Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-28

shifted their Guilds, went coolly to their
stations, and, grouped about their guns,
quietly awaiting further Developments In
agony of fear Colonel Frost had bid
den his driver to lash the ponies to a gal
Top and go like the wind to- Malate, but the
appearance of the long ranks of sturdy in
lahtry resting on their arms and begin
ming to look bored, measurably reassured
him before he reached his home Once
there, however, the sight of Nita cIingfng
Historically to her sister and moaning on
her bed, was sufficient 10 determine his first
move, which was to wire for his launch to
come around to the bay shore and take
them off to the fleet.
The next was to send and ask for an
c1lccr and twenty men from the Quartet
on receiving which message the major com
mandliig, standing on the dusty roadway in
front of his men, grinned under his griz-
Zled mustache and said, ''Frosts got 'em
again. Here, Gray, you go over and tell
hlm to keep his hair on, that It's nothing
but a fake alarm" And Gray, glad enough
Of the chance to go again into the presence
of the woman who so fascinated him, sped on
ms mission He was in a fury over his re-
cent humiliation in her sight-he, a COM
mlsSlOned officer, tossed aside like a child
and outWitted by this daring intruder in
the shape of a private so6ier-he and his
guard brushed away and derided by a
young fellow in some strange regiment
who had easily escaped along the beach to
an adjoining Enclosure into which he darted
and was no more seen. The streets We're
full of scurrying soldiers, and it was the
simplest thing in the world for him to min
gle with them and make his way to his
own command. OF course GRAY well knew
who the man must be-Nita's troublesome
lover, of whom Witchie had told him 80
much. Their, was his chance to recover the
letters and claim the reward; but man and
letters both had escaped his CRASH. and
when he pulled up blown and exhausted
after fruitless chase, he was brought TO his
senses by the sight of his own men falling
in fNt h,,.-i , .r,1 !,
for his sword and join them
That was a miserable evening Margaret
Garrison was the only member of the
household who seemed to have her wits
about her and her nerves under control
for Frank, her liege lord, had his duty
elsewhere, and not until hours later trof
ted slowly home. Margaret plainly let GRAY
understand how he had fallen in her esti-
nation at being easily tossed aside A
warning finger was laid upon her lip. mot
one word of what has happened while he is
here" she muttered, and nod of her fluffy
head toward the perturbed colonel told
plainly that the chief of the household
really had no place in the family councils.
To the sisters that alarm was a blessing.
in disguise. 1t was all sufficient to account
for Nitas prostration.
To the rash and reckless lad who claim
ing to be orderly with letter from the
colonel, had been passed by the gate guard
to the open stairway, 1t afforded ample
cover for escape5 when, alarmed by Nita' s
to her aid To Gray himself it gave only
a few minutes fergetfulness of his trou-
Bile, for. smarting under the sting of a wo-
mans only half7hiddsn disdain, he would
have welcomed with almost savage ioy
some fierce battle with skillful foe, some
scene in which he could compel her respect
and admiration. He was still smarting
and stung when at last that opportunity
came.
Long will Manila remember the night.
1t followed close upon the heels Of warn
ings that for weeks held every officer and
| man to his post of duty. Day after day
the strain increased. The insurgents
crowding upon our outposts in front OF
Santa Mesa on the north and of Santa Ana
on the south side of the Pasig, had heaped
insult and threats upon our silent sentries
compelled by orders to the very last TO
submit to anything but actual attack
rather than bring on a battle. THE Ameri-
| cans are afraid" was the gleeful cry of
AguinaldoS officers, the jeer and taunt of
| his men. The regulars were soon to come
and replace those volunteers, said the wise
acre of his cabinet, therefore strike now
| before the trained and disciplined troops
arrive and sweep these big Doors into the
| sea. And on the still, starlit night sooner
perhaps than his confederates within the
walls intended, the rebel leader struck
and, long before the dawn of the lovely
Sunday morn that followed the fire fash
| ed from forty thousand rifles in big semi
| circle around Manila, and the long-expect-
ed battle was on
Hours after dawn, hours after the at
| TACK began, the -teenth were in extended
j battle order to the south of sIalate con-
fronted by thickets of bamboo that fairly
| swarmed with insurgents yet only by the
] inceSsant zip and "Whiew'' Of their dea div