted station.

A nobleman of proud lineage burnt all his papers and then opened the veins of his wrists with a penknife, and so escaped the ignominy of a trial in court.

Another submitted to arrest, but no sooner saw his prison door closed upon him than he despatched himself by piercing his heart with a breast-pin.