The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-07-27


Of the captain at all. Remember what
the colonel said of him'--
Mother, protested Alice, laughing,
II have no doubt Captain Armitage
Is the paragon Of soldier, but he is un-
questionably most unpleasant and un-
gentlemanly person in his conduct to
the young officers. MIR. Hall has told me
the same thing. I declare, I don't see
how they can speak to him at all, he
has been so harsh and discourteous and
unjust. " The color was rising in earnest
now, but warning glance in her moth
er's eye seemed to check further words.
There was an instant's silence. Then
Aunt Grace remarked:
"Alice, your next door neighbor has
vanished. 1t think your vehemence has
frightened him. d."
Surely enough, the big blue eyed
man in tweeds had disappeared During
this brief controversy he had quickly
and noiselessly let himself out of the
open door, swung lightly to the ground
and was out Of sight among the trees
"Why, what strange proceedingW
said Aunt Grace again. "We are fully
q mile and q half from the hotel, and
he means to walk it in this glaring sun. +"
Evidently he did. The driver reined
up at the moment in response to q sug-
gestion from some one in forward seat,
and there suddenly appeared by the way
side, striding out from the shelter of the
Sumacs, the athletic figure Of the
stranger.
go ahead" he called in deep
chest voice that had an unmistakable
ring to 1.-THE tone that one so readily
recognizes i'll men accustomed to prompt
action and command "Im going across
lots. " And swinging his heavy stick,
with quick, elastic steps and erect car
riage, tho man in gray plunged into a
wood path and was gone.
"Alice," said Aunt Grace again,
"that man is an officer, I'm sure, and
you have driven him into exile and
lonely wandering. I've seen so much Of
them when visiting my brother in the
old days before my marriage that even
in civilian dress it is easy to tell some
Of them. Just look at that back and
those shouhersl He has been q soldier
all his life. Horrorsl Suppose it should
be Captain Armitage himselfp'
Miss Renwick looked genuinely dis
tressed as well as vexed.' Certainly no
officer but Captain Armitage would
have had reason to leave the stage. Ger
tainly officers and their families occa-
sionally visited Sablon in the summer
time, but Captain Armitage could hard
ly be here. There was comforting as
surance in tho very note she held in her
hand.
''It cannot be-" she said, "because
Mr.. Jerrold writes that they have just
heard from him at Sibley. He is still
at the seashore and will not return for
month. Mr.. Jerrold says he implored
Captain. Chester to let him have three
days leave to come down here and have
sail and picnic with us and was told
that it would be out Of the question.
"Did he tell you any other news?"
asked Mrs Maynard, looking up from
her letter again, anything about the
german?'
HE says he thinks it shame we arc
to be away and-well, read it yourself. "
And she placed it in her mother
hands, the dark eyes seriously, anxious
ly studying her face as she read Pres
emily Mrs. Maynard laid it down and
looked into her own; then, pointing to
certain passage with her finger, hand
ed 1t to her daughter.
"Men were deceivers ever" she said,
laughing, yet oracularly significant.