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

they been menaced by any one nor ap
preached by any man even family reSem-
bling poor LatrObe: and Witchie Garrison
was beginning to take heart and look upon
That threatening letter a mad piece of
bluff. when one day the unexpected hap
cened.
The men of the house. Frost and CARR
son. were accustomed, when the latter was
al home to breakfast together quite early.
Ihen the colonel would drive off to the
Ayuntamiento in the walled city. and Frank
would mount his pony and ride away to
his long days duties. Later the sisters
would have their leisurely breakfast, Sc
cure in the protection of the guard. would
give their Chinaman chef his orders for the
day. and send him off to make such pur-
chases as We're possible in the now scanty
market. Then reading. writing receiving
callers OF their own sex, would fill uD the
morning. There would be a brief siesta
after luncheon, an hour or so on the broad
Veranda overlooking the sparkling bay
then dress and the inevitable drive OF
Armstrong they had seen nothing. heard
next to nothing, He was busy with his
men over toward East Pace. OF Billy
Gray or late they had seen rather too
much. On one pretext after another he
was now forever coming to the house and
Witchle was beginning to wish that GA mixer
dismally. ''1N '"it'"
Inc witnesses he counted en- proved dumb
or departed, and 1t had pleased the general
ln-chief to send him with a regiment of in
important point on an adjacent island and
10 tel nm that in view of the impossibility
OF MS substantiating his charges against
Gray, the yOungSter had some sha dow of
excuse for his violent outbreak Rather
IMAM bring up scandal, 1t was best to
drop the matter entirely. Gray had been
sent to duty with the -teenth before he
was thoroughly well, and a good heart ed
battalion commander, taking pity on mis-
obvious change for the worse had found
occasion after the first ten days at the
front to send him back to quarters in
Maiate, instead of necessarily on duty
along the threatened line toward SingaIon
church; and while he seldom came in the
evening when numbers of visitors We're
present, the boy had a way of dropping in
between 3 and 4, when he could generally
count on few moments, at least alone
with Mrs. Frank. She had nursed him well
In his slow convalsscence, had made deep
impression on his boyish heart, Iacerated
as he conceived it by disappointment at
home. She had won him to her service, as
she thought, until she felt sure he was
ready to do almost anything for her sake,
then she had put him to the test, and he
had failed her. Believing, as she did that
the boy well knew the whereabouts of the
alleged deserter, Morton, and his friend
NitaS reckless lover, she had counted on
him to wiring from them the letters poor
l.atrobe declared he still possessed; but the
three weeks had passed without sign, and
1t was becoming evident to her that Gray
had lost track of them entirely
One brilliant afternoon, as she lay on the
broad, cane-bottomed bedstead with its
oNerhangtng canopy of filmy netting she
drowsily heard the corporal posting the
new sentry In the marbled corridor below
and then marching the relief to the rear
gate opening to the beach. Nita was al
ready up and moving about in her room
Margaret heard the rustic of her skirts and
the light patter of her tiny feet as she spe5
over the hardwood floor of the main salon
She heard her throwing back the sliding
shutters that kept out the glare of the sun
In the morning hours, and knew that sha
was gazing out over the tree-dotted lawn
toward the gate where the guard lounged
through the warm afternoon. All of a sud
den, quick and stirring, q bugle sounded
over on the Gale Nueya, where the North
loakotas had a strong detachment The call
was repeated, and, army woman though
she was, she did not recognize It, She
before Then up the street, from the Engf-
neer- barrack, there came thrilling echo.
and there was a sound of movement and
excitement along the dusty thorouyhfare
She heard Nita calling her name and then
tho child's quick, nervous step along the
halfway toward the stairs Then came a
sudden stop, a gasping, waiting cry, and
springtng from her bed and to the door
Margaret found her sister covering before
a tall, slender man in the rough dress ard
| field equipment of a private soldier. With
a little packet-letters, apprenticeship
forth in one hand, while the other Crashed
her wrist, Rollin Latrobe stood sternly gaz-
| ing at the girl shrinking at his feet.
The tableau was over in another second
| Springing up the broad marble stairs came
Billy Gray, the corporal of the guard at
his heels. and Latrobe saw his danger in a
| fash. Throwing little Gray aside as he