Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-01-12
Armstrong read these pages twice

wv OC4Ol ~ lCOhSu up |
"How did this letter come ?" he asked.
"By the Salvador yesterday"
"And the next mail for Honolulu"
queried Armstrong, rising from his
chair and handing back the folded let
ter.
1.-The next mail closed an hour ago,
man. The China sails at two. No other
boat for a week. Where are YOU going
now?"
ITO camp for ten minutes, then to
the Presidio."
"Oh, come over to the club and have
a bite first?" said the adjutant general,
rising and wriggling out of his uniform
coat as he did so. 81 won't keep YOU
half an hour"
That half hour may prove precious"
answered Armstrong, already at the
door. "Many thanks, all the same"
"Well, hold on. What am 1 to say
to the general as to Gray and those let
ters?" asked the staff officer, intent
upon the subject uppermost in his mind
at the moment.
"You can't say anything that will
reach him before he returns. You have
just told me no other BOAT would start
for a week. By that time he'll be COM
ing home" And with hat Armstrong
let himself out and strobe to the ele-
vator, leaving his friend to cogitate
on the question over his luncheon. 1t
was decidedly that officers opinion that
Armstrong knew much more than he
would tell.
But Armstrong knew much less than
he himself believed. fastening back
to camp and ordering his horse, he was
soon speeding up the slope to the vino
swept heights overlooking the Golden
Gate. The morning had opened fine
as silk, but by oon the sky was hid
den in clouds and the breath of the sea
blew in salt and strong. The white
caps were leaping IN the crest of the
surges driving in through the straits
and the surf bursting high on the
jagged rocks at the base of the cliffs. A
little coast steamer from Santa Bar
bara way came pitching and plunging
in from sea, and one or two venture
some craft, heeling far to leeward,
tore through the pillows and tossed
far astern a frothing wake. With
names and tails streaming in the stiff
gale, the troop horses of the Fourth
cavalry were cropping at the scanty
heritage down the northward slope,
and the herd guard nearest the road
lost his grip on his drab campaign hat
as he essayed a salute and galloped off
on a stern chase down the long ravine
to the east, as the colonel trotted brisk
ly by. One keen glance over the bay
beyond rocky Alcatraz had told him
the China was not yet away from her
pier. He might have to send a dispatch
by that swift steamer, and even then
it would be six days getting to Hawaii.
If the department commander should
by that time be on his homeward jour
ney the information would still be OF
interest to the general Accommodating the
new military district at "the Cross
Roads of the Pacific" and of vast bene'
fit, possibly, to his late client, Mr.. Gray
He wondered what Canker's grounds
could be for saddling so foul a suspi.
cion on the boys good name. He won
dered how long that poor lad would
have to struggle with this attack o.
fever and remain, perhaps happily, un
! conscious of this latest indignity. HI
wondered if Amy Lawrence yet knew
of that serious seizure, and, if she did
what would be her sensations. Dow1
the winding, sloping road he urged hi:
way, Glencoe, his pet charger, marvel
ing at the unusual gait. The cape OF
the sentry's overcoat whirled over the
sentry's head and swished his cap of
as he presented arms to the tall soldie,
squirting past the guardhouse. "I envy
no one who has to put 10 sea this day.
said Armstrong to himself, as he turned
to the right and refined up in front O.
a little brown cottage peeping out from
a mass of vines and roses, shiverine
in the wet wind. Half a dozen stride.
took him across the narrow walk ant
up the wooden steps. With sharp EN-
phasis he changed the little gong bel
screwed to the back of the door ant
waited impatient of the servants com
ing. There was nc answer. He rang
again and still again, and no one came
A glance at the windows told that the
white lace curtains hung there drapeG
as prettily as ever. Fresh flowers stoo6
Oh the window sill. A shawl and {
pillow, the latter indented as by a hu.
man head, lay in the lounging chail
on the little porch. Another chail
stood but a few feet away. There was
even a fan, though fans in a Frisco
summer are less needed than furs; but
nowhere saw he other sign of the tenn.
porary mistress of the house. He went
round to a side window and raped.
No answer. Then he turned to the
walk again, and, taking the reins, babe
the orderly inquire next door if Mrs.
Garrison could be found. Yes, was
the answer; she went driving to Golden
Gate Park with Mrs. Stockman an hou1
ago, and Mrs. Stockman was to leave
for Los Angeles that night. Odd! II
Mrs. Garrison drove to Golden Gate
Park the easiest and best way was that
along which he came, and he had met
no carriage. In fact, not since that
night at the Palace had he set eyes OH
Mrs. Garrison, or until the coming OF
this sorrowful news about Gray had he
cared to-. From all hat he heard Mrs
Frank was enjoying herself at the
Preside. Cherry having gone one way
and her devotee another, Mrs. Frank
speedily summoned a chum of old gar.
rison days to come and keep house with
her for awhile, and Mrs. Stockmap,
whose lord had left her at the call OF
duty, and gone to Manila with his men.