The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-11-23


SWELL, now for the window and the
ladder. Iwant to see the outside through
your eyes, and then will view the in
terror with my own. The colonel bids
me do SOL
Together they slowly climbed the long
stairway leading up tho face of the cliff
Chester stopped for breathing spell
more than once.
"You're all out of condition, man, +"
seid the younger captain, pausing inn
patiently. "What has undone your"
"This trouble and nothing else. BY
CAD, it has unstrung the whole garri-
son, believe. You never saw our peo-
pie fall off so in their shooting. OF
course we expected Jerrold to go to
pieces, but nobody else. -
'"There were others that seemed to
fall away too. Where was that cavalry
team that was expected to take tho
skirmish medal away from us?"
"Sound as dollar, every man, with
the single exception of their big SER
geant. don't like to make ugly conf
parsons with q man whom believe to DO
but it makes me think of the old story
about Medusa. One look at her face is
too much for man. That Sergeant Nc
Leod went TO grass the instant he caught
sight of her and never has picked up
SINCE
Consider me considerably moro than
half interested in the woman in this
case, Chester. Make all the compari-
sons that you like, provided they illu-
mine matters as you are doing now, and
tell mo moro of this Sergeant Mcleod.
What do you mean by his catching
sight of her and going to grass?"
81 mean he fell fiat on his face the
moment he saw her and hasn't been in
good form from that moment to this.
The doctor says it's heart disease. -
'"That S what the colonel says troubles
Mrs. Maynard. She was senseless and
almost pulseless some minutes last
night. What manner of man is Nc
Leod?"
"a tall, slim, dark eyed swarthy
fellow, q man with history and q
mystery, Judge"
n
who is tall, slim, has dark eyes and
swarthy complexion and faints away at
sight of Miss Renwick might be said
to possess peculiar characteristics fam
lily traits, some of them. Of course
you've kept an eye on Mcleod. Where
is hep
Chester stood leaning on the rail,
l.. e1 &c
dilated as he gazed at Armitage, who
was surveying him coolly, though the
tone in which he spoke betrayed new
interest and vivid one
81 confess never thought of him i'll
connection with this affair said Ches-
ter.
"There's the one essential point of
difference between us, was the reply.
lyon go in OH the supposition that there
is only one solution to this thing and
that woman must be dishonored to be-
gin with. / believe there can be several
solutions, and that there is only one
thing in tho lot that is at all impossi-
ble.'
whats that?"
"Miss Renwick's knowledge of that
nights visitor or of any other secret or
sin. I mean to work other theories first,
and the Mcleod trail is good one to
start OH. Where can l get Il look at
him?''
Somewhere out in the Rockies by
this time. He was ordered back to his
troop five days ago, and they are out
scouting at this moment unless I'm
vastly mistaken. You have seen tho
morning dispatches"
about the Indians? Yes. Looks
squally at the Spirit Rock reservation.
Do you mean that Mcleod is there?"
''That's where his troop ought to be
by this time There is too small n force
on the trail now, and more will have TO
go if big outbreak is to be prevented. !"
''Then he has gone, and cannot seq
him. Let me look at the window then. I"
A few steps brought them to the ter
race, and there, standing by the west
wall and looking up at the closed Stats
Of the dormer window, Captain Chester
retold the story of his night adventure.
Armitage listened attentively, asking
few questions. When it was finished,
the latter turned and walked to the rear
door, which opened on the terrace. 1t
was locked.
''The servants are having holiday,
I presume, he said $50 much the bet
ter. Ask tho quarter1naster for the key
of the front door, and I'll go in while
everybody is out looking at dress parade.
There goes first call now. Let your or
derby bring it to mo here, will your"
Ten minutes later, with beating heart,
he stood and uncovered his handsome
head and gazed silently, reverently
around him. He was in her room.
It was dainty as her own dainty self.
The dressing table, the windows, the
pretty white bed, the broad, inviting
lounge, the work table and basket, the
very washstand, were all trimmed and
decked alike, white and yellow prevail
ing. White lace curtains draped the
window on the west-that fateful win
dow-and the two that opened out on
the roof of the piazza. White lace cur
tains draped the bed, the dressing table
and the washstand. White lace OF