The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1890-02-15
of the best sergeants I ever knew"
"You would hardly think him guilty

"You would hardly think him guilty
Of any dishonesty, would you?"
Mrs. Cowan was rising from her chair;
the needlework had fallen to the floor.
Dishonesty! Not by a-good deal"
was the reply that babe fair to be even
more impulsive, and was checked only
in Difference to the presence of q woman.
well, neither would 1, from what
I've seen of him; and yet Mr.. Maitland's
seal ring was found on him last night"
"My God! OF course he could explain
it in some way?"
"He couldn't-or wouldn't. He SIM
ply stood there. white as sheep except
where those bruises made him green and
blue. He had denied the charge fatty
when accused; and yet there it was in
his chest. l never saw any man so taken
aback as Capt. Stryker; he said he would
have sworn to his innocence"
$50 would I!-so do, by Jupiter! It's
some foul plot:-it's"-
But he got no further. To his own
amaze, to the utter bcwilderment of DR..
Quin, Mrs. Cowan precipitated herself
upon her patient, seized the hand that
lay nearest her on the covcrlct, and
burst forth into half articulate, sobbing,
indignant words, mingled with kisses
showered passionately on that astonish-
ed hand.
ooh, bless him for tho words! Oh,
God bless you, Mr.. Perry! Oh,
the fools! the lunaticsl A
thief, indeed. Tho idea of his
being accused! Oh, God! what
would his mother in heaven say to this?
y AS though he had not borne
far too much already! It's his
own-his own ring, tell you! Who
else should wear it? Who dare
take it from him now? Oh, the
infamy of it all!'
In her wild excitement, in her inco-
herent praise and lamentation and wrath
and indignation, her voice, her sobs,
rang through the room and out along
the broad corridor. Even in their amaze
the two men heard hurried step ap-
preaching, a limping, hating, painful
step, yet rapid and impulsive. Quin, alb
sorbed in his contemplation of the ex-
cited woman, paid no attention; Perry's
eager eyes were strained upon the door
way, where, the very next instant, with
pallid features and startled nlicn, Gladys
Maitland appeared and stood staring In
upon the spectacle of Mrs Cowan kiss
ing and sobbing over Perry's hand. AL
ready he had OWNED the truth, and
strove to warn the tear blinded woman
Of her presence; but Mrs. Cowan's ex-
citement had increased to the verge of
hysteria; she was laughing and crying
now by turns, blessing her soldier patient
for his faith in the accused sergeant, and
then breaking forth anew in indignant
expletive, "Who arc his accusers? Who
dare say thief to him? Not one
is fit to look him in the face! Twas the
very ring his mother gave him, y
his own! his own!"
And then the doctor seized her and
turned her 80 that she must see Gladys
Gladys, wild eyed, painting, staring, tot
tering forward from the doorway. One
sharp Cry from the woman's lips, one
spring towards the reeling form, and
she had caught the girl in her arms.
''Gladys, Gladys, my little pet! my
own baby girl! Look up and thank God!
I've tried to keep my promise and his
secret until he released me. I've tried
hard, but it's all useless; can't, can't.
Oh, Gladys, sweetheart, your mothers
smiling down on us this day. Who do
you think has come back to us, safe and
strong and we'll and brave? Who but
your own brother, your own Archie,
Gladys?"