San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-11-12

disappearing in the dripping gloom
around the bend, for, as though in sym
pathy with the mourning of the post, q
drizzling rain had begun to fall just
after retreat. Rolfe, gazing after them
to the last, wore that look seen on the
face of many another man many another
time. There can be few sensations more
dismal than that of watching the disap-
pearing lights of the train that bears
away ones best beloved, especially in
the eyes of him who stands rejected.
Let me drive you home, Rolfe." said
Holden kindly. Two of kind" was
his mental addition. And Rolfe turned
slowly away, neither man saying an
other word until once more they stood
at the gate of the now deserted home.
Come in and have pipe.
Thanks, not-now, doctor" A long,
wistful pause, then-"Well, good night :"
Good night, old man. Come when
you will; I'll be lonely now" And the
doctor stood and gaZed after him long
and earnestly as the captain strobe into
the darkness out over the parade.
Within the days that followed, when
he had leisure to think it all over, Holden
felt his perplexities increase. Up to the
very last Mia had persisted in her state
ment that nothing had happened to war
rant the absurd exhibition she had made
of herself. Il was overweight, nerv-
Gus, unStrung," she said. 81 had not
been feeling quite well. | had run up
to the room for my gloves, which had
left upon the table. had not reached
the door, and it was just the waving of
those white curtains in the draft from
the side window. must have thought
| saw ghost, and, like fool, scream
ed and tripped, and-voila tout"
But Holden had known her for six
years and felt well assured she was not
of the stuff that is easily stricken with
terror. With every confidence in her
veracity in general he did not in the
least believe her now. The more he
studied the matter he felt that she was
hiding something from them one and
all, even from Jennie, whom she dearly
loved and whom ordinarily she frankly
trusted. 1t was evident that Jennie
too, believed, as did her husband, the
doctor, that there was something behind
it all. But Jennie was gone. and, except
possibly ROlfe, there was no one to aid
him in his search after the truth Rolfe's
heart was now so shrouded in its own
gloom that any phase of tragedy seemed
credible. Rolfe evidently wanted TO
know Holden's suspicious or surmises.
and again and again led up to the sub
ject; but of all men in the garrison,
much as he esteemed him, Rolfe seemed
hardly the man to make contidant of
now. Was he not Nita's avowed though
rejected lover?
OF course, no time had been lost in
making investigation on the night Of
the occurrence. Even while the doctor
and others were raising the unconscious
girl from the floor, half dozen officers
We're securing the premises for signs of
intruders and had found absolutely
nothing. The room occupied by Miss
Guthrie in the doctors house was imme-
diately to the left at the head of the
stairs. The hall was broad, the landing
roOmy. 1t was one of the oldest sets Of
quarters at the post, and an oddly in
its way. Entering the door of the rear
room ON the east, three windows APP
peared, two opening at the back and
one at the side The two at the back
looked out over the roof of the rear
porch. 1t was perfectly practicable for
any one with ladder to have clambered
to this roof, and, had the blinds been
open, peered in the windows at the occu-
pant. But there was no ladder. What
was more, the blinds We're tight shut
and bolted on the inside. The shades
within were drawn down, and the lace
curtains looped over each.
Between them stood long, old fash
toned mirror above the toilet table.
draped with lace curtains very much as
were the windows themselves. No one
from without could have been visible to
any one within. No one within could
have been seen by any one without.
Moreover, The Holdens' cook-an indom-
table lrishwonan-was on the back
porch at the moment of Miss Guthrie's
fright saying good night to Corpora.
Murphy, who had long been Kathleen's
devoted admirer, and both stood ready
to swear that nobody was on that roof.
The rear windows thus disposed of, the
doctor had turned his attention to the
window at the side, and here there was
possibility of explanation.
AS has been said, the Holdens' house
was one of the Oldest at the old frontier
fort, but so solidly and substantially had
it been built that, when others were con-
demned and ordered replaced along the
row, the authorities had decided to re-
tain "Bayard Hall" 1t was originally
double set, with hallway in. common,
LII G.. fn,,,. Oh l1