Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1900-07-13

Give to-Gen. dayton promise"
his heart the boy was ashamed Of him
self. lie never heard Armstrong men,
toned that he did not vince He knew
and she knew that, coming suddenly
upon them as Armstrong had that
tropic night on the Queen, lie must have
heard her words, must have realized
that some compact or understanding
existed between them. which neither
Gray nor Mrs. Frank could palliate or
explain. II had not needed that epi-
sode TO tell her that Armstrong held
her in contempt; and yet. when they
CHANGED 10 meet, she could smile Up
into his eyes as beamingly, as guileless-
~, as though no shadow Of sin had
ever Garkeued her winsome face. But
not so Gray. He moaned i'm secret over
the loss OF a strong mans confidence
and esteem. He louCed 10 find way
TO win it back. He had even thought
go TO the colonel with his trouble, make
clean breast Of il, tell him the truth
that lie had fallen deeply. as it was pos
'ible for him 10 fall, i'm love with Amy
Lawrence; had hoped his love was re-
turned: had found il was uot-that
she had only a frank. friendly, kindly
interest in him; and thS, wounded
and stung, he had fretted himself into
a fever at Honolulu, aided by Canker's
aspersions, and then-well-any man
is liable, said Billy TO himself, TO get
:mitten with a woman who teuderly
and skillfully nurses him day after
day; and that's just what Witchie Car
rison did. But somehow the opportun-
ity 10 tell him never seemed 10 come:
and now, now that Armstrong aud him
self were thus thrown together with
the prospect Of being in the same room
day and night for the best of the month,
a third officer, stranger, lay there. too,
and in his presence or hearing any con-
fidences would be impossible, even if
Armstrong encouraged them, which
he probably would not. In this embar-
rassment Billy's wish was that the colo
mel were fifty miles away. 1t was fate
and a hard one, thought he, that
brought him there-an ever-presentr re-
proach. 1t was luck of the worst kind
that they should be confronted under
such circumstances, since neither could
retreat. He submitted in anxious
silence to the keen, quick examination
Of the skillful surgeon in charge and
to the redressing of his wound. He
could have been proud and happy but
for that shadow on his life, of which
Armstrong; presence would so con-
stantly remind him. He could not even
think how his dear old dragoon daddy
would rejoice in the congratulations
that would surely greet him when the
story Of the brave dash of the -teenth,
Billy among the foremost, should
reach the states. He could not even
dream how it might affect her-Amy
Lawrence. He was beginning to be
ashamed now in this presence to think
how that other-how Margaret Gar
rison might be impressed, forgetting
that, 10 the army girl who has lived
long years on the frontier, tales of
heroism are the rule, not the exception.
He wondered how long il could be be-
fore she would come TO him TO bring
him comfort. Surely by this time she
knew that he had been seriously, pain
fully wounded. lie did not know, how
ever, that at the very first sound of
battle Frost had bundled the sisters
aboard his launch and steamed away
10 the transports. Yet, what comfort
could her visit bring TO him with that
stern censor lying there, seeing and
hearing all? Billy Gray that Monday
night could almost have wished that
Armstrong; slumber might be eternal,
never dreaming that before a second
Monday should come he would thank
heaven with grateful heart for Arm
strong's presence, vigilance and inter-
vention.
In three days the colonel was able to
sit up. Within the week he was per-
mittes to take air and exercise i'm the
spacious court of the old college, his
sword arm in its sling. But Gray and
the young officer of volunteers were too
seriously wounded 10 leave their pill
lows. The -teenth had occupied a new
line far south of the old one; but. at one
time, several of Billy's brother officers
had dropped in TO see him and tell him
regimental news; and one of them, the
young West Pointer who had broken
down at sight of the dying face that
stirring Sunday morning, told him of
Latrobe's soldier funeral and of Gen.
Drayton's presence and SPECIFICS
grief; and Billy's hand CROPPED beneath /.
the pillow for that little blood-stained
packet still undelivered. He had