Daily camera., 1899-11-29

Heres Morton, back from As hours
absence without leave, brought back
by armed guard after sharp resist
ance, charged with Lord knows what
all, wants to tell me his story and prove
his innocence"
You let him alone" growled his
senior. Remember what Canker said,
or you'll go in arrest. What call has
Morton on you, I'd like to know?"
The lad flushed. Fraternity was
very sacred thing in the A e X 1t
was 'the most exclusive crowd at the
varsity" Its membership was pledged
70 one another by unusual ties. 1t was
the hardest society for fellow to get
into in any one of the seven colleges
whereat il hourished, and its mystic
bonds were not shaken off with the
silken gown and mortar board" of
undergraduate days, but followed its
membership through many maturer
year. II was a society most college men
cial station, influence were powerless.
Not until student had been under OBJ
serration two whole years and was
thoroughly known could he hope for
IBID" 10 become a Delta Sig" Not
until another six months of probation
could he sport i,s colors, and not until
he formally withdrew from its fold,
in pos, graduation years. could he CON
slider himself absolved from its mild
obligations. But the boas, of the Del
tn Sig" had ever been that no one of
its membership had ever turned deaf
ear TO a fellow in need of aid. Who of
its originators ever dreamed of such
thing as its drifting into and becoming
factor in the affairs of the regular
army?
No wonder Gray stood for moment,
the paper still in his hands. irresolute,
even disturbed. Not to answer the ap-
peal meant to run counter to all the ten
cts of his fraternity. To answer might
mean arrest and court-mar,ial for de-
liberate disobedience of orders. Canker
has no more mercy than an Indian. II
was barely IS hours since he had been
publicly warned by an experienced old
captain that he would find no guard
ian anger in Squeers. II would Sc
riously mar his prospects TO start now
with Squeers down on him." and as
that ,yuN-eyed commander was ever on
watch for infractions OF orders. Billy
well knew tha, he could not hope TO see
and talk with the prisoner and Canker
no, hear of it. To ask permission of
Canker would only make matters worse
he was sure 10 refuse and then re-
emphasize his orders and redouble his
vigilance To ask the consent of the
officer OF the day or the connivance of
the officer of the guard was TO invite
them TO court arres, and trial on their
own account. lie couldn't do that even
to oblige a brother Delt- II only Ned
Craven were officer of the guard some
thing might be done-he was \ college
man, too. and though not n "Delt," but
rather of a rival set, he would under
stand" and possibly help. Guard mount
was held toward dusk, and that was
four hours away. at Least, The prison
er's note and tone were urgent. An idea
occurred to Billy: What il he could
get Gordon TO let him go on" this
very evening? II wasn't his tour. He
had marched off, only two days be-
fore, as he well remembered. for Canker
had roughed" him up and down about
that little error in copying the list of
prisoners from the report of the pre-
vious day. Moreover, he had counted
on going to town right after "retrcnt,"
dining at the Palace. an extravaganza
not to be thought of at other times,
so as to be on hand when the Primes
and Amy Lawrence came down to din
ner. He had planned it all-even to the
amount of surprise he was to exhibit
when he should discover about when
he had finished his own dinner that
they were just beginning theirs, and
the extent and degree of pleasurable
emotion he might venture on showing
as he hastened over to greet them,
and accepted their offer to be seated
with them. even If he had been so un-
kind as to dine beforehand. instead of
with them. He had set his heart on
having n chat with Miss Lawrence aS
part rccompensc for all he had lost
that morning, and all this he was think
OF while still fumbling over that dis
,urbng note. Time was getting short.
too; there was no telling how much
longer they nigh, stay. Mr.. Prime
had brought his only daughter all that
long journey across the continent on
the assurance that the boy he loved.
with whom he had quarreled, and
whom. in his anger, he had sorely re-
bukcd, had enlisted there in San Fran
cisco md was serving in regiment at
the great camp west of the city. He
had come full of hope and confidence;
he Ind found the young soldier de-
scribed. and, in his bitter disappoint-
ment, he declared there was no re-
semblancc TO justify the report sent him
by the boys own uncle. who vowed he
had met him with comrades on the
main street OF the city, that the recog-
milton was mutual, for the boy had dart
ed around the first corner and escaped.
His companions were scattered by the
time Mr.. Lawrence turned 10 the spot,