The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1900-06-21
CHAPTER XIv.--CoSriSurp.

CIIhPIEk NIN.-tONTfNUED.
No time need he wasted In telling The
/, eject Of this assignment to quarters. /"
Prolific n source OF squabblc ns Ia the
rus,om ashore u becomes intensified
saoat. and, when coupled with Il came
A shaking up and rcnrrnngcmcnt of
sests at table. all hope Of harmony van.
j,hed on the instant. The two brave
ycung army girls still retained their
,sais ut the captains table; but two
most estimnblc young women. Red
Cross nurses, were dropped thcrcfrom
and transferred to that of the second
officer on the port side. much TO the
comfort Of n rather large percentage
az their sistcrhood who had regarded
their previous elevation with feelings
Of not unmixcd qualification. Then
officers who had been seated with the
generals stan had TO vncatc In favor Of
Mrs. Frank and DR.. Probcr and Lieut..
Billy Gray. whose father and the chief
were longtime chuins. and the Red
ross nurses who had been nt the first
officers table fell back TO that OF the
third. IL was every bit ms good ms the
other. but II didn't sound 80, and they
couldn't see H.; and there were faces
sour as the product N the ships baker
when that evening all hands wen, down
10 dinner. and the silence maintained,
or the ominously subducd tone of the
Talk, at the other tables was IN marked
contrast with the hilarity that pre-
vailcd where sat the gray.hnircd. ruddy-
checked old chief and the laughing
coterie that listened to the fun that fell
from the lips OF Witchic Garrison.
Armstrong. silent and sombcr. nt the
captains right, looking forward from
time 10 time. saw only one face nj the
generals table that was not lighted up
with mcrrimcni; II was the face Of the
boy he cnvied, 70 envy of this kind ever
entered into his heart, and he wondered
ns he looked at Billy's curly head what
could have come over that glad young
life 10 leave so deep n shadow on his
handsome face.
One night. just one week later, Arm
once IN the meanwhile he had invited
the young officers con niidcHcc. and Billy,
who three months earlier had been all
gratitude and frnnkncss. protested
there was nothing on his mind. lie had
been very i'll. that was all. AS 10
Canker's charges they were simply rot.
lie hadn't the faintcst inkling v IA, had
become Of the purloincd letters any
more than he had of the whereabouts
OF his Delta Sig friend, young Morton,
now officially proclaimed descrtcr.
but Armstrong heard more tales OF
Witches dcyotions To him In his i'll
ness, and the slow con,nlcsccrcc that
ensucd. noicd how the boys eyes fol-
lowed her about the deck. and how
many time he would seek her side,
even when other men were reading,
walking or chatting with her Arm
strong looked with wondcrmcnt that
was close allied 10 increluliiy ard pain.
Was IL possible that this blithe lad, who
had won such u warm interest In the
heart Of such II girl rs Amy Lawrence,
corH be forgcttul of her, fnithlcss TO
her/~ fascinated now by this selfish
AID =. allow butterfly? II was ncred-
ibe!
But was II? The days had grown hot
ter. the nights closer. and the mir be-
tween decks was sitting when the sea
rolled high and closed the ports. Oil
GERS had taken 10 snoOzng up on deck
In steamer chairs. by nm unwrliten
law the port side Of the promenade
deck was given up 10 them after ii NJ
night; but the women folk had the run
OF the stnrbourd side NJ any hour when
the crew were not washing down decks.
Armstrong had been far forward about
Two o'clock one brcathlcss night To see
Tor himself the condition of things IN
The hospital under the forccnsilc. The
main deck was crowded with shepihg
forms OF soldiers who found II iniros-
siblc 10 s,nnd the heat below: 10 on his
return. instead Of continuing along the
gangwny, he decided to climb The iron
ladder from the main TO the promenade
deck. II wouli land him at the forward
end OF the stnrbonrd side. There ne
could smoke II cignr IN peace ami 4 quie''
IL was high time everybody was asleep
But as his head aud eyes reached ID"
level OF the deck he became suddenly
aware Of couple huddled close to-
gether In the shelter Of u canvas
screen. and under the steps Leading
aloft 90 the bridge. lie knew Gray's
voice at once. and Gray was pleading
lis knew her tones OF old, and she was
Imperative. and listening with obvious
impntlence, for, almost at the instant
OF his arrival she spoke. low, yet diS'
'inctly: do us ! say; do ms beg you
when we reach Munila, and then come
and see hNy can reward
CHAPTER NN.
Manila at last! Queen city OF ,he
archipelago. and Manila again pe'
sieged! The lovclicst Of the wih'er