The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-12-09

Wing, and ! think am beginning to
see through this plot at last"
"Never let mother know it-promise
me. sir-but when Harvey discharged
him-my uncle, l mean-he swore he'd
be revenged on the old man, and twas
he''-
1.-The double dyed villainl / know,
] understand now, Wing; you needn't
tell me. He has been in the pay of the
Morales gang for months. He enlisted
so as 10 learn all the movements Of
officers and scouting parties. He en-
listed under his benefactor's name.
He has forged that. too, in all proba-
bility. and then deserting it was he
who sought to carry away these pre-
cious girls. and he came within an ace
of succeeding. BY the Eternal. but there
will be day OF reckoning for him If
ever Z troop runs foul OF him againl
No wonder you couldn't sleep, poor fell
low, for thinking of that mother. This
caps the climax of his scoundrelism.
Where-when did you see him last?
Since he enlistedY"
But now Wings face is again avert
ed. He is covering it with his arms.
wing, answer mel" exclaims Drum
mond, springing suddenly to his feet.
by heaven, | demand to knowW Then
down on his knees he goes again, seiz-
ing and striving to pull away the near
est arm. "You need not try, you can
not conceal it now. / SEQ it all-all.
Miss Harvey" he cries. looking up in
to the face of the trembling girl, who
has FASTENED in ut sound of the excite
ment in his voice-"Miss Harvey,
think of it; twas no Apache who shot
him, twas q worse savage-his own
uncle"
Promise me mother shall not
know" pleads poor Wing, striving to
rise upon his elbow, striving to restrain
the lieutenant, who again has started
to his feet. Promise me, Miss Fan
ny; you know how she loved him, how
she plead with you"
II promise you this, Wing" says
Drummond, through his clinching teeth,
"that there'll be no time for prayer il
ever we set eyes on him again. There'll
be no mercy"
lyon can't let your men kill him in
cold blood, lieutenant. could not
shoot him.
mo; but, by the God of heaven, ]
eouldi''
And now as Wing, exhausted, sinks
back to his couch his head is caught on
Fanny Harvey's arm and next is pill
lowed in her lap.
'Hush |" she murmurs. bending down
over him as a mother might over sleep
ing child. Hush you must not speak
again. know how her heart is bound
mp in yeu, and I'm to play mether to
you now."
And as Drummond, tingling all over
with wrath and excitement, stands SPELL
bound for the moment, light step
comes to his side, little hand is laid OH
the bandaged arm, and Ruth Harvey's
pretty face, two big tears trickling
down her cheeks, is looking up in his.
"You, too. will be i'll, Mr.. Drum
mond. Oh, why can't you go and lie
down and rest? What will we do if
both of you are down at once with
fever2"
She is younger by over two years
than her brave sister. Tall though she
has grown. Ruth is but child, and
now in all her excitement and anxiety,
worn out with the long strain, she be-
gins to cry. She strives to hide 1t,
strives to control the weakness, and
failing in both strives to turn away.
All to no purpose. An arm in a
sling is of little avail at such mo-
ment. Whirling quickly about, Drum
mond brings his Other into action. Be-
fore the weeping little maid is well
aware what 10 happening her waist is
epcircled by the strong arm in the dark
blue sleeve, and how can she see that
she is drawn to his breast, since now
her face is buried in both her hands and
those hands in the flannel of his hunt
ing shirt--just as high as his heart 7
Small wonder is it that Corporal Co.'S
tigan, hurrying in at the mouth of the
cave, stops short at sight Of this pic
turesque partie carree. Any other time
he would have sense enough to face
about and tiptoe whence he came. but
now there's no room left for sentiment.
Tableaux vivants are lovely in their
way. even in a cave lighted dimly by n
hurricane lamp. but sterneS scenes are
on the curtain. DrummoS. s voice is
murmuring soothing. yes, caressing'
words to his sobbing captive. Drum
nond's bearded lips, unrebuked, are
actually pressing kiss upon that child
ish brow when Costigan, with prelim-
mary clearing of his throat that sounds
like landslide and makes the rock
walls ring again, startles Ruth from
her blissful woe and brings Drummond
leaping to tho mouth of the cave.
Lieutenant, there's something COM
ing out over our trail"
THANK God!" sighs Wing, as he
raises his eyes to those OF his fair nurse.
THANK God, for your sakes''
Thank God, RUTH cries Fanny.
extending one hand TO her sister while
the other is unaccountably detained.
"Thank God it's father and the Stone
r.