The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-11-23
(coNTINuEp.l
CHAPTER XII.

"
evidence" said Frank Armitage 90
minutes later, "but it is my faith
understand me, my faith, say-that
she is utterly innocent AS for that
damnable letter, / do not believe it was
ever written to her. 1t is some other
woman"
"What other is there, or was there?"
was the colonel's simple reply.
''That is what / mean to find out
Will you have my baggage sent after
me tonight? I am going at once to the
station, and thence to Sibley. 1 will
write you from there. If the midnight
visitor should prove to have been Jer-
rold, he can DO made to explain. L have
always held him to be conceited fop,
but never either crack Drained or devoid
of principle. There is no time for ex-
PLANTATION now. Goodby and keep good
lookout. That fellow may be here
again"
And in an hour more Armitage was
Swimming along the winding river side
en- route to Sibley. He had searched the
train from pilot to rear platform, and no
man who in the faintest degree re-
sembled Mr.. Jerrold was ON board. He
had wired to Chester that he would
reach the fort that evening, but would
not resume duty for o few days. He
made another search through the train
as they neared the city, and still there
was none who in stature or appearance
correspondent with the descriptions given
of the sinewy visitor
Late in the afternoon Chester received
him as he alighted from the train at the
little station under the cliff 1t was
beautiful day, and numbers of people
were driving or riding out to the fort,
and the high bridge over the gorge was
constantly resounding to the thunder
of hoofs. Many others, too, had come
out on the train, for the evening dress
parade always attracted swarm OF Wis
itors. A corporal Of the guard, with O
couple Of men, was on hand to keep
vigilant eyes on the arrivals and to per-
suade certain prescribed parties to re-
enter the cars and 60 on, should they
attempt to revisit the post, and the faces
Of these were lighted up as they saw
their old adjutant, but none others of
the garrison appeared.
''Let us wait moment and get these
people out of the way" said Armitage.
ST want to talk with You. Is Jerrold
baclx?'
'Yes. He came in just 10 minutes
after telegraphed to you, was present
at inspection, and if it had not been for
x,r>,,r I;opafcl, fl,;e ,,,nroipOT should not
have known he had remained out of
quarters He appeared to resent my
having been to his quarters. Calls it
spying, presume.
''What permission had he to be
away"
II gave him leave to visit town on
personal business yesterday afternoon.
He merely asked to be away few hours
to meet friends i'll town, and Mr.. Hall
took tattoo roll call for him AS do
not require any other officer to report
the time Of his return, did not exact
it Of him, bat of course no man can be
away after midnight without special
permission, and he was gone all night.
What is it, Armitage? Has he followed
her down there?"
Somebody was there last night and
capsized the colonel pretty much as he
did you the night of the ladder episode, "
said Armitage coolly.
"By heaven, and let him goi"
How do you know twas hep
WHO else could it be. Armitage?"
That's what the colonel asks, but it
ien,t rlaar ~ y,,a x-at oxvnila
4 wish it were less clear TO me. said
Chester gloomily. The worst is that
the story is spreading like pestilence
all over the post The women have got
hold Of it, and there is all manner of
talk. shouldn't be surprised If Mrs.
Hoyt had to be taken violently i'll. She
has written to invite Miss Renwick to
visit her, as it is certain that Colonel
and Mrs. Maynard cannot come, and
Hoyt came to me in horror of amaze
yesterday to know if there were any
truth in the rumor that had caught q
man coming out Of Mrs. Maynard's
window the other night / would tell
him nothing, and he says the ladies
declare they won't go to the german if
she does Heavens I'm thankful you
are come The thing has been driving
me wild these last II hours I wanted
to go away myself. Is she coming up?"
"No, she isn't, but let mo say this,
.Chester-that whenever she is ready to
return shall be ready to escort her."
Chester looked at his friend in amaze
lment and without speaking.
"Yes, SEQ you are astonished, but
you may as we'll understand the situa-
Etion. I have heard all the colonel could
tell and have even seen the letter, and
since she left here mysterious stranger
has appeared by night at Sablon, at the
cottage window, though it happened to
Ibe her mothers this time, and don't
believe Alice Renwick knows the first
thing about it..
"Armitage, are You in lover"
"Chester, am in my sound senses.
Now come and show me the ladder and
where you found it and tell me the
whole story over again. think it grows
interesting. One moment Has Inc that
picture YETI"
II suppose so. don't know. In these
last few DAYS everybody is fighting shy