Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-03-14

ker's persecution, of his severe illness,
then of the utter weakness and prostra-
ton; then her coming, and with her
comfort, peace, reinsurance, gradual
return to health, and with that, gradual
surrender to his nurses destinations.
Then her demand upon him, her plea,
her final insistence that he should prove
his gratitude and devotion by getting
for her those dangerous letters, and his
weakness in letting her believe he could
and would do so. That was the situa-
ton when they went on to Manila; and
Armstrong knew the rest-knew that
but for his timely aid she might have
triumphed over his repentance; but
Armstrong had come, had vanquished
her and poor Latrobe's last wishes were
observed. The fateful packet contain
ing the three letters that were mostim-
portant was placed in his uncle's trem-
bling hand.
But how was it-what was it that so
utterly crushed her?" asked Billy, when
the colonel had once more extended his
hand.
"The evidences of her own forgery,
III SNA uiAt, odlo al
ly. zone was the order she wrote in
excellent imitation of her husbands
hand and signature, authorizing the
changing of guard arrangements on the
wharf the evening Stewart sailed. The
other was note in pencil, also purport-
ing to come from him, directing old
Keeny-you remember the generals
Irish orderly-te search for packet of
letters that had come by mail, and
must be in the generals tent, either
about his desk or overcoat, and to
bring them at once to room number SO
and SO at the palace. OF course, neither
the general nor Garrison was there
when he arrived with them; but she
was and with all her destinations. She
got the Irishman half drunk, and told
him piteous story and made. him
swear he'd never tell the general or
anybody. If questioned he could plead
he had gone out, and -'got little full
with the boys She gave him money
a big bit, too; and he got more than
full. The very vehemence of his de-
malls made me suspect him." said Arm
strong; but he was firm when exam
ined. The general never required him
to remain at the tent at night. He
could go to town any evening he
wished; and to cover his appearing at
the Palace where the general long had
a room, and where he was well known,
he could say he was only in to have a
word with one of the housemaids, and
to give Mrs. Garrison a handkerchief
one of the ladies must have dropped.
But one thing she failed INJECTING the
letter back. Keeny had left it at camp
in the pocket of his old blouse, and
when he sobered up and all the ques-
tons were asked he hung onto it in
case the truth came out, in order that
he might save himself from punish
ment. But it broke him-he got to
drinking oftener, and the general had
to send him to his regiment; and then
against you, 1 saw the N Way : to wing Mrffng
the truth out of him. He worshiped
your father, as did every Irish dragon
that ever rode under him; and told
him you were, to be brought to trial
for the crime. Then he broke down
and gave the truth-and her penciled
| order-to me-"
In the silence that followed the SOL
der of 40 and the lad of only 81 sat
looking gravely into each others face.
1t was Armstrong who spoke again:
Gray, it was manly in you to tell
me your story and your trouble. 1
could help you here; but-who can help
you when you have to tell it-next
| time?"
Next time?-father, do you mean?"
| queried Gray, puzzled look in his blue
eyes. 81 hadn't thought, do you know,
to worry dear old dad-unless he
asked"
Armstrong; grave face grew dark.
"You ought to know what l mean,
Gray. This story may come up when
least you think for, and-would you
have it told Miss Lawrence before she
hears it from your"
Miss Lawrence" answered Billy,
flushing, isn't in the least interested"
DO you mean that you are not-that
you were not engaged to her?" The
colonel had been gazing out over the
swirling river; but now, with curious
| contraction of brows, with strong
! light in his eyes, he had turned full on
the Young officer.
Engaged to her! Do you suppose
could have been-been such an ass If
she would have had me2 No! She
she had too much sense"
1t was full minute before Arm
strong spoke again. For few seconds
he sat motionless, gazing steadily into
| Gray's handsome, blushing face; then
he turned once more and looked out
over the Pasig and the SCARED level OF
the rice fields beyond. And the long
slant of the sunshine on distant towers
| and neighboring roofs and copse and
wall, and the unlovely landscape
seemed all tinged with purple haze and
tipped with gold. The blare of bugle
summoning the men to supper seemed
softened by distance, or some new,
strange intonation, and gave to the ug-
lest of all our service calls the effect
of soft, sweet melody; and there was
sympathy and genuine feeling in the
deep voice as he once again held out
his hand to Billy.
"Forgive me, lad, for l judged you
more harshly than you deserved"
One lov~ly summer-lille evening some
five weeks later, in long, heaving surges
the deep blue waves of the Pacific came
lazily rolling toward the palm bordered
beach at Waikiki. bursting into snowy
foam on the pebbly strand, and, softly
Kissing, swept like fleecy mantle up the
slope of wet, hard-beaten sand, then
broke, tapping and whirling, about the
stone supports of the broad lanai of
one of the many luxurious homes that
dot the curving line of the bay to the
east of Honolulu. Dimly outlined in
the fairy moonlight, the shadowy noun
tains of the Waianai range lay low upon
the western horizon. Eastward the
bare, bold, volcanic upheaval of Dia-
mond Head CLEANED in bold relief, re-
fiecting the silver rays. Here and there
through the foliage shone the soft-col-
ored fires of Chinese lanterns, and far