Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-08
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BY Ger. Chas.Kin6.
COPYRIGHT 1898 az E.rssr~s9t sssls-

became cf the letter or note or card?''
asked Frost. with suspicion and jealousy lis
his heart. Two women, mistress and maid,
and the bell boy swore they didn't know, but
the maid did know with the quick intu-
itlon Of her sex and class she had seen that
there was or had been young lover, and
sympathy for Nita and a dislike for Frost,
who gave no tips, prompted her to hide 1t
until she could slip 1t safely into Nitas
hand; Nita, who read, shuddered, tore 1t into
minute scraps, and wept more, face down
ward on the bed. They had reached their
winter station before the cable flashed the
stirring tidings of Dewey's great victory in
Manila bay and within half a week came
telegraphic orders for Colonel Frost to pro-
ceed at once to San Francisco, there to await
Instructions. The first expedition was or
ganizlng when he arrived, his palid little
wife by his side, and there were his in
| structions to proceed to Manila as chief Of
his department-an Independent position, yet
| 1t was horrid blow. But there was no re-
course, Nita begged that she might stay
with her sister She could not bear the
idea of going Frost knew that no women
| could accompany the expedition, and, ship
| ping his chest and desks by the transport, he
had secured passage for himself and wife
| to Hong Kong on one of the splendid steam
ers OF the English line from Vancouver, and
| so informed her. 1t dashed Nta's last hope.
| They were occupying fine rooms at the Pal
| ace hotel. The city thronged with
| officers and rapidly arriving troops Other
| army women, eager to accompany their hus-
| bands, we're railing at the fate that sepa-
rated them, and Nita had been forced to
conceal the joy with which she heard their
lamentations. But she had yet to learn how
exacting Frost could be- 1t had never oc-
| Nl,.E lon Ntnffn tc
| sion to go except by transport. 1t had not
seemed possible that he would take her with
him. 'You should have Known" said he,
| that even If had had to go by transport
| you would have gone by the Empress OF
| India. 1t Is only sixty hours from Manila to
| Hong Kong, and I could have Joined you
soon after your arrival. AS it is, I shall see
you safely established there-I have letters
to certain prominent English people-then
shall go over to join the fleet when 1t ar
rlves in Manila bay"
That night she wrote long and desperately
to Margaret. "He swore he would follow
me wherever we went until I granted him
the interview. You know how he dogged me
in Washington, followed me to Denver, and
| any moment he may address me here f.
| will not let me return to you. He insists on
| nv going to Hong Kong, where he can occa-
| sionally Join me. But Rollin holds those
letters over me like a whip, and declares
! that he will give them into Frosts hands
unless I see him whenever he presents him
| self. You made me swear to Frost l never
| cared straw for my darling that was. o
| God how | loved him! and If these letters
ever reach the man to whom you have sold
| me- he would treat me as he would dog,
even If he doesn't kill me. Meg-Meg-you
must help me, for live in terror"
| And that she lived in terror was true.
| some women were quick to see. Never
would she go anywhere, even along the
corridor, alone. If the colonel could not
| come to luncheon she was served In their
rooms. If she had to go calling or shopping
| 1t was in a carriage, and always with some
| army woman whom she could persuade to
go with her.
One day, just before their intended de-
| parture she irove out paying calls. 1t
was quite late when the carriage drew
up at the Market street entrance,
the nearest to their elevator. The
door boy sprang across the side
walk to open the carriage, and as she
stepped wearly out a tall young man, erect
and slender, dressed in dark travelling
| suit, fairly confronted her, raised his derby
and said: "You can give me ten minutes
now, Mrs. Frost Be good enough to take
my arm"
Bowng her head, she srove to dodge by.
but 1t was useless. Again he confronted her
Piteously she looked up into his pale, stern
face and clasped her hands. "Oh, Rollin,"
she cried, "give me my letters. I dare not
sea you Have mercy" and down again
she went in senseless heap upon the stone
Colonel and Mrs. Frost did not sail with the
Empress OF India. Brain fever set In and
for three weeks the patient never left the
hotel Frost made his wife's dangerous Ill
ness the basis of an application to be re-
lieved from the Manila detail, but, knowing
| well 1t would be late summer before the
troops could be assembled there In sufficient
force to occupy the city and knowing that
his clerks and books had gone by transport
with the second expedition in June, the War
department compromised on a permission to
DELAY. BY the time the fourth expedition
was ready to start there was no further
excuse: moreover, the doctors declared The
sea voyage was just what Mrs. Frost needed.
and again their stateroom was engaged by
the Empress line, and, though weak and
languid Mrs. Frost was able to appear in
the dining room. Meanwhile vast amount
Of work was saddled on the department TO
which Frost was attached, and daily he was
called upon to aid the local officers or be in
consultation with the commanding general.
This would have left Mrs. Frost to the min
istrations OF her nurse alone, but for the
| loving kindness OF army women in the hotel.
They hovered about her room taking turns
In spending the afternoon with her, or the
evening, for 1t was speedily apparent that
she had nervous dread of being left by
herself, cor even with her husband" said
the most observing. Already 1t had been
whispered that despite his asslduous care
and devotion during her Illness, something
serious was amiss Everybody had heard of
,,J,to oh I,o1 Tod har n 1ar m
ing illness. Everybody knew that she had
been accosted and confronted by strange
young man, at sight of whom she had
pleaded piteously minute and then
tainted dead away. BY this time too,
there were or had been nearly dozen OF the