Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-29

other side OF the Pasig, lining the banks Of
the crooked estuary that formed the Rubicon
We were forbidden to cross. Such was the
case with Cankcr and the -teenth in the |
dense bamboo thicket to the south, and 90
II happened that at first Armstrong and J
Billy Gray saw nothing OF each other. and |
hut little NJ the White sisters, probably a |
fortunate thing for all.
Ever since that memorable night on the |
Queen Of the Fleet Gray had stud Ously |
avoided his whiom friend and counsellor |
whlo the latter's equally studIous avoidance |
Of Mrs. Garrison had become Observed |
throughout the ship. The dominion and
power Of that little lady had been OF
brief duration, as was to be expected in
tho case OF woman who had secured for
her undivided use the best, the airiest and
by far the largest room on the steamer-a
cabne do lake, indeed that for n weeks
voyage on an Atlantic liner would have cost
a small fortune, while here for sea sojourn
Of more than double the time under tropic
skies, and while other and worthler women
were swe1terlng three in a stuffy box below.
II had cost but smile The captain had
repcntcd him Of his magnanimlty before the
lights Of Honolulu faded out astern The
general began to realize that he had been
made cats-paw OF and, his amour propre
boing wounded, he had essayed for day
or two majestic dignity OF mien that became
comical when complicated with the qualms
OF seasckness. There was even noticeable
aversion on part OF some of the officers
Of the Dudes, who. having made the journey
from the bay" to Honolulu with the women
passengers. army wives and Red Cross
nurses, naturally became the recipients OF
tho views entertained by these ladies' Quick
to see, II slow to seem to see, Mrs. Frank
| has lost no time in begging one OF the
| young soldier wives to share her big state
! room and broad and comfortable bed and
! the lady preferred the heat and discomfort
| between decks TO separation from her
/ friend Then Mrs. Garrison rendered both
! tho run of her cabin during the day and
! evening; suggested, indeed that on hot
nights they come and sleep there, one on
! the bed and one on the couch; and they
! thanked her, but-never came. She coddled
| the general with cool champagne cup when
he was in the throes OF NAL de mer. and
held him prisoner with her vlvacious chatter
when he was well enough to care to talk
But, after all, her most serious trouble
seemed to consist in keeping Billy Gray at
| respectful distance. He sought her side day
| after day, to Armstrong; mild amaze as
| has been said and when he could not be
! win her was moody, even fierce and ugly
tempered-he whose disposition had been
the sunnlest in all of that gray, shivery.
| dripping sojourn at the San Francisco camp.
But once fairly settled In Manila, the White
sisters seemed to gain all the old ascend
ency. Colonel Frost had taken a big cool.
| Toomy house, surrounded by spacious
grounds down in Malate and close to the
plashing waters of the bay. Duties kept
him early and late at his office in the walled
city; but every evening. after the drive and
Al Ilnra NIL,
Witches withcheries were called into play
to charm them into blindness and to cover
Nita's ntful and nervous moods now almost
painfully apparent. Frost's face was at
times thundcrcloud, and army circles
within the outer circle of Manila saw plainly
that all was not harmony betwixt that vet
eran Benedict and that fragile, futtering,
baby wife. The bloom Of Nita's beauty was
gone. She looked wan, white. even haggard.
She had refused to leave Hong Kong or come
to Manila until Margarets arrival. then
flew to the shelter OF that sisterly wing.
Frank Garrison had been occupying a room
under the same roof with his general but
both general and aide-de- camp were now
much afleld, and Frank spent far more days
and nights along the line of blockhouses
than he did at home The coming OF his
wife was unannounced and utterly unlocked
for "Did i consult my husband!" she ex-
} claimed in surprise when asked the ques-
tiOn one day by the wife of the veteran field
, officer ''Mercirul heaven. Mrs. Lenox. there
was no time for that except by cable and
at four dollars a word. No! II any doubt
of what Frank Garrison will say or do exists
In my mind ! go and do the thing at once
then the doubt is settled, If he approves
well and good If he doesn't-wel, then I've
had my fun anyway"
But IT. made little difference what Frank
Garrison might think, say or do when Nita's
need came in question. 1t was for Nita that
, Margaret Carlson so suddenly quilted tho
Preside and hastened to Hawaii. 1t waa
for her sake, ITO be her counsel and protec-
/ tlon. tho elder sister had brayed refusal,
difficulties criticism, even Armstrong; open
suspicion and dislike, to take that long voy-
9 age to a hostile cline That she braved too,
| her husbands displeasure was not a matter
n of sufficient weight to merit consideration.
{ She was there to help Nita and until that
hapless child were freed from peril that.
n over threatening, seemed sapping her very
h life, Margaret Garrison meant to stay.
@ For the letter that came by way of Homo
Q lulu had told the elder sister of increasing
o jealousy and suspicion on the colonels part
q of his dreadful rage at Yokohama on learn
II ing that even there-the very hour Of theil
4 nrrlval-when the consul came aboard with
= a batch OF letters in he hand he had on'
Y for Mrs Frost She had barely glanced a
q it's contents before she was stricken with
II Mt of trembling, tore It in half and tossed
VI the fragments on the swift ebbing tide. thei
- rushed to her stateroom There she ndde'
- a postscript to the long letter penned &
II Margaret on the voyage, and the purser, no
. her husband, saw II safely started on th
Gaelic leaving for San Francisco via Homo
lulu that very day That letter beat th
ordinary mail, for the Queen was heading
senward, even as the Gaelic came steaminI
In the coral guarded harbor, and a litu
packet was tossed aboard the new troopsh
ms she sped away, one mlssive In 1t tellin
Witchie Garrison that the man whose lif
had been wrecked by her sisters enforce
desortion was already In Manila awaitin
her coming, and telling her, moreover, tina
the packet placed In General Drayton'
hands contained only her earlier letters
his reckless wrath Latrohe had told her the
those which bound her TO him by the mos
solemn pledges, thoee that vowed undyin
love and devotion were still In his hands
aud that ehe should see him and them whe