The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-03-22
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destinations Of this pink checked New
England girl she was doing praise
worthy and proper thing.
But, on the contrary, she was tor.
! mented by the thought that in speaking
Of Nathalie to her brother she had as.
serted that which she did not know and
did not believe to be a fact-that the
: rufflanly stranger who had given them
oil SO much trouble before finally van.
ishing was actually Nathalie Baird g
lover She strove to stifle the still, small
voice by saying to herself that Mrs.
Turner believed as she did, but Mrs.
Turner did not believe it Or think Of it
until Miss Maynard told her Of the
mysterious meetings on the prairie and
down at the end of the row and of Ma
loney's clamorous call at reveille.
These had Mrs. Turner lost no time
in peddling about the garrison, 60 that
poor Nathalie, with her big, pleading
eyes and pathetic, white face, was Just
beginning to move around again after
her illness only to find herself Stunned
by more than half the women at Russell.
She had almost determined to ask that
Mrs. Stannard should advocate her be-
ing sent home when the burglary took
place and drove her almost frantic with
fear and grief and shame back to her
room again.
There she was two days later kneel-
ing by her little white bed, deaf to
earthly sound, dumb with spetcnless
misery, when Mrs. Stannard herself
climbed the stairs and knelt and took
her In her arms.
Nathalie, child" she murmured,
"you must not give way to such dread.
I know whom you suspect of having had
a hand in the robberies. Even if it were
So dear, you would be blameless"--
"Mrs. Stannard - Mrs. Stannard,"
walled the girl as she threw herself up
on her bosom, "what else can I be-
lieve? And to think that should bring
such inoessant trouble to those who
have been so good to mel'
Hush, Nathalier' was the loving
answer as the girls sobbing broke forth
afresh. MRS Barry needs you sadly
this morning. She knows the cause of
your distress, and she begs you to come
to her. Let me help you dress now, and
then you must try to eat something.
Let me toll you. Hogan, Mrs. Rays
coaohman, followed the trail into town
that same morning and saw the mar.
shall there or somebody. Captain Wal
tiers drives in again right after guard
mounting today, and the police feel sure
they can recapture the silver even if
they do not get the thieves and the jew
elry. Two strange men were at the Rail
road House that morning. and neither
OF them was the one they call Boston,"
But the girl seemed past comfort.
Passively she allowed herself to be aided
to dress, bathing her swollen eyelids
and doing what she could to Danish the
signs Of her excessive grief. Humbly
she waited upon her loving friend as the
latter lay upon the couch slipping her
tea and nibbling al the dainty breakfast
prepared for her, and this was her occu-
patton when Captain Walters, the in
fantry officer temporarily in command
Of the fort, was announced and was
shown into the little parlor.
He was man Of some 80 years, griz.
zled, worn and somewhat soured in
service. He had seen younger men
plucking the plums of promotion over
his head, and he could not forgive it in
fate that he should still be only cap.
tain, with every prospect Of there re-
naming for ten years longer, when men
years his Junior were his superior Off
GERS. His one lieutenant, they said, led
q dogs life of it. His wife was, happily
for her, translated to realms where pro.
motion cometh not from the east nor
from the west, nor is supposed to be
matter Of consequence to any one Cap
tain Walters had been aroused before
sick call on the eventful morning by the
news Of the robberies and was properly
scandalized at such things occurring
under his command. He had held brief !
consultation with the noncommissioned
officers of his guard, with the doctor
and others, especially his adjutant, Mr..
Warner, had inspected tho wagon tracks
and footprints, had called on Mesdames
Gregg and Freeman, had heard Hogan's
had questioned Mr.. Maynard
about the burly though" whom he had
unseated and tumbled the day in town
and had finally on the second morning
after the robberies been closeted with
the local chief of police. What happen
ed in that conversation can best be
judged by what followed. Leaving
him at the office, Captain Walters
stumped down the line, knocked at Mrs.
Turner's door and disturbed that inno-
cent matron at breakfast, but begged a
lew words none the less. Then he
tramped back and asked for Miss May
lard at Stannard's door, and both May
lard and his sister came forth, and with
'ome embarrassment the captain man-
,ged to say it was Miss Maynard with
whom he desired word in private. 1t 1
vas white, scared face with which she
confronted her brother when the brief
interview was over, but vouchsafng no
explanation she ran hurriedly up the
tairs.
Then the captain rang at Barry's and
vas shown into the pretty parlor where
drs. Barry reclined, with Mrs. Stan
lard and Miss Baird lowering about
Ter, and here his embarrassment be-
anne something painful. He answered
heir polite greetings in most awkward =,
ashton and refused the chair that was
endered him. At last be blurted forth c
What he had to say, and almost at his
rst words Mrs. Stannard threw her
I'm around Nathalie's waist and drew ..
er tight to her side.
"Mrs. Barry, l have most painful &
uty to perform, but cannot shirk it.
he police have positive proof of what
hey say, and they tell Inc that there is +
ne person here at the post who not only {
al tell who the robbers are, but where s.
,ey are, and that is-this unfortunate
Dung lady iss--a--Miss Baird"
CHAPTER XIII.
The east bound train that day left