Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1900-07-19

knew what it must be. She had even
penned him a little note, since not a
whisper could be safely exchanged, and
headedit: Give this back to me the mo-
ment you have read it," Init she remind
ed him of his promise, and-did he need
to be reminded of hers? She knew that
packet of Nita's letters had been in
trusted to his care. She assured him
she had it straight from the surgeon
who attended both Latrobe and him
self, and they must reach the hands of
no man on earth, but must come to her.
Would he not give them at once or tell
her where she could find them?
He gave back the note, but closed his
eyes and turned away. In the presence
of Armstrong day after day, and in the
recollection of Latrobe's dying face and
the last parting touch of his stricken
hand, Gray's eyes were opening to his
own deplorable weakness. She plainly
saw her power was going, if not gone.
He had wrapped a silk handkerchief
about the packet and still kept it, with
his watch and purse, beneath his pillow.
He would not tell her where it lay. She
smiled archly for the benefit of the at
tendant; but her eyes again eagerly
claimed look from his, her lips framed
the word Tomorrow"
But neither on that morrow nor yet
the next day came her opportunity.
The gallant fellow who had lain there
for days, dumb and patient, but bar
rier to her plans, had taken turn for
the worse, and she was again denied adj
mission. Then came the tidings that
the barrier was removed, the long fight
was over; and the heartless woman
actually reioiced. Now at last she
could talk to VIII Gray; and when mid
night came she knew that now at last
she must, for Frank Garrison, worn
and weary, returning late from the
front, briefly announced that Gen.
Drayton purposed visiting the hospital
the following afternoon, and long be-
fore noon-long before visiting hours,
in fact, she was there with flowers as
winsome as her smile, and some jelly
as dainty as her own fair hands. She
was there, and the instant the hour
sounded was ushered in, and Billy
Gray, propped on his pillows, was writ
ing to his father, and alone. No time
was to be lost. Any moment the at
tendant might return. She threw her
self on her knees beside the homely,
narrow cot, seized his hand in hers, and
looked him in the face. Where are
they, WHIP" she pleaded. "Quick! must
have them now!" But we'll she realized
that the spell was brollen-that the
old fascination had died it's death. Then
it was useless to hint at love; and in a
torrent of impassioned words she bade
him think of all he owed her, appealed
to his sense of gratitude and honor,
and there, too, failed, for, admitting
all she claimed, he clumsily, haltingly,
yet honestly told her he saw now that
it was all for an object, all done in the
hope that he might become her instru-
ment for the recovery of those COM
promising letters; and now the fate had
delivered them into his hands he waz
bound by honor and his promise-"u
heard, unspolien perhaps, but all th~
same his promise-to the dead to give
them to Gen. Drayton.
Then rising in fury and denunciation,
she played her last trump. Trembling
from head to foot, pale with bafiled pur-
pose and with growing dread, she bent
over him, both hands clinched.
"You mad fool" she cried. "Do you
know what | can do-will do-unless
you give them to me here and now?
AS God hears me, Will Gray, will give
that other packet to Gen. Drayton my
self and swear that Col. Canker was
right-that you were the thief he
thought you, and that l got those let
ters from YOU"
For a moment she stood there, menac-
ing, at his bedside, looking down in al
most malignant triumph on his amazed
and incredulous face; and then, with
an awful fear checking the beat of her
heart and turning her veins to ice, she
grasped at the flimsy framework that
supported the netting over the cot, and
stood swaying and staggering, her
eyes fixed in terror on the man in the
uniform of colonel, who, quietly en-
ter.ng, stood between her and the door,
two papers in his half-eXtended hand
man whose voice, long and too well
known, cut her to the very quick as she
heard, in calm and measured tone, the
words:
Mrs. Garrison, here are two rea-
sons why you will DO nothing of the
kind. Shall l hand these to Gen. Dray-
ton-or to your husbapd?"