Willmar tribune., 1900-06-13
strong's presence, vigilance and in&sr-

In three days the colonel was able to
sit up. Within the week he was per-
mitted to take air and exercise ip 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 to leave their pill
lows. The -teenth had occupied 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 speechless
grief; and Billy's hand groped beneath
the pillow for that little bloodstained
packet still undelivered. He had
promptly caused the information to be
conveyed to the veteran commander
that it was his own lost nephew who
had, died his soldier death in front of
the firing line;. but the packet still re-
mained in his hands; and even before the
tiny thermometer confirmed his views,
the keen eye of the surgeon saw that
something had heightened Billy's fe-
yer that day; and so, when just at sun
set there came driving into the court
the most stylish equipage in all Manila,
and Mrs. Garrison futtered up the
broad stairway and confidently asked
to be announced to Mr.. Gray, the stew
ard in charge of the door was very, very
sorry, but-the doctor had given in
structions that no more visitors should
see the young gentleman that day.
Mrs. Frank smiled indulgently, and
asked for the doctor himself, and
beamed on him with all her witchery
and begged for just few words; but
the suave, placid, yet impenetrable doc
tor said he, too, was sorry-sorry that
Mr.. Gray was not able to see anyone
else, but such was the case. Mrs. Gar
rison said she thought if Mr. Gray knew
that it was-but perhaps DR.. Frank
didn't know it was she who had nursed
Mr.. Gray so assiduously at Honolulu.
DR.. Frank did know that and more; but
he did not say so; neither did he yield.
There were tears in her eyes as she
sprang into her carriage again; but
they were tears of anger and defeat.
She dashed them away the very next in
slant and smiled joy and congratula-
ton, even adulation, at sight of the tall,
stalwart officer, his arm in a sling, who
stood the center of a staring group as
her carriage flashed by. She would have
ordered stop; but while the rest of the
party had gazed as they lifted their
caps, Armstrong; uninjured hand per-
formed its duty, his cap had been lifted
with the others, but not so much as
a glance went her way; and Margaret
Garrison, bitter in spirit, drove on down
past the old cuartel to her luxurious
quarters where Nita, piteous shadow
of the 'sweet girl graduate'' of the year
before, was awaiting her coming. With
the insurgents retreat and the advance
of the American lines there had been a
gradual return of the refugees among
the transports; and Frost had finally
brought his birding back to shore; but
Nita dare not drive, she said, for fear
of again seeing those stern, reproachfu]
eyes. The guard at the gate had re-
ceived orders to admit no more Of the
rank and file, even when they came as
messengers; and so the child was safe
said Margaret. AS for herself, she must
drive, she must see Will Gray.
But the instant she reentered the
house Mrs. Garrison knew that during
her brief absence some new trouble had
come. Good heavens. could she never
leave Nita's side that harm did not be.
fall her! At the head of the broad flight
of stairs stood her brother-in-law, q
black frown on his brow.
''Go in and do what you can for her. ,
he briefly said. II thought-she'd be
glad to know wthat-that-felloww would
| trouble her no more"
"That fellow?" she gasped. "You
mean-''
II -Latrobe-killed and
buried whole week ago."
'And YOU told her!" she cried clinch-
ing her little hands in impotent wrath
'You-brute!''
ITO Be Continued]