The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-09-21

went away and died abroad, ana q
shocked and broken hearted girl hid hor
ace from all and pinned at home. snS
Mr.. Forrester's resignation was sent
from no one knew just where, and no
one would have cared to know except
Maynard. He would have followed him,
pistol in hand, but Forester gave him
no chance. Years afterward Chester
again sought her and offered her his
love and his name. 1t was useless, she
told him sadly. She lived only for her
father now and would never leave him
till he died, and then she prayed she
might go too. Memories like this will
come up at such times in these same
''still watches Of the night" Chester
was in moody frame of mind when
about half an hour later he came back
past the guardhouse. The sergeant was
standing near the lighted entrance, and
the captain called him:
"There's ladder lying back of the
colonel quarters on the roadway Some
Of those painters left it, suppose It's
q wonder some of the reliefs have not
broken their necks over it going around
tonight. Let the next one pick it up
and move it out of tho way Hasn't it
been reported?"
Not to me, sir. Corporal Schneider
has command Of this relief, and he has
said nothing about it. Here he is, sir.
Didn't you see it or stumble over it
when posting your relief, corporate"
asked Chester.
'No, indeed, sir II think the cap
tain must have been mistaken in think
Ing it ladder. We would surely have
struck it if it had BEEN"
No mistake at all, corporal I lifted
it. 1t is long, heavy ladder, over 20
feet, 1 should say. -
''There is such ladder back here,
captain, said the sergeant, "but it al
ways hangs OH the fence just behind the
young officers quarters - bachelors
row, sir, mean. F"
"And that ladder was there an hour
ago when / went my rounds" said the
corporal earnestly. 81 had my hurricane
lamp, sir, and saw it on the fence plain
ly. And there was nothing behind the
colonel's at that hour. "
Chester turned away, thoughtful and
silent Without q word he walked
straight into the quadrangle, past tho
low line of stone buildings, the offices
Of the adjutant and quartermastcr, the
home of the sergeant major, the club
and billiard room, past the long piazza
shaded row of bachelor quarters and
came upon the plank walk at the cor
ner of the colonel's fence Ten more
steps, and he stood stockstill at the head
Of the fight of wooden stairs.
There, dimly visible against the south
ern sky, its base on the plank walk be-
low him, its top resting upon the caves
midway between the dormer winaow
and the roof of the piazza, so that one
could stepeasily from it into the oUe or
onto the other, was the very ladder t,at
half an hour before was lying Oil tLe
ground behind tho house.
His heart stood still. He seemed pow
erless to move, even to think. Then
slight noise reused him, and with ovc-y
nerve tingling he crouched ready for q
spring. With quick, agile movements,
noiseless as cat, sinuous and stealthy
as serpent, the dark figure of man
issued from Alice Renwick's chamber
window and came gliding down.
One second more, and almost as noise
lessly he reached the ground, then
quickly turned and raised the ladder,
stepped with it to the edge of the road
way and peered around the angle as
though to see that no sentry was in sight,
then vanished with his burden around
the corner. Another second, and down
the steps went Chester, three at bound,
tiptoeing it in pursuit. Ten seconds
brought him close to the culprit-a tall,
slender shadow.
"You villain! Haftw
Down went tho ladder on the dusty
road. The hand that Chester had clirch-
cd upon the broad shoulder was hurled
aside. There was sudden whirl,
lightning blow that took the captain
full in the chest and staggered him bacl;