Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-08-06
FROM THE RANKS.
By CAPTAIN CHARLES KING.
Copyright. 1894. by the J. q. Lippincott Col
CHAPTER XII.

y
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? 1 am going at once to the
station, and thence to Sibley. I will
write you from there. If the midnight
visitor should prove to have been Jer-
rold, he can be made to explain. have
always held him to be a conceited fop.
but never either crack Drained or devoid
of principle. There is 10 time for ex-
PLANTATION now. Goodby and keep a 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
reach the fort that evening, but would
not resume duty for 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 q
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 dKess
parade always attracted swarm of Wis
itors. 4 corporal of the guard, with q
couple of men, was on hand to keep
yigilant eyes ON the arrivals and to per-
suade certain prescribed parties to re-
enter the cars and go 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 n moment and get these
people out of the way" said Armitage.
Il want to talk with you. Is Jerrold
back?''
Eyes. He came in just 10 minutes
after 1 telegraphed to you, was present
at inspection, and if it had not been for
your dispatch this morning I 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 a few hours
took tattoo roll call for him AS dc
not require any other officer to report
the time of his return, I did not exact
it of him, but of course no man can be
away after midnight without special
permission, and he was gone all night.
What is it. Arnitage? Has he followed
her down there?"
Somebody was there last night and
capsized the colonel pretty much as he
| did yOn the night of the ladder episode, -
said Armitage coolly.
| by heaven, and let him go"'
How do you know twas her
"Who else could it be, Armitage:''
That's what the colonel asks, but il
isn't clear TO me yet awhile"
| II wish it were less clear to me-" sale
Chester gloomily. The worst is thai
the story is spreading like pestilenct
all over the post. The women have go
hold of it, and there is all manner q
talk. 1 shouldn't be surprised if Mrs
HOyt had to be taken violently i'll. Sh,
has written to invite Miss Renwick Il
visit her. as it is certain that Colone
and Mrs. Maynard cannot come, ant
HOyt came to me in a horror Of amaz'
yesterday to know If there were an.
truth i'll the rumor that had caught ,
man coming out of Mrs Maynard
window the other night would tel
him nothing, and he says the ladie
declare they won't go to the german i
she does. Heavensl I'm thankful yol
are come. The thing has been driving
me wild these last 12 hours. wantet
to go away myself. Is she coming up?'
mo, she isn't, but let me say this
CheStCr-that whenever she is ready t
return 1 shall be ready to escort her. "
Chester looked at his friend in amaze
ment and without speaking.
Yes, see you are astonished, bu
you may as we'll understand the situa
ton. have heard all the colonel coul
tell and have even seen the letter, an
since she left here mysterious strange
has appeared by night at Sablon, at tn
cottage window, though it happened
be her mothers this time, and l don
believe Alice Renwick knows the fir:
thing about it "
''Armitage, are You in love:'
Chester, am in my sound senses
Now come and show me the ladder an
where you found it and tell me IL
whole story over again. think it grow
] interesting One moment. Has he thi
: picture YETI"
II suppose so. Idon't know. In the
: last few days everybody is fighting 81
of him. He thinks it is my doing al
: looks black and sulky at me, but Is t.
proud or too much afraid of cons
quences to ask the reason of the CO
shoulders and averted looks. Gray h
taken seven days leave and gone off Wi
n that little girl of his to place her wi
It relatives in the east He has heard &
stories, and it is presumed that some
the women have told her. She W
down sick here day or two"
Well, now for the window and G
- ladder. Iwant to see the outside throul
your eyes, and then will view the i
terror with my own The colonel bi
me do So"
Together they slowly climbed the lol
stairway leading up the face of the eli
Chester stopped for a breathing sp'
j. moro than onca
You're all out of condition, man
, said the younger captain, pausing il
" patiently. What has undone your"
slThis frnnhle and r,rthinnr OLE,