Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1900-07-06

guns 10 garrison an important point
on an adjacent island, and 10 tell him
that in view of the impossibility Of his
substantiating his charges against
Gray the youngster had some shadow
of excuse for his violent outbreak.
Rather than bring up scandal il was
best TO drop the matter entirely. Gray
had been sent 10 duty with the -teenth
before he was thoroughly well, and
a good-hearted battalion commander,
taking pity on his obvious change for
the worse, had found occasion after the
first ten days at the front TO send him
back 10 quarters in Malate. instead of
necessarily on duty along the threat
ened line toward Singalon church; and
while he seldom came in the evening
when numbers Of visitors were pres
ent, the boy had way Of dropping in
between three and four, when he could
generally count on few moments, al
least, alone with Mrs. Frank. She had
nursed him well in his slow GONZALES
cence, had made. deep impression on
his boyish heart, lacerated as he con.
ceived il by disappointment at home.
80 GAG Won ann 10 ner service. rs 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, Nita's reckless
lover, she had counted on him 10 wiring
from them the letters poor Latrobe de-
clared he still possessed but the three
weeks had passed withous a sign, and
il 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 overhanging canopy of filmy
netting. she drowsily heard the cor
poral posting the new sentinel in the
marbled corridor below, and then
marching the relief 10 the rear gate
opening 10 the beach. Nita was already
UP and moving about in her room. Mar
garet heard the rustic of her skirts
and the light patter Of her tiny feet
as she sped 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 she
was gazing out over the tree-Gotted
lawn toward the gate where the guard
lounged through the warm afternoon.
All of sudden, quick and stirring, a
bugle sounded over on the Gale Nueya,
where the North Dakotas had a strong
detachment. The call was repeated,
and, army woman though she was, she
did not recognize il. She could not
remember ever having heard it before.
Then up the street, from the engineer
barrack, there came thrilling echo. and
there was a sound Of movement and eX-
element along the dusty thorough
fare. She heard Mia calling her name,
and then the child's quick, nervous step
along the hallway toward the stairs.
wailing cry, and, springing from her
bed and 10 the door. Margaret found
her sister covering before a tall slender
man in the rough dress and field equip
ment of a private soldier. With a lit
tie packet-letters, apparently-held
forth in one hand, while the other
grasped her wrist, Rollin Latrobe stood
sternly gazing at the girl shrinking
at his feet.
The tableau was over in another sec
ond. 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 would a terrier, the
young athlete whirled on the stalwart
regular. There was the sound of a
crashing blow, followed by heavy fall.
The corporal went rolling down the
steps with Latrobe bounding over the
tumbling form, and the next instant he
had vaultcd over the ledge of the open
window on the lower floor and vanished
through the gateway TO the beach.
And now all along the Gale Real the
bugles were sounding ITO Arms!"