Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-11-17
clarence
BY BRET HARTR.

He lifted HIS cap, remountcd his
horse and rode away as the young
girl, with a proud, Indifferent step,
moved down the road with the SER
geant. A mounted officer passed
Kim and saluted-it was one of his
own staff From some strange in
stinct he knew thaC he had witnessed
the scene, and from some equally
strange intuition he was moved by IL:
But he continued his way, visiting one
or two outposts and returned by "
long detour to his quarters. AS he
stepped upon the veranda he saw Miss
Faulkner at the bottom of the gar
den talking with some one across the
hedge. BY the aid of his glass he
could recognize the shapely figure of
the mulatto woman which he had seen
before. Hut by its aid he also dis
covered that she was carrying a
Hover exactly like the one which Miss
Faulkner still held in herehand. Had
she been with Miss Faulkner in the
lane--and if SO, why had she disap-
peared when he came up. lInpelled
by something stronger than mere
curiosity, he walked quickly down the
garden, but she evidently had noticed
him, for she quickly disappeared.
Not caring to meet Miss Faulkner
again, he retraced his steps, resolving
that he would on the first opportu-
nifty personally examine and inter
rogate this new visitor. For If she
were to take Miss Faulkner's place
even in a subordinate capacity-this
"prccautioh was clearly within his
rights.
lie entered his room and seated
himself al his desk before the dis
patches, orders and reports awaiting
him. He found himself, however,
working half mechanically, and recur-
ring to his late interview with Miss
Faulkner in the lane. If she had any
inclination to act the spy, or to use
her position here as a means OF com-
municating with the enemy's lines, he
thought he had thoroughly frightened
her. Nevertheless, now, for the first
time, he was inclined TO accept his
chiefs opinion of her. She was not
only too clumsy and inexperienced,
but she totally lacked the self
restraint of a spy. Her nervous
agitation in the lane was due to some
thing more disturbing than his mere
possible intrusion upon her confidence
with the mulatto.
On the contrary, 1t seemed to be per-
sonal to himself. He recalled the sin
gular Significance of her question:
Then il is WARP" lie recalled her
strange allusion to his wife; was it
merely the outcome of his own foolish
confession on their first interview, or
was il IA concealed ironical taunt?
Having satisfied himself that she was
not likely to imperil his public duty
in any way, he was angry with him
self for specializing further. But,
although he still felt toward her the
same antagonism she had at firstNp pro
Noked, he was conscious hat she was
beginning to exercise a strange fas-
cination on him.
Dismissing her at last with an effort
he finished his work, and then rose
and unlocking n closet took out a
small dispatch box to which he in
tended to intrust a few more impor-
tant orders and memoranda. As he
opened it with a key on his watch
chain he was struck with a faint per-
fume that seemed to come from tia
perfume that he remembered. Was
il the smell of the flower that Miss
Faulkner carried-or the scent Of the
handkerchief with which she had
wiped his checker a mingling of
both! Or was he under some diabol-
zeal spell Of that wretched girl-and
her witch-iike flower? He leaned on
the box and suddenly started. Upon
the outer covering of a dispatch was
a singular blood-red streak! He eX-
amined il closely--it was the pow
derry stain Of the lily pollen-exactly
as he had seen it on the handkerchief.
There could be no mistake. He
passed his hand over the stain-he
could feel the slippery, impalpable
powder of the pollen. 1t was not
there when he had closed the box that
morning, il was impossible that il
should be there unless the box had
been opened during his absence. He
re-eXamined the contents of the box,
the papers were all there. More than
that-they were papers of no impor-
lance except to him personally; con
tanned no plans nor key to any mill
tary secret; he had been far too wise
to intrust any to the accidents Of
this alien house. The p--ying intruder,
W IlOCNtl ~ was, ildb HililNh lloNlllilG :
But there was Enthusiastically the at
And the existence of a would
be spy within the purlieus of the
house was equally clear.
He called an officer from the next
room. HAS enyone been here since my
absence?"
mo, general
"Has anyone passed through the
He had fully anticipated the answer,
as the subaltern replied: "Only the !
women servants"
He re-entered his room. Closing the
door, he again carefully examined the
box, his table, the papers upon it, the
chair before it, and even the Chinese
mating on the floor, for any further
Indication of the pollen. 1t hardly
possible that anyone could
have entered the room with the flower
II their hand without scattering some
IF the tell-tale dust elsewhere; it was
100 large a flower to be worn on the
Dreast or in the hair. Again, no one
would have dared to linger there long
to have made IN examination
the box-with an officer in the next
'oom, and servants passing. The box
lad been removed and the eXamina-
ion made elsewhere.
An idea seized him. Miss Faulkner
vas still absent--the mulatto had APP
,arently gone home. He quickly
mounted the staircase, but, instead of
,ntering his room, turned suddenly
Iside into the wing which had been
,eserved. The first door yielded, as he
urned the knob gently, and he enter
a room which he at once recog-
lized as the young lady's boudoir."
But the dusty and draped furniture
lad been arranged and uncovered,
nd the apartment had every sign of
use. Yet, although there was
very evidence Of its being used by a
'erson of taste and refinement, he
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