Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1900-04-19

two most prominent and distinguished
women of San Francisco society, and
| requested to issue instructions as to
the moving of the other tables. Ger
tainly, ladies'" she responded, with
charming smiles. Just one minute.
Mildred. Don't drive farther yet" and
within that minute half a dozen bows
in blue were Juggling at the first Of
the tables still left OH the crowded side
of the dock, and others s:,n were bear
ing oil stoves, urns and traya - less
time than it takes to tell it the entire
Red Cross eqUipage was on its way
across the pier, and when the com
manding officer of the arriving reg
iment reached the spot which he had
planned to occupy with his band, his
staff and all his officers, there in state
and ceremony 10 receive the citizens
who came in swarms to bid them fare
well, he found it occupied by as many
as eight snowy, goody-laden tables,
presided over by as many as so charm
ing maids and matrons, all ready and
eager to comfort and revive the inner
man Of his mighty regiment with cof-
fee and good cheer illimitable. and the
colonel swore n mighty oath and
pounced on his luckless officer of the
guard. He had served as subaltern
many year in the old army, and knew
how it was done.
Didn't L give you personal and posi-
tive orders not to let anything or any
body occupy this space after the bag
gage was got aboard, sir?" he de-
manded.
you did, sir" said the unabashed
lieutenant, pulling folded paper from
his belt, 'and the Red Cross got word
to the general and what the Red Cross
says-goes. Look at that"
The colonel looked, read, looked
daZed, scratched his head and said:
"Well, I'm damned!" Then he turned
to his adjutant. you were with me
when | saw the general last night and
he told men to put this guard on and
keep this space clear. Now, what d'you
say to that?"
The adjutant glanced over the pen.
ciled lines. "Well," said he, 'if YOU
s'pose any order that discriminates
against the Red Cross is going to hold
good, once they find it out, you're
bound to get left. They're feasting the
first company now, sir; shall | have
it stopped?" and there was a grin un-
der the young soldiers mustache. The
colonel paused one moment, shook his
head and concluded he, too, would bet
ter grin and bear it. Taking the pa
per in his hand again he heard his name
beckoning hands in an open carriage
near him, but the sight of Stanley
Armstrong, signaling to him from an
other, farther away, had something
dominant about it. with you in a
minute" he called to those who first
had summoned him. "What is it, Arm
strorg?'
Il wish to present you to some
friends of mine-Miss Lawrence-Miss
Prime-Mr. Prime-my old associate,
Col. Stewart. Pardon me, Mrs. Gar
rison. did not see you had returned"
She had, and was once more perched
upon the step. Mrs. Garrison-Col.
Stewart. What we need to know,
Stewart, is this: VIII all your men
board the ship by this stage, or will
some go aft?"
"All by this stage-why?
But the colonel felt a somewhat mas
sive hand crushing down on his arm
and forebore to press the question.
Armstrong let no pause ensue. He
spoke, rapidly for him, bending for
ward, too, and speaking low; but even
as she chatted and laughed, the little
woman on the carriage step saw, even
though she did not seem to look, heard,
even though she did not seem to
listen:
"An awkward thing has happened.
The generals tent was robbed of i'm
portant papers perhaps two days ago,
and the guard-house rid of a most i'm
portant prisoner last night. Canller
has put the ofIicer-of-theguard in ar
rest. Remember good old Billy Gray
who commanded us at Apache? This
is Billy Junior, and I'm awfully sorry"
Here the soft gray eyes glanced quick
ly at the anxious face of Miss Lawrence.
who sat silently feigning interest in
the chat between the others. The anX-
ious look in her eyes gave way to sud
den alarm at Armstrong; next words:
"The prisoner must have had friends.
He is among your men, disguised, and
those two fellows at the stage are de-
tectives." A low cry came from her
lips, for Mrs. Garrison dropped at the
instant and lay half under the wheels
in deathlike swoon upon the dock.
ITO Be Continued
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