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

dance because she can't dance and
leaves her TO you fellows who have q
conscience and some idea of decencv.
He gives all his devotions TO Nina
Beaubien, who dances like a coryphee,
and drops her when Alice Renwick
comes, with her glowing Spanish beauty.
"Oh, d--n it, I'm an old fool to get
worked up over it as do, but you young
fellows don't see what see. You have
not seen what I've seen, and pray God
you never may! That's where the shoe
pinches. Rollins 1t is what he reminds
me of, not so much what he is, sup
pose, that | get rabid about He is for
all the world like a man we had in the
old regiment when you were in swad
! ding clothes, and | never look at Ma
mie Grays sad, white face that it
doesn't bring back girl knew just
then whose heart was broken by just
such q shallow, selfish, adorable scoun-
| No, | won't use that word III speaking
of Jerrold, but it's what fear. Roll
Inns, you call him generous. Well, SO
he is--lavish, If you like, with his
money and his hospitality here in tho
post. Money comes easily to him and
goes, but you boys misuse the term.
call him selfish to the core, because he
can deny himself no luxury, no pleas
ure, though it may wiring womans
life-or, more than that her honor
to give it him. - The captain was
tramping up and down the room now,
as was his wont when excited. His face
was flushed and his hand clinched.
He turned suddenly and faced the young
er officer, who sat gazing uncomforta-
bly, at the rug in front Of the fireplace:
Rollins, some day | may tell you
story that I've kept to myself all these
years. You won't wonder at my feel
ing as | do about these goings on of
your friend Jerrold when you hear it
all, but it was just such a man as he
who ruined one woman, broke the heart
Of another and took the sunshine out
OF tho life Of two men from that day to
this. One Of them was your colonel,
the other your captain. Now go to bed.
Pm going out " And, throwing down
his pipe, regardless of the scattering
sparks and ashes, Captain Chester strobe
into the hallway, picked up the first
forage cap he laid hands on and banged
himself out of the front door,
Mr.. Rollins remained for some mo-
ments III the same attitude, still gazing
abstractedly at the rug and listening to
the nervous tramp of his senior officer
on the piazza without. Then he slowly
and thoughtfully went to his room,
where his perturbed spirit was soon
soothed in sleep His conscience being
clear and his health > 7';ect, there were
no deep cares to keep him tossing Oh q
restless pillow.
To Chester, however, sleep was i'm
possible. He tramped the piazza full
hour before he felt placid enough to go
and inspect his guard. The sentries
were calling o'clock and the wind had
died away as he started. on his round.
Dark as was the night, he carried no
lantern The main garrison was well
lighted by lamps, and the road circling
the old fort was broad, smooth and bor-
dered by stone coping wall where it
skirted the precipitous descent into the
river bottom. AS he passed down the
plank walk west of the quadrangle
wherein lay the old barracks and tho
stone quarters of the commanding Off
Ger and the low one stored row of bach
elor dens, he could not help noting the
silence and peace of the night
Not light was visible at any window
as he strobe down the line The chal
lenge Of the sentry at the old stone tow
er sounded unnecessarily sharp and loud,
and his response of 'Officer of the day
was lower than usual, as though rebuk-
ing the unseemly outcry. The guard
came scrambling out and formed hur-
riedly to receive him, but the captains
inspection was of the briefest kind
Barely glancing along the prison corridor
to see that the bars were in place, he
turned back into the night and made
for the line Of posts along the river bank
The sentry at the high bridge across the
gorge and the next one, well around to |
the southeast flank, were successfully |
visited and briefly questioned as to their |
instructions, and then the captain plod.
ded sturdily on until he came to the |
sharp bend around the outermost angle |
Of the fort and found himself passing |
behind the quarters of the commanding
OiuCer, u SUBSTANTIAL TWO SCOrleQ stone |
house, with mansard roof and dormer |
windows.
The road in the rear was some 10 feet |
below the level Of the parade inside the |
quadrangle, and consequently, as the |
house faced the parade, what was the |
ground floor from that front became |
the second story at the rear. The |
kitchen, storeroom and servants rooms
were on this lower stage and opened |
upon the road, an outer stairway ran up |
to the center door at the back but at \
the east and west TANKS of the house |
the stone walls stood without port or |
window except those above the caves
the dormers. Light and air in abun-
dance streamed through the broad Vene-
tian windows north and south when |
light and air were needed. This night, |
as usual, all was tightly closed below,
all darkness aloft as he glanced up at |
the dormers high above his head. AS he
did so his foot struck sudden and |