The San Francisco call., 1899-12-24

well nigh hidden by her snrouding Tam
saw the searching son OF Albion and tG'
her his need. The best Of women wi.
find excuse for interruption at such o..
rnents when sure Of the devotion Of fr
man who sits with tQte1ul queafir.
qulvering on his lips: and, even when 81.
longs 10 hear those very WORDS. will tr
means TO defer them as a kitten dal' \.
with a captured mouse or child save
TO the very last the sweetest mOrsel
her birthday cake. Not ten minutes h.
fore. when the Honorable Bertie Shas.
had started impulsively toward the .
cant chair by Armstrong; side. q Orr
hand detained him, ard Miss Prime t1
hastily interpOsed. Not on any acCOurr
said She, luperiOusly. Cant you se..
and Mr. ShaftO adjusting hts mono.
had gaZed long and hNedly. and ther
transferring his gaze 70 ner, had said.
''Eh-eh-yes. It's not ours. supp0s
you mean"
Rut now Amy Lawrence was beckonir-
and ne made a rush for the rail. the
worked his way aft. hand over har.
Every movable thing on deck was tax"
a sudden slant 20 starbOard. and the
went kissing by almost on a level VI.
the deck a. next she spoke. surely s..
der needs both arms In battle. and yC..
on. certainly. Mr. Shsfter. take OH.
chair" she added. Armstrong glanced er
Awning. thought he. rather than th1
thev should come here. The young Brit
stepped easily past between JAem ana OF.
rai-behind there was no room.
Ssbrie- he his broad shoulder started b1
lust as a huge wave heaved suddenly
der the counter. heeieI thS SIsail.gI
over 10 port. threw him on MS baldu.
and hfs foot catching at the bottom
her chair. hurled him, load and
straight at Amy s rec.lriias I9Inl- oi.e p.
NOT have saved her face. nut IN tuat fl.
stant Armstrong had darted iu. cdu-
the stumbling Brituu on one arm. anl
fuU force OF the shooting chair cras 1l
upon the other. already pierced oy fN.
plnO lead. .--.-...4 ...
and unscratChed from the confused lrf.
of rnen and furniture. it was % cut OFT |.
stautly the stuttcr and starnmer or poor
Shafto's apologies. 90 bid him gp lnstan.
for the ships doctor. and. with tdce o..
color Of death. 90 turn quickly % Arm
strong The blow had burst open the haIl.
healed wound. and the blood Was stream
ing to the deck
Both liner and transport turned baci
without Stanley Arms trong. Doric N0
Eedgwick sailed unheeded. Tor me hlEn
est surgical authority Of the Departme r'
OF California had remandCd him 20 guar
ters az the Palace and forbidden MS rt
turn 10 duty with an unhealed Wouno
he was sitting up again. someWhal pam
and not too strong. but with every prom
fse said the "medico. Or compete t..
covery within two months. But not g
month would Armstrong wait Ihe Pueni.
was TO start within the week. and ne ha.
made up his mind. 10 saIn ne
must"
night this opinion was announced. I'm Oh.
parlOr OF the suite o. rooms the friu.
mad taken. Billy Cray had gone with h'
father 10 the 'cluh. Shafto had been mans
ing about I'm the agOnies OF an Engli
mans first love. Gov. disappeared "A mo
ment and came back with tickets Tor tE'
Columbia. bidding Mildred get her hs
Shafto that he had a seat for htm.
the little mautel clock struck eight Am
Lawrence, lifting up her eyes rom ll'
book she was trying hard To believe sr.
meant to read saw that Armstrong wa
rising from his easy chair. and. sprinEir
10 his side. laying her white hand on D..
stir stir . ''''' '''''
But then her heart began 20 futter IN
coutrollablv The blood went surEing f
her brows. for All OF a sudden, AS throue
impulse irresistible. her hand was seiZ
in his-iu both Of his. In facf-auc ti
deep voice that had pleaded az her bene.
FOR the cause OF Billy Gray Was now, l
lmpotunus flow Of words that fell upo
her ears like some strain OF tnrlliu
music. pleading az last his own. Er
since that day IN the radiant sunshine
the park she had learned 20 look no On
him as n tower OF strength. man .
mark among his fellows. man u be hon
Ored and Oheyed. Ever since that nigh
AZ the Palace. when she saw his CLOWN
ewes fixed intcntly upon her. and krt'
that he was following her every mov.
interest I'm her. Ever since that DAY
when the China slipped from her moor
ings, with Wtchie Garrison singing hlr
out for lavish farewell favOrs she ha.
wondered why 10 50 annoyed and stun
her. Ever since the day she read the li-
Of killed and wounded In the first herc.
battling with the "InsurrcctOs" she kncr
II was the Sight Of his name. not BIZ
Gray's. that made her for the momeu
faint and dizzy. and taught her the nee.
0f greater self-cOntrol.
Ever since that mOonlit night upon tn
Marsdens lanai, when her heart leape
an the sudden sound of his voice, she h7
realized what his coming meant 20 her
and ever since that breezy day upon "a
broad Pacific with the sailors song 0
Land. hoi ringing from the bows, ar
he. her wounded soldier. had sprung
shield her from the crash OF Shafto
hapless stumble. and the deck was stains
with the precious blood from that soldier
reopened wound. shed for her-fOr he
who so revered him-she had longed
hear him say the words that alone coul
unlock the gates OF maidenly reserve ar
let her tell him-tell him with glad an.
grateful heart that the love he bore ne
was answered by her own. lowering owe
him only one minute. her lips half parte,
her eyes still yelled. her heart throbbin
loud and fast. with sudden movement ~
threw herself upon her knees al the sid
OF the low chair. and her burning fac
ever so lightly. was buried IN the DARK
blue sleeve above that blessed wound