The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-05

no such desire or intention. He carried
his point, too. He knew well enough thai
Kits completely in the plot was for the ex-
press purpose of teasing him. He couldn't
afford to let them see he was indignant
at her or at them, neither could he afford
to let her see that he was not justly Of
Tended. And right in the midst of all the
babel of protest and appeal and laughter
the doorbell rang and at the head of the
stairs, Just as stable-cau was sounding,
listening ears heard the unctuous, iovial
tones of Corporal Rorke inquiring for Cap
tain Leale.
Then Wills voice responded, and VIII
was very distant and dignified. Captain
Leale is not here, corporal. Have you been
to his quarters?'
Sure, [ went there furst, sorr, an they
told me he was here, If anywhere. Thin,
bedad. he's nowhere"
He's gone down to the stables already,
perhaps said Farrar," and you'll find him
there. Yonder goes the call now"
II know, mast 1 know, sorr. Higgins
has been took i'll on guard. He was right
out here on No. 5, SORT, back of the quar-
tiers, and that spalpeen Graice is super
numerary, an they've sint for him, and
the first sergeant's afraid, sorr.
What Off"
"Graice had been drinking this morn
ing. He's sober enough now, sorr, but he's
nervous, wild-like, excited, tramping up
and down the barracks fiure like Gagged
hyena, sorr."
Then tramping up and down sentry
post will be Just the thing for him. It'll
cool him off, Put him on.
Very well, sorr. Just as the loot nant
| says III tell the sergeant at once"
Five minutes later the parlor was de-
serted and all was silence below. Now, at
least Helen Daunton could close her eyes
! IL. i 81 h Il % bn r7lo
on guard. He would be on post right out
here on the bluff. Then what was to pre-
vent her slipping out in the dusk of the
evening when all the others had gone over
20 the assembly hall, and, speaking with
him, pleading with him, imploring him to
go away anywhere-anywhere where he
would not again in drunken mood en-
danger that poor mothers life by the sud-
den shock of his presence. She would
agree to anything, she would follow him.
slave for him, starve with him, be his wife
or his Misunderstanding to get him
away-far away from the sunshine, the
smiles, the hopes and joys and blessings
/ that had been hers at old Fort Frayne.
/ One other plan. She had but little money,
and in their flight mucn might be needed.
/ She must obtain 1t for that drlnk-sodden
wretch would surely have none. Go she
/ must and would. Go he must and should,
/ for any day, before the whole garrison-oh,
shame unutterableI he might take the no
t ton bodily TO throw off al disguise and
claim her as his wife. Possibly with
money she might bribe him to take kindly
/ to her proposition and agree. Then before
he could spend what she had given him
she could escape, return to the East, and
/ somewhere, anywhere hide her head from
/ him, from friends, from the world and all.
/ Home she had none. That went when her
father died, lonely and heartbroken, two
years before.
And in all that garrison to whom could
( she appeal-upon whom could she call =?
One man there was who, well she knew,
would open his hand as he had his heart,
and its uttermost treasure could be hers
for the mere asking, and that man of all
I others was the one she prayed might never
know the miserable truth that this was
Royle Farrar-that she was Royle Farrar 5
wife.
/ Another there was, generous, helpful