The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-12-17

vorshiped your father, as ala every Irish
Dragon that ever rode under him, ana
told him you were 70 be brought 20 ulG
for the crime. Then he broke down and
gave the truth-ond her penciled oraer-
10 me-
In the silence that followed the soldier
OF forty and the lad OF only twenty-one
sat looking gravely into each other fASe-
1t was Armstrong who spoke again;
Gray. IL was manly In you 10 tell n1a
your story and your trouble. / could hep
you here; but-whO can help you when
you have TO tell it-next timer
Next time7-father. do you meanT
queried Gray, a puzzled look In his blue
eyes. II hadn't thought. do you knowI
10 worry dear old dad-unless he ssked
Armstrong; grave face grew dark You
ought 10 know what mean. Gray rms
story may come up when least you think
Tor. and-would you have 10 told Miss
Lawrence before she hears ~ from your
Miss Lawrence answered Billy. hlsh-
ing, isn't in the least interested"
DO you mean that you are noJ-thar
you were not engaged % her. The colo
mel had been gazing out over the wiring
river. but nov. with curious contraction
OF brows. vita a strong light ir bis Eyes.
he had turned full on the youuE officer.
Engaged TO her. DO you -upp'Se I
could have been-beeu suCn AN ass 10 she
would have had ne? No. She-sne had
too much sense.
II was fun a minute before Armstrong
spoke again. For few seconds he sat
mOtiOnless. gazing steadily Into Gray's
handsome. blushing face: then he turned
once more and looked out over the PlsiE
and the SCARED level OF the rice fields be-
yOnd. And the long slant Of the sun
shine on distant towers and neIghborings
roofs and cOpse and wall. and the IN
lovely landscape. seemed All tiuged with
purple haze and tipped with gold Tho
blare OF a bugie summOning The men 20
supper seemed sOftened BY distance. or
some new. strange intonatiOn. and gave
90 the ugliest OF all our service calls thu
effect Of soft sweet melody. and there
was sympathy and genuine feeling in tbs
deep voice as he once asain held out his
hand 10 Billy.
harshiy than you deserved
One lovely. summeriike evening SONS
five weeks later. IN long, heavinE surses
the deep blue waVes Of the Pacific came
laziy rolling toward the poIm-borc.ered
beach at Waikiki. bursting into snowy
foam on the pebbly strand. and softly
Missing swept Ike heecy mantle up thu
slope OF Wet. hard-beaten sand. then
broke. tapping and Whirltng about th9
stone supports OF the broad lanai Of one
ole the many LUXURIOUS homes r1at dor
the curving line OF the bay 20 the east %
Honolulu. Dtrnly outlined i'm the fairy
moonlight, the shadOwy mountains ~ tho
Waiaua Range lay low upon tho western
horizon. Eastward the bare. Bold vol
canic upheaval OF Diamond Head cleaned
In bold relief. rejecting the silver rays.
Here and there through the folaGe shOna
the sOft-cOlOred fires Of Chinese lanterns,
shore. distant electric lights w.. 1kl-d ike
answering signals % the stars in the
vault OF blue, and the riding lights %
the Few transports or warships swinging
at anchor on the tide.
From little grove Of palms close to the
low seawau came the soft tiukle OF
guitar, and now and then burst 20 10Y
Gus song, while under the spreading root
OF the broad pOrtico or lanai the murnur
OF voices. the occasional ripple Of musical
laughter, the hOatlng haze OF cigarette
smoke. told where party OF WOrshipcrs
were gathered. rejoicing in the loNeilness
OF nature and the night.
II was a reunited party. too. and IN the
welcome OF their winsOme hostess. In the
soft, soothing influence of that summer
cline. and through the healing tonic OF
the long sea voyage faces that had been
saddened by deep anxiety but Few weeks
gone. smiled slatuess into one another
now. A tall Eray-haired man reClined
In an easy lOunging chair his eyes Intent
on the clear-cut face OF a young soldier
In trim white uniform who. with much
animation. was telling OF an event IN the
recent campaign. BY his side. her humid
eyes following his every gesture. sat a
tall. dark, stylish girl. whose hand from
time 10 time crept forth % cares his-au
evident case o. sister worship. Close az
hand another young fellow. In sp0tless
white, his curly head bent far forward.
joining. was studying silently the effect OF
his comrades story on another fair girl
was fully illumined by the siivery Light os
the unclOuded moon. Coming by trans
port via Honolulu''-"Gov-s cabled
message had brought father and sister 20
meet him az these famed Crossroads OF
the Pacific. and whittier they j0u-neyed
Amy Lawrence. too, must go. said they.
land OF perennial bloom and sunshine. and
wearied with long. long months ~ labor
IN the service OF the Red Cross. the girl
had willingly accepted their invitation
Coaled and provisiOned the TRANSPORT hsf
pushed on for the seven-day run FOR San
Francisco: but the recovering OF his LONG,
lost son and the soft reposeflf atnn09-
phere OF the lovely. vet Isolated ISLAND
group. had so benefited Mr. Prime that IN
family council 4, had been decided wise
for them 10 spend week or ten davs
longer at the Royal Hawaiian. and the
boys had found no difficulty In holding
over for the ScdgWick that followed
swift upon the heels OF their own ship
Five Joyous days they had together and
this. the nfth. had been spent lu sfrht-
seeing beyond the lofty Pail OF the north
ward side. The go and o." liner u-oa
coming in from Yokohama even a. tbSv.
drove away; and as they sat az dinner on
the open lanai. long hours later. % had
been mentioned by their host that the
SedgWick, too. had reached the harb0r
during the afternoon. and that army peo-
pie were passengers ON both liner and
transport Billy Gray. for one. began 10
wish that dinner was over He was eager
pines. and the Sedgwick let Manila fuii (.
week behind their slower craft
/. did you hear who came with herr" hs
somewhst eagerly asked. COR ca the
Doric?" he continued with less enthusi-
asm-
halted lamely and glanced furtiveiy and
sppealingly at his wife. There was that
AulrEEObdLlFe silence that
makes one feel the futillty OF CONCEAL
ment. IL was Miss Lawrence who carna,
70 his relief and dispelled the strain on the
situation.
II should fancy very few army peopIs
would choose that roundabout way from
Manila when they can come direct bv
transport and have the ship 70 them
selves"
''Wel-er-yes; certainly. Certainly" an
swered the helpless master OF the house
lodging now the warning and reproach IN
the eyes OF his wiser mate NJ The other
end OF the table. The crack 0f "a coach
mans whip and the swift beat o. trottinQ-
hOOfs on the graveled road Ga front could
be heard as he faltered on. The gleam ~
cab lights came floating through the
northward shrubbery. Except of course.
when they happen 70 be-eE-already we'll.
you know. at Hongkons or Nagasaki." hs
lamely concluded.
There was an instant hurried glance 81
changed between Gray and Prime. Then
up spoke in silvery tone their hostess:
"Other officers. you know. are ordered
home We have just heard to-day that
Colonel Frost comes very soon. His health
seems quite shattered. / believe-you
knew-Of them-slightly-tha ls 20 say
Miss Prime. did you nOtg" But even with
her words she cast an anxious. furtivs
glance along the dim reach OF the lanai
for the pit-a-pat OF footballs. the swish OF
feminine draperies. was distinctly heard
Two dainty, white-robed forms came