The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-01-18
[coNTINUED.]

on nc wrong, dear, was her
mothers answer. 1T was powerless to
move Captain Armitage He secuted
the idea Of your guilt from the moment
he set eyes ON you and never rested un.
til he had overturned tho last atom Of
evidence. Even had to explain, " said
her mother, simply to confirm his the
cry OF the light Captain Chester had
seen and the shadows and tho form ut
the window. 1t was Just exactly as Ar
mitagc reasoned it out. was wretched
and walzeful, sleeping but fitfully that
night arose and took some bromide
about O'Clock and soon afterward
heard fall or noise like one.
Thoughts OF you and got up and went in
your room, and all was quiet there, but
1t seemed close and warm, 80 I raised
your shade and then left both your door
and mine open and went back to bed.
81 dozed away presently and then
woke feeling all startled again, done
you lnow--the sensation one expert.
ences when aroused from sleep, certain
that there has been O strange and star.
Ting noise, and yet unable to tell what
it WASP ! lay still moment. but the
colonel slept through it all, and won.
dered at it. / knew there had been q
shot or something. but could not bear
to disturb him. AT last I got up again
and went to your room to be sure you
were all right, and You were sleeping
soundly still, but breeze was begin.
ming to blow and flap your shade to and
fro. SO I drew it and went out, taking
1ornra will, this o,1 cnff1xt
closing your door behind me- Sec how
it all seemed to fit in with everything
else that had happened. 1t took man
with will of his own and an unshak.
en- faith in woman to stand firm against
such evidence -
And, though Alice Renwick was ST.
lent, she appreciated the fact none the
less Day after day she chung to her
stalwart brothers. side. She had ceased
to ask questions about Captain Armi-
tage and that strange greeting after the
first day or two; but, oddly enough, she
could never let him talk long of any
subject but that campaign, of his ride
with the captain to the front, Of the
long talk they had had. and then tho
stirring fight and the magnificent way
in which Armitage had handled his long
skirmish line. Ho was enthusiastic in
his praise of the tall Saxon captain. He
soon noted how silent and absorbed she
sat when he was the theme Of discourse.
He incidentally mentioned little things
"he' had said about 'her" that morn
ing and marked how her color rose and
her eyes flashed quick, joyful. ques-
fio,,ir,c, ole rf bio focn tho,, foil IN,
maiden shyness. He had speedily gaug
ed the cause OF that strange excitement
displayed by Arinitage at seeing him
the morning he rode i'll with the scout
Now he was gauging with infinite de-
light the other side of the question.
Then, brotherlike, he began to 5wit and
tease her, and that was the last Of the
condolences
All tho same ii w2s an eager group
that surrounded the colonel the evening
he came down with tho captains letter.
1T settles the thing i'll my mind. Well
go back to Sibley tomorrow, and as for
you, Sergeant Major Fred, your name
has gone in for commission, and I've
no doubt a very deserving sergeant will
be spoiled in making Il very good for
nothing second lieutenant. Get you
back to your regiment, sir. and call ca
Captain ArInitagc as soon rs you reach
Fort Russell and tell him you are much
obliged He has been blowing your
trumpet for You there and as some of
those cavalrymen have sersc enough to
appreciate the opinion Of such n soldier
as my x-adjutant-solne CT them, mind
you; don't admit that all cavalryincn
have sense enough to keep them out of
perpetual trouble-you came in fer a
hearty Endorsement, and you IL probably
be up before the next board for exam
ination. Go and bone your constitution
and the rule of three, and who was the
father Of Zebedee's children, and the or
der of the Ptolemies and tho Seleucide,
and other such things that they'll DO
sure to ask you as Indispensable to tho
mental outfit of an Indian iiglte-." Il
was evident that the colonel was in Joy
Gus mood, but Alice was silent. She
wanted to hear the letter. He would
have handed it to Frederick, bat both
Mrs. Maynard and Aunt Grace clsnored
to hear it read aloud, so he cleared his
throat and began:
FRED chances lot commission GTc
good. as the Enclosed papers will shoy
you, but even were this not the case
would have but one thing to say in ar
swer to your letter-he should go b:1c!:
to his troop.
Whatever our friends and fellow cit
liens may think OH the subject, hold
that the profession Of the soldier is to
the full rs honorable IS any in evil life,
and it is liable at any moment to be
moro useful. do not mean the officer
alone. say and mean the soldier As
for me, would rather be first sergeant
Of my troop or company or sergeant
major Of my regiment than any lieuten-
ant in it except the adjutant. Hope Of
promotion is all rat can make subal.
terms life endurable, but tho staff SER
geant or the first sergeant, honorod and
respected by his officers, decorated for
bravery by congress and looked UP to by
his comrades is king emcrg men. The
pay has nothing to Go with it. say to
Renwick Come back az soon 20 Your