The Press., 1885-11-26

! .N Y
 But tt ,cas gone!
 Bootles stood for moment staring at the place where he had lai it down in the stupefaction of intense surprise He had put it down just Mere. beside his flask, and with his gloves, He was certain of lt-he could positively swear to it.
 What on earth had got the thing!
 He reused himself from his Eewildernent and turned all his pockets out, ran to the brass-bound revolver case and examined it; back to the table. and tosset everything that was upon it over and over. Made ouite sure, in fact, that pocket book and dispatch were alike missing, and not to be found.
 He felt it was no use staying there, vast ing his precious time in ransacking boxes and turning out pockets which he had not touched that day. The colonel must be told at once: so, with a mighty effort, Bootles pulled himself together, and went out with a sinking heart to tell the tale of his own shame and dishonor.
 For thus dil he, in the agony and distress of mind which overwhelmed him, designate the carelessness, or the hnsuspiciousness, which had allowed him to trust the honesty of others, He never for moment suspected young Tom of being the thief, but he did think it just within the bounds of possibility that, while he had been bending down over the case of revolvers some one had quietly crept in and carried of the pocket book.
 But it came out after while-after Bootles had got through that terrible in ter view with the colonei-terrible because of the pain it gave to both of them-after he had given up his sword and his parole of honor. and then had passed the night in his tent alone, lying miserably in his hammock
 l. Is<,.- all came out How his flask, a handsome silver thing, with crest and monogram em- blazoned upon it, had been found as soon as morning light broke over the camp, not twenty wards away from his tent, how young Tom had never been at all to get the brandy for which his master had sent him, then how young Tom was missing, and had never been seen by any one in the camp since the sentry on duty outside the colonePs tent had aecosted him with '"Ello, young 'Oup La, end what may you be a-doing ofF' Lastly--and worst confirmation of all-how the missing pocket book had been found juss outside tue most advanced outposis.
 There could be no further doubt that Tom SDow was the delinouent-nobody had the slightest doubt about it, not even Bootles himself, though he stoutly declared his be- lief in the lad, and maintaine that nothing c.uid make him think young Tom was a traitor, except the most absolute and posi- tive proof that slch was the case. For once Lacy was absolutely angry with his best friend.
 My dear chap,'' he said, in tones which were distinctly tones of remonstrance, though he tried to make them those of calm reasonableness, 'what-er-more pwroof ca,, you want or heves The boy was sent to get your flask filled with bwrandy; he did nr,f else, but it is found in stead only a few yards from your own tent. The boy is gone-the -er-dispatch is gone too, Nobody else in the whole camp is missing. It is wreally, Bootles, perfectly absurd 10 twry to shield the young wlascal any longer. The dls- patch-er-could not go by itself-it's ab- surd-it-er-isn't in wreason."
 In reason or out of reason, don't and won't believe that the boy has sold me-" Bootlesy asserted obstinately
 But he has stolen the dispatch Lacy persisted. se.s ssgyns4 sgt
 'Oh, nonsense! What on earth should he do with it whel he had got ite'
 Why, hand it over to Awrabi, of course. What else should he dc with it.n retorted Lacy, sharply
 'Oh he has never done that though some one else may. That is likely enough" an swered Bodtles carelessly 1
 But Bootles knew very we'll in his heart that it must have been Tom and no other who had taken the pocket book from off his table, though he did not for moment be- lieve that the lad had sold him.
 The true solution of the mystery was that the boy, by listening outside the coloners tent, had, according to his idea, gathered the object of the mission with which his master had been chargsi, and with that Knowledge had also gleaned very correct idea of the danger which must attend it. that he had olen the dispat ch, and was now in hiding, with the isnol ant idea that if it were not there to be ;aken his master could not take it. That young Tom had actually set of from the Scarlet Laucers' camp to carry that paper across the five miles of difficult ami dangerous country which lay between Ahe two British camps was an idea which never ent red for mo ment into Bootles' calculations. is.
 But his opinion was llo5ashared by any one else, at least no one else hit upon thas idea as sosHtion of the mystery of Toms con- duct, and Beetles did not tell any one what he e@though:; he only stontly maintained that he did not believe, an 1 ti ,t he never would believe, short of positive proof to the co1- trary, that the lad had sold him.
 So that miserable mornin dragged its slow length along. What long, long day 1t wasl The entire camp seemei paraly yzel by the loss of tlat paper, which had contained instru ctions for simultaneous attack upon the city, and the rebel forces on the third day from the date of sending the dispatch. It was useless to send out duplicate: for not only was the .cypher probab bly, already in the hands of Arabi, but the vigilance oi the rebels would Ee great ly increased, and sorender it Impossible for niessanger to pass between the two British camps
 Towards evening. when the shades of