Newspaper Page Text
RAYS DAUGHTER of j.iem did said their own mother! couldn't have done more, nd t hrjr'd do anything for mr now. Hut when I went out to their camp at Pnco their major Just ns much as ordered mo ay, and that little whlpper snapper, Lieut. Tlay, that I roiild take on my knee and spunk , lie Lieut, liny- a friend of yours? Well, you mny think ho In, or you may he a friend 01 Mr, but t ran tell you right heie and now he's no friend, and you'll ec he Isn't. What' more, I hale to sec nn honest, high toned youiiR gentleman Jurt throwing him self awoy on people that ran't npprr elate him, I eniild tell you" "Stop, drlrerl" shouted .Muyicsant, unalile longer to eontrol himself. 'Mian Perkins," he added, an the lit tie ronehuinn manfully struggled tk bring his rushing team to n halt at the cnrli, "I have a eall to make and nm late. Tell my eoaehninn where to tnke you and semi him hack to thin corner, flood night, iiindam." nnd, gritting hi teeth, mil he sprang to the sidewalk, tt happened to he directly In front of one of those until,- resorts where, day mid ill; hi, hy dozens Hie swarthy little li -i . n men gather nliout n bli Hard table with Its center nrnnment of ltoxwuod plu. Iiettlng on n game reoenr'i'liij? the Vnnkee "pin pool" In everything hut the possibility of fair piny, Hovering nhoul the entrance or on flu outskirts of the unarm of nen and hnyr. a iliizcii native worn en, rntne with balder In llielr nrnm nud iimrly nil with cigar lielween Ihr'r teeth. stood watching the play with absorbing Interest. The lamp had ln-en lighted Imt n few irlnittes nnd the gnme n In full blast Some statvvurt soldiers, rrgulars from the t'tiartrl de Malate from down the street or the nlpa hnrrnrkr of the Dakota nnd Matins, wen- curiously Ktii'lylng the rcenr. making Jovial mid unstinted enmment after their fearless democratic fash Ion, Imt sagely uhslnlnliig from try lug tin Ir lin k mid not so rngcly nn m-plln-r the rtvlliig sndn ilrlnkH hrld forth to tin-in by templing liamU. I.lipinr the vendors dare not protTer the prompt mnrshnl's eople had forhlilih-ti Hint-nnd only at the li censed hum In tonn or liy hrllwry nnd stiitlth In the outlying ruhiirltr cnuH the natives dlsp f the villainous "hlnn" with which at times the un wary mid unaccustomed American was mcrconie. Three or four men In civilian drear, that somehow rii'iirkctl of the ten, ns did their iiiuttercd, low-toned tnlk, huddled together ut the corner port, fiirtiiely eying the laughing roldlern and net nslonnil.v eerlng up nud down the ilnrl.inrit rtreet. It wnr not the ptucc Stuytcrmit would hate chnacn to leuvc hlr csrrlugc, hut It war a cure of any port In u storm-uny thing to erciipe that uwful woman. With one iulck rprlng he wur out of the vehicle nnd Intn the midst of the group on the narrow sidewalk before he noticed them lit all. hut not liefore they Haw him. liven lis Mlrr I'crklur threw forward u wnuhl-lie grasping V 11 r 'ini mr oki: ok Tin: iniour in civilian IJIIUSa IJAVU A HCHIIIIN, IN HTANT BVAIIT. and detulnliig huud und culled him hy nuine, one of the group In clilllau UrcrH gate muhlcn, Inrtmit rtiirt, rpruug round the corner, Imt, trip pill;, on Home olijttuclc, rprunled full length on the hard btnne putcmeiit, l)epltc the lulvucu of tho full, which wiung iroiu hliu u llci'ce cume, the mull uh up In a rccoud, uwuy uud out of right In u tw Inkling. "tut mil" rhoutcd rituyteruut, liu putlei.tly, liiipvrluurly, to Ida conch' mail, n, never cailiig what rtreet hu took, l.u tuu tljrleil utouiid tin t.'iu.e cornel', iiKd hot tall, nlilte form tun Uhid on thu truck of tho cltihuii. Hut the round of the hcuy full, thu muttered curre, uiul thu ruilden fU.'rt tlun in the uriircrt group! "(Miut'r nroiu "It'1 HuckottV" hud reuched MNi, I'trklnr eurr, for while once more thu little tcum wur rpecillug iwlflly uwuy, thu rtrhlent olcu ol the Innc pnirengcr wur Uplifted in excited hull to the cnuchinaii to rtup. And here the 1'lllplno ileiiionrtruteil to the uttermuHt that the nnitnltlcH oC chlllullnu were yet niiilriiim.il of In lilt diirkencd Intellect ar he. tween the orderr of the malt and the dcmaiidr of the womiuii he oheyed the former. Deaf, ew'tl to thut uwful voice, hu droe furiously on until drought up htmiilln; hy the Kiyouetr of the pulrol In fruit of the Ihigllrh dill), nnd In u fury of denunciation and ipiltcr of mlnuled wrath nnd ex citement, MI ia I'ei'klur tumbled nut Into the nrmr of un amued uud dir. giuted rergeaut, and deinunded that he come ut once to arrcat a vile thief nnd dcrerter. ClIAI'TEIt XIV. That night the rentrler, noftly lighted hy n waning old moon, were nn the lookout everywhere anion? the auburn for two malefactor dis tinctly lUITerliiij In type, yet cnually ID ileiuand. One, rnhl the deicrlp tl'onr, war a burly, thick-ret, rome what aloilchlug .Xinerlcuii, In clo h lug of the rallor klop-rhop tnrlety a man of lite feet m mid lunylie 0 yearr, though he might be nnu-li young'ri " coiirre-fenluied. heavy beartlcd man, with gray eyer, gener ally hle.try, and one front tooth gone, IrnWnff a gup In the upper Jaw next the ru nl nr, which war fang like, yellow and prominent; n man with hurrh voice and rurly nnyr; n man known nr Hacked iiiiiiiih; rea men and -rln,il eliltlanr who prob ably had made their way to Manila In thu hope of picking up an cary living) n man wmiled ni Murray Huong roldlern for a dcrerter, Jail bird and thief. The other malefactor war lerr min utely described. A nntlte (lie feet right, perhapr. Very lull for n Tagal. rleiider, rlncwy and with n tuft ot wiry hair and III Inehei of rhlrt mlrr Ing. "for further pnrtlcularn mid the mlrrlng lit liicher. nr well nr the hair, Inipilre at Col. Ilrent'a, No. 1'Ji) ( iille Saji l.iili, l.'nnlln." it rreiiir tint rnou after dark that I eventful evening Mr.. limit nnd Mini j Porter had reeu Matdle cnuiiiirtiihly lH-rliined III the big, broad, ciilie-.int-j touied Im'iI In her airy room, mid had left her to nil appearance rleeplug j placidly towurdr chihl o'clocl.'. mid j I hen gone out to dinner. Whatever the cnue of her iigltntion on reeelv ling nt llrenl'r haniU the Utile card photogr.iph of In-rrelf, II had rub- ruled ufler n brief, low-toned con ference with Sandy, who ipilekly enme and rieedlly hnrtetied nwny, and Inter vlrlt fnini Dr. I'rnnk, whore pluelil, linpertiirluible, rcrliul wnyr were In Ihemrelier well-nigh ar roothlii; nr the oraiige-llower wa ter preo-r' bed for her, lltcn I In- Ut ile nlgl'.l-llghl, flnntltig In Itr glnrr, had been extinguished when the In die left her. The rooiunrrlgned to Marlon war at the northwest loroer of the house. j lla two front wtudonr opened on the I wide gallery, that In turn opened nut on the llagutiilriynn parade. Itr wert windows, nhn two In nuiubr, wrre heavily framed. There were rlldlni; bllndr to oppuse to the westering 1 oin, trnnstiicent rhellr In ptnee of I hrlttle glnrr to leiuH-r, yet admit, the daylight, and hanging curtains I Hint tdld easily nn their supporting ! rodr and remP'red the room dark ar i foiihl lie desired for the rlestn hourr I uf the trople dn.t. 1 The dinner tnhle, brightly lighted i by lumps hung from bookr rccorcty , drhen In the upper beaiiir (lath nud I plaster are unknown In Ihlr seismic land), wnr ret on the renr gallery -)verlooklug the putlo, and here, roon ifler eight, Mrent, Ills little house hold, the diK'tor uiid'two more gueslr were eolly ehiitllng and dlulug, while I nolselerr natile ,rviiutr holered , nliout mid Mnldle l' iy presuiiuibly slept. Hut Mnldle wnr not rleeplng. Kull of n new anxiety. If lint of dread, md needing to think calmly and clenrly. rlie had tiirm-d away from ' her almost too io.rlduitur attend.iiit . (niul clo-eil her eyes upon the world about her. A perplexity, n problem rueli nr neicr oeeurred to her nr a porrihlllly, one that rorely worried I Sandy, nr she could plnlidv ree, hiul suddenly been thrust itpuu her. Illth- Irrto she had eier had n mort deioted molher -is her counselor mid friend. ! but iiou n time hiul come when she in n si ihtuk mid act for herself. ! The little cunt photograph picked up Ly the men on the rceue of the seiif.le nt the edge of the llngiuu- lli.i.liili hail told Mr story to her nt Icui.t nod to Sandy. It "ould only l,i..flll II. i,t l'..wl..e Iim In. .lN.nl j whole ilayr mid wcikr nl their New ' Mexican rtatlou to Ihe neglect of Ids cattle rniii'li. he iihn had listed in the cuiulry nud dlrnii.ieiired ilrrcrt- , cd, may he- at Curipilne. had eluded senrch, pursuit, Impilry of every l.lud, 'imt, all ignorant, proluibly, of the coiiimtsshiu ohtiitiii'd for )i I in , hud, rtlll reeretly, as though renlllug IiIh dmige'r, followed her to Manila. This, then, must haie been the tall rtrauger who culh-il himself an old friend und would git- no miiiie, for It wur In I'fistee. In uiisi.'ee to tils nwisl 'urgent plea -pcrhupr loueheil by his deioted line for In r loiel.i duiiuh ter thut Mm. Iluy hud ;:lwn lliul little iluuette iliiitogi'iiph long luoiithr before. There, on the buck, wnr the dnte In her minher'n Itniult "I'ort Averlll, X. Me.. IVUruary IS, lbM." Well did Mnrlon reiiiemlier I how hu I in I beggi'd hsr to write her . name beneath tile picture, nud how, ! fur rutin rcaroii she ii.-rself eoidd not I deicrlbe, rhe had shrhiik from so ilntng. There had been probably half . u doen pictures of Foster tibont their tpinrtrrn nt Averlll photographr In cieulng dress, In much rig. In winter ! garb. In lennlr costuuie but only ouii 1 had he ot Mnldle, anil that not of her ' giving. Now, whnt could Ills coming mean? What miidnerr prompted thlr stealth 'nnd cerccy'.' 'If Innocent of willful desertion, Ida proier course war to lime reported without delay to Ihu tullltnry mtthorltlcr nt Sun Francisco t nud told the cnuse of htr dlsnpiear .ince nr detention, Hut he had evt I dently done nothing of the kind. They would surely bale heard of It. and now he war here, rtlll virtually ! In hiding and possibly In disguise, I nnd one unguarded word of hern might Und him n prisoner, n war time drrerli r, within the wullr of the ' gloomy rarer I III Old Manila. Sandy rhe hud to tell, unit he wnr ' overwhelmed with dismay, hud gal loped to Pncoto ree hln colonel and . get leavu for "urgent pernonnl mid I family rearonr," hu he uai to ray, to spend IS hours In and nbout Ma nila, If n pomllilii thing, Kandy win to trail aril dud poor For'"- Indue him to surrender himself at once, to plead lllnesr. Inexperience anythlog und throw himself on tho mercy uT the nuthorlttrr. Handy would be Lack by nine unlets nninethliig utter ly unforeseen detained hlni ut Kitut M'acu. Meautlmo what else could rhe do? what could aim plan to reacun that recklerr, lucklesn, harebrained, handtomu fellow from the plight Into which hlr misguided, wanted passion had plunged him? Krom the veranda the clink of glass and china, the low hum of merr.v ?hat, the mum! of hulf-rmothered laughter, fell upon the enr and vexed her with Itr careless Jollity, 'Impa tiently rhe threw herself upon the other the left aide, nnd then Jilt bold upright In bed. Not n breath of air war stirring. The night war ro rtlll rhe could hear the soft tinkle of the ships' bells off Ihe Ltiuetn --could nlinort hear the soothing plash of the wuieletr on the bench. There wnr nothing whntovcr to cnuse Hint huge mahogany door o swing upon Itr well-oiled hinges, She heard them close It when they vent outt rhe raw that It war closed when they were gone, yet, nr rhe turned on her pillow und toivmdi the faint light through the northward wliulowr, that door wnr rtnwly. Healthily turning, until nl Inst, wide open, it Interposed between her and the oiitivurd tight at the front. Many an evening lately rhe hint lain With her linndr ehisped under the buck of her bonny head looking dreamily out through t lint big open vlndovv, uerorr the gnllery beyond and ttie open casements In front, wntrhlug the twinkle of the electrhi lights above tin distant rampitrtr of the old city and the nearer gleam of Ihe brilliant glolr-r Hint hung aloft along the west edge of the llngiuu hnynn. Now one-hulf of thnt vlsln war rhitt off by the murrtie door, the other war nnifhscured, but cten nr with I beating henrl, rtlll at n trembling mouse, rhe rut mid gned, romethlng glided slowly, rtenlthlly, noiselessly I between her nnd those K'lrnylnff lights, something dark, dim and hu man, for the rhap-' war that of a , man, a nntlie, nr rhe knew by the i rtlllly brtished-up luilr above the fore I' head, the loosely falling rhlrt a na tive tnller than any of their hoiire hold rervuutr -n n.itlie whose move ments were ro utterly without round J that Mnldle reatlred nn the Inrtnnt i that here wnr one of Manila's fn i uioiir verrnd.i-ellniblng house thieves, ' and her llrrt thnught war for her re ' roller. She hud left It, totally for .gotten, on the little table on the J outer gallery, t Kv'cii though still vvenk from her I long and serious Illness, the brave, : army-bred girl was conscious of no sentiment of fenr. To cry out war ! sure to bring the Inrtnut escape of ' Hie Intruder, whereas to rapture him and prevent liU getting nwny with rueh vnltiuhlcr as he hnd probably ; already Irld luiiidi on iH'cnme Instant ly her whole aiublllon. The rhln win- dowr were closed hy the sliding , blinds, liven If he leaped from 'them It would be Into n narrow court shut In by n ten-font rplke-lopped stone wall, lie had chosen the vermiila climbers' faiorlle hour, that which ' found the family nt dinner on the 1 back gallery, mid the ipilet rtreelr I well'iilgh deserted rave by hlr own skilled nnd trusted "pair," fnini ( whose shoulders he had easily swung ' himself to the oierhiinglug rtructure 'lit the front. He would dualities i retire that wny Ihe moment he had I rtowed beneath hlr loose, flapping I ropas such Items nr he deemed of j marketnb'e nliie. I lie war eien now stealthily muting across the lloor to whero her drear j log tnhle stood lie! ween the vvcftwnrd , wlndowr. The hum must lime tin eyes of u cat In see in the dark, in f else persoiitil mid previous l.nowledgi of the premises. If she could only j slip nr noiselessly out by the fool I of the lied, Interpose tictwecii hln and the door uud that one vvide-opei window, then wrcaiii for help line ! grab hliu ar lie sprang, rhe might ihopc to hold hliu for a recond or two and then llient mid Dr. I'rantc woulc' b-v upon him. j All her trembling war from excite I ment; rhe knew no thought of fenr ' Hut Ktrnng unit steady hmnlr were needed, not the fcvcr-rluittf red mem I hers only just beginning to regale I llielr normal tone. She slid from no I ileriiruth the soft, light coverlet with' lout u roiinil. The sturdy yet elastic bottom of platted ciine never creaked j or complained. She softly pushed . outvvurt the flue mosipillo netting gathered her dainty night robe close. , 'y about her slender form, and the next minute her little bare feet were 'on the polished hnrdivood lloor, the i iiuirslve door bnrely (lie short steps I may. She cautiously lifted the net I ling till It olrnred her bend, and then, crouching low, moved warily 1 towurdr Hie dim, vertical silt that j told of riilrlueil light In the salon. There war no creak to those thick 1 blnekwood phiukr with which Muulla mansions arc lloored, Her, out i stretched hnnd had ulmosl leached i the knob when her knee collided with a light bamboo bedroom chulr. There j nan Instant bamboo rasp and protest followed by Instant ilgorniir spring licrorr the room and Instant piercing , scream from Muhlle's lips. Something dusky white shot before her eyer. Something Inky black nnd dusky white war mulched at uud selrd by those nervous, slender, but I determined Utile, hands. .Something dropped with clnsh mid clatter on the resounding floor. Something ripped and tore ar an nglle, slippery, sfpilrm Ing form bounded from her grnap over the ensement to tho veranda, over the sill Into the street, find when llrent and the doctor and '.he ! itomeef rtishln? In and lamps were brought and llrent went shouting to renlrlen up uud down the San Luis and shots were henrd around the nearest corner, Mali Mnrlon, Second, wan found crouching upon the enne-bnttomed chnlr that had baffled her plans, half laughing, half crying with vexation, but firmly grasping In one hand n tuft of coarse, straight black hair, and In the oilier a section of Filipino rhlrt the rle of lady'r kerchief nil rhe hnd to show of her prednlory visitor nud to account for tin' unseemly disturbance they hnd made. "Just to think -Jurt to think!" ex claimed Mrr. llrent, with clasping MAItlON WAH l-Ut'NII IIAI.F-t.At'llll-INll. IIAI.l'M'IIYINO, WITH VKXATIUN. hands, "that this lime, when you might most have needed It, Mr. Stuy vcrmit should have gone olt with your pistol!" CIIAI'I'HII XV. Hut there was little merriment when, live minutes later, the house' hold had taken account of slock and rcalled the extent of their losses, .l life He's hud evidently Ir-eii the lart room vlrtted. The dressing table mid wardrobe of the opposite chamber that occupied by Col. and Mrr. llrent had been rniirucked. The colonel's vvntch und chain -too bulky, he ruld. to lx- worn ut dinner In white uni form Ida boynl Legion uud Army of Ihe I'ntoiuue Insignia mid some prl-ril though not expensive trinkets of his good wife were gone. Mln Porter's little purse with her modest ravlngr md n brooch that hud been her mother'" were missing. And with there Items the skilled practitioner had made good his erenpe. On the lloor. Just under the window In Mnldle'r room, lay n keen double edged knife. The slumps nf two or three matcher found In the colonel's npartment ami others In Mlrs Por ter's showed Dial Hie thief hint not feared to make rultleleiil light for htr purpose, nnd from the tloor of Mnrlort's room, close to the bureau, Just where It had Ir-rn dropped vvhen the prowler wnr illumined, .Miss Pur ler picked Up one of Hie old-fush-loucd "phosphors" Hint Ignite noise lessly nnd burn with but n tiny tliicie. Murlou'r portcmoiiunle war In the upper drnvver, uuloiiched, nud rueh Jewelry nr rhe owned, rnve two pie clour rlttirr rhe nlwiiyr wore, vvus stored In her father's safe deposit box In the lui'iti nl home, The colonel wnr renlly the greatest hiser mid de. elared It served him right, both pro vort marshal ami chief of police linv lug wnrneil htm to leave nothing "ty ing nroiniil loose." At round of shotr on the Cnlle Nuern llrent hnd rallied forth, nnd, rushing Impetuously Into Ihe dlinly llghled thoroughfare, hud narrowly lulsred lnsnr the lop of hlr head nr well ns htr watch, mi exeltsd aentrv rending n bullet whtzltig lulu ro.iee tiy'vvny of Ihe colonel's pith Icl'.ict, which prompted the doctor t i rnv In his pluelil and most n.-ttf way Unit more bends had been lost Hint liltihl linn viil'ialiler, nnd one bad shot be gat another, Senirlerilovvntovvurilr (he barracks hearing Hie Ihreu or four ipitek re portr, liethoughl them of tin' time hoiioieil Inrlrucllonr prercrlhlni: thai In care nf u blae which he could mil personally extinguish Ihe sentry should "rhoiit 'Flrel' discharge hl fhVcc uiul mid the munlier of hb poit." Sagely reasoning that nothing hut u tire could star! rueh u row. or at least thai there war autllelnit ex euro to warrant their having rome fun of their own to enliven the dull hours of the night. Numbers 7 anil touched olt their triggers nud yelled "t'lre!" Five and a, nearer home, fol lowed suit, mid lu two minuter the bugler wure blowlirr the alarm all over Frmlta and Mc'ule, uud rollick ing young regulars uud volunteers by thu hundred were tumbling out Into tho street, all eagerness uud rejoicing ut tie prospect of having it lurk with the llonibrror, the funny little Manila firemen with their funnier little ripdrts on wheels. It was fully half an hour before the ofllcern could "locntu" the i,r(,m of the nhirm uud order their con punier hack to bed, an order most rein.. a. i ly obeyed, for by Hull time the niul eat native Urn company wiiH-uroi red uud on the way to the scene. Oth ers could bo expected In the course uf the night, mid the Manila lire de partment war something thut ulToril ed the Ymikee soldier unspeakable Joy. Jle hated to lose such, mi opjmr tunlty. Hut for all his profe-islonal raltii, Dr. Frank wur by no means pi.., ,1 with the excitement ntlenil v , cplaode. For an hour or mot . . fern from all over the nelglib. i ...t gathered In front of lircnt's an-1 ' ' to be told the particulars, ' I Itay's daughter" being pron" m ' the heroine everybody expert, i '. to lie, while Hint young Indv her " uiivr tl" ''ff '''' i closed, war in n condition bon'rrlri'1 on the electric. "OieMvrou,;lit nud nervous," raid Mlrr Porter, "but laughing at the whole hurlhers." What Frank thought he didn't my. hut he cut short Sandy's visit to hli staler nnd suggested that he go down nud tell the assemblage under the front gallery that they would brtler return to whist or whatever game was In progress when the nltirnt war glten. The colonel could not Invite them In ns matters stood, ami they slowly dispersed, leaving only it senior or two and Lleul. Stuyvernnt to ipiestlon further, for Stuyvrriuit coming front nfnr mid arriving tale, war full nf anxiety nnd concern. Despite hlr temporary escape, etc eumriancer mid Hie civil niithorllle (now Ir'rome decidedly military), had thrown hliu into rtlll further nrso clitllou with the woman whom he would bale ro gladly shunned the Importunate Mlrr Perkins, lie had taken it'tiiru nroiind Ihe block -mid refuge In the Cugllrh club -until he thought her disposed of nt home nnd his carriage rcl tinted. He had conn across the little equipage, triimllh" slowly up uud down Hie street In senrch of hliu. hnd illiied without up petite mut i.mokcd without relish, striving to for rrb that odious worn, rtn's hints unit nrpershuis. utmcd ev idently at the Hays, mid hnd gone to Ids own room lit write when n corfSiriil appeared with a request from Hie eaplalii In charge of the police guard of llrmlta to Mrp down to the olllce. It was much ufler nine then and the excitement caused by the alarm war nhoul over, the troops going back o barrnrkr mid pi-eruiiiubly to bed. The cuptalii iipnlogled for call' lug on hint that late In the evening, hut told him n muii recognized as Murray, deserler from Hie cavalry, j was secreted romewhere In Hie neigh- horhotrl, mut It wnr reported Hint he (Stiiyvesmit) could give valuable In- I formation concerning him, Stttyve. 1 rant could nnd did, mid lu the midst . if It lu cume Mlsr Perkins, Hushed enger mul ilemiiiiillng to k.now If that villain war yet caught "mid If not , why not'" i Then rhe caught rt.hl of Hltryrc , lint mid precipitated hcrrelf upon htm. That man Murray had hale 1 fully deceived tier mid Imposed upon 1 her goodness, rhe declared. She had ' done everything to help lit ut nl the. Prerldlo, anil lie had promised Iter a paper signed by all t lie Irtyr nsl.lng Hint the P. D, A.r lie recoguled a the ivgiiiiliillon the roldlerr fatored. and showed her n petition he had ' drawn up and vvar gelling slgnafuisrr '" ''?""" hundreds. Thnt paer wouhVliitve Insured llielr being ni- ! ogiiled by Hie government Inrlend . of those purse-proud tied frorr pen- t pie, mid then he had wickedly de- . serted, ufler - ufler 'inid Stuyirranl could rearcely keep n straight face - ' getting f.'il from her and it ring Ihal i he war going tit wear always illilll he , came back from Manila an olllrer. Oh, he war a rinart one, n smooth ' oiirl All that Inside of three day' after he got to the Presidio, and then ' wnr nrrerted, and then, next thing she knew, he had lied -petition, money, ring and all, Another soldier told her the sig natures were bogus. And Hint tery night she had recognized him, spite of his heard, and at right of tier he hnd cut uud run ("Well he might!" thought slu.iicsnnl). And llien Ml 1 Perkins yielded In the strain of liter taxed nerves and had to lie eouiluclrd home. She lived but n block or two away, nnd It wnr Stuyiewitit who hnd to play escort, 'Ihe ulr, unluckily, re vived her, mid nl Ihe gutewny rhe turi-d and hnd this to mid to her' previous statements: i "Vou think the Hay people your; friends, lieutenant, mul I'm not the kind of wouimi to see it worthy young man trilled with, Yuu'vo liccn go ing there etery day mul everybody ' known It, mid know, thai you were rent unity to Hollo In hopes of brink- 1 lug you of It. That glrlV promised , In inurrlnge In that young man who's j got himself Into such u scrape nil on ' her account, lie's here folloivrd her here to mnrry her. and If lie'r , found he's IIiiIiIh lo be rliol. Oh, you can believe or lint. Jurt nr you pleare. but neter ray I didn't try in glie you , fair warning. Know'.' Why, I know , much more iiIhuii w lull's going on here than your gener.iU do. I haie frleuilr everywhere among the buyri they haven't. Oh, very well. If you ! won't llrlen," (Foe Stuyvesant had turned nway In wrath mul exaspera tion.) "Hul you'd be wiser If you henrd me out. I've recti Mr. Forter and had the whole story from hlr Hps. lie's been there every day, too, I till he vvus taken sick -" j Hut Stuyvesant was out uf the gale and nt Inst out nf hearing, und with n vicious bung to the door the lady of the P. D. A.'n. ro recently victim- I lcd by the nstulc S.'ickell, retired lo 1 the sanctity of her own apartment, 1 limrvclltig nl the Infatuation of men. And ycl, though Stuyvesant hnd i angrily striven to sit, e the woiiinn ! and hnd left her lu disgust, hur words I had not fnlled of certain weight. Again he recalled with Jealous palu llio uhvlous IndllTereiire t.llli which Ida approaches had been received, i True, no well-bred girl would be more I than conveutlounllv civil to n rtrau ger, even under the exceptional cir cumstances nf their meeting mi Hie train. True, she war cordlnl, nt;ht. winsome nnd all that when at lart 'ic wnr fonnnllv pforeiici!, hut so she was to ev. rv'".dy. True, they hnd hnd inanv a' l"aat he had had uutny dell'hltid btnrr Interviews on the shaded dfeh ..' the Sacramento; hut, though ho wo.'M burn engerly ivelvoiueil n ehniiei ( Indulge In sen Hmenl, never nrv- did Mnrlon en I " i' 'in the con trary, he recalled wlttt sonxetliiug akin to bltirriiriH Hint when his voice or words betrayed it tendency towards such a lapse alio became In stantly niul palpably moat conven tional. Now, In the light of all he had heard from various sources, what could he believe hut that slid was in terested, to soy the least, lu that oth er luuti? Well mul miserably he re called the words of I'anpilinr, who hud served rome yearn nt the n'linn slntlon with the Itayn: "She's tho bonniest little army girl I know, uud her hciiil'n nr level us It Is protly ex cept on one point. She's her fnther'n daughter ii;ul wrapped up In the nrmy. She's ntwnyr raid rhe'd marry only n soldier. Hut Mnldle'r gelling wisdom with yearn. I fancy, 'Voting roster will In' ii rleli man lu splits of himself, for he'll lime hlr mother'n fortune, mid he's heels over head In lote with her." "Hut I iimteralnnd," Interposed the general, with n iptlek glance at SPiy veratit, who had risen nr Ihoiieh to get nuother cigar, "thai liny didn't exactly uppnttr of hliu." "Oh, liny didn't reem lo I nve any special objection In Forter in'. It wnr Hiul he neglected hlr litis. mrr lo lay siege to her. Foster's u gen Iteinnii, hits no bad habits and Is the very mini nine women mil of ten would rejoice In for n husband, and iiliiely-nlne out of leu, If that wern n mathematical possibility, would de light lu urn roii-lii-hiw. He Isn't brll-llnlil-liuttnns would haie supplied the lack had he I n lu Hie e.ivntry. I dart- ray he'll In- nrr enuii'tli In go III for n commission now nud sell out hlr ranch for a song. Then she'd probnbty lake him." And then, loo, nr he strolled thought folly up the rtreel, rtlll dim ly lighted by Ihe wniiliig iiinoti nnd tlotled ut lung luleriutr by tiny elec tric llrcs, Sluyvesmtt Weill over In mind other little things Hull had coine In hlr eurr, fur maul men were of a iiitiul vvlih regirtl tn'lllllv Itny's tlniighler, mul Ihe young ollleer found himself vaguely weighing Ihe reasons why he should now cense to play the moth why he rl hi he winging his tllght mvny from Ihe Ihiine unit ut terly Ignoring Ihe fact Ihal Ids feel, as though from force of habit, were bearing h'ln rleuilily towards II. The map mul Hug of n baloiieled rtlle coming In the charge, the rlern voice of n sentry at Ihe crossing uf Ihe Calle I'aura. brought him to Ida senses. "Halt! Who Is there?" "Stuff ollleer. Flrrl dlv Irion," was the prompt reply, nr Stuyirrant looked up In surprise, "Adtmice, rliilT otllcrr, and lie rec ognized." en me Hie response from n tall form in blue, anil Ihe even taller while figure stepped forward and stood face lo face with Hiul of Ihe guardian of Ihe night. "I urn Lieut. Sluyveraul, nldtle. rnmp to Hen. Vlulon,' explained Ihe chnlleitgcii ollleer. mil If tug for Ihe ' first time a llllte column of dusky men lu henry leathern helmelr anil bt'llr rhulHlug nwny towards Ihe ,Ier till college with mi old-fiirhlniifil ill mluiillte "gooseneck" village engine trailing at their heels. "Ileeli n lire, rculry'."' he nskeil. "Whcrn war II 7" Tp ut Col. llrenl'r. I belleie. Ills house fronts Ihe parade ground. One moment, please. Lleul. who, air? The ollleer of Ihe guard orders us to account for etery ollleer by name." And Stuy trraut, who lu Instant alarm had Impulsltelv rlarletl, was again re culled to himself, mul, hastily turning back, spoke nloiiit: "StuyveHiiul, my name r. I'll give It nl Hie gualillioos,. ar I pass." Once more he whirled about, Ida heart throbbing with anxiety. Once more he would hate hurried on tils wny to Hie Calle San I. ills. A tire, I here! mid rhe, Mnrlon, rtlll ru weak! -exhausted, porrlbly, by ihe excite ment or illrlrerr or whatever rt war that resulted from llrenl'r mil ileu prcee uiul Inn uf Unit earli-ile-virile. He wiiiiht Hy lo her al oner! For it third time Ihe rcntiy rpoke, mid spoke lu no fullering lone. He was mi Amerleiiii, He war wearing Ihe rough garb of Ihe private soldier In the ranks of tin- regular", but, like reoren of other enger young patriots thnt year, lie held Ihe diploma of n great, albell a foreign, university. He had ciliieiitlou, Intelligence, and iiarii-ed hir'lal position In buck the training uud discipline of Ihe roldler. Hi knew his rights an well ns Ids duller, nud that every ollleer In Ihe rervlce, no mutter how high, from comiiuiiullng general down, wnr by regulation enjoined lo show respect to neiitrler, and Ihlr tail, handsome, young swell, with a mime Hint round ed utterly unfamiliar to California earn, war lu most itiiitccouiiliibln hur ry, nnd spoke ar though lie, the sen try, wern exceeding hlr powers In tie innmllng hlr name, It pul Private Thinking Hnyiuictn on his mettle, "Hall, sir!" rnhl lie. ".My orders am Imperative. You'll have to spell that nuine," In the nervous unxlety to which Stuyterant war n prey, Ihe sentry's manner Irritated htm, II smacked at first of limine, unnecessary authority, ye', the soldier In hliu put the un worthy thoiit'lit lo Miainc, mid, strug gling against Ids Impatience, yet most unwillingly, Ktiiyvrraut oliedl ntly turned. He had rhnuldcrcil a musket In n rplenilld regiment of sltlzcn soldiery whore pride It wnr Hint no regulur army Inspector could pick flawr In thflr pcrformnucn of guard and sentry duty. lit) had brought to the point of his bayonet, lime and inulu, officers far higher In rank Hum that which he now held, lit; km iv that, whether necesbary or not, th" I'titry'i demand was within hlrr ti'i' ami there was no ronroa lor )ip miillnnee. He l-nste- 'I i nl BlTf TrMTfflWlnWnrTlTl iriTiti ITTiFWnliinin i irrf f '- -'W"'mitTrmr"m"m