Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-06-11

about and Maidie Ray presumably
slept.
But Maidie was not sleeping. Full
Of new anxiety, if not of dread,
and needing to think calmly and
clearly, she had turned away from
her almost too assiduous attendants
and closed her eyes upon the world
about her. A perplexity, problem
such as never occurred to her as
possibility, one that sorely worried
Sandy, as she could plainly see, had
suddenly been thrust upon her. Hith-
erto she had ever had most devoted
mother as her counselor and friend,
but now time had come when she
must think and act for herself.
The little card photograph picked
up by the men on the scene of the
scuff1e at the edge of the Bagum-
bayan had told its story to her at
least and to Sandy. It could only
mean that Foster, he who spent
whole days and weeks at their New
Mexican station to the neglect of his
cattle ranch, he who had listed in
the cavalry and disappeared-desert-
ed, maybe-at Carquinez, had eluded
search, pursuit, inquiry of every kind,
and, all ignorant, probably, of the
commission obtained for him, had,
still secretly, as though realizing his
danger, followed her to Manila.
| This, then, must have been the tall
stranger who called himself an old
friend and would give no name, for
1t was to Foster. in answer to his most
urgent plea-perhaps touched by his
devoted love for her lovely daugh-
ter-that Mrs. Ray had given that
little yignette photograph long
months before. There, on the back,
was the date in her mothers hand:
Sort Averill, N. Mex, February IS,
$685." Well did Marion remember
how he had begged her to write her
name beneath the picture. sad how,
for some reason she herself could not
describe, she had shrunk from so
doing. There had been probably half
dozen pictures of Foster about their
quarters at Averill-photogra in
evening dress, in ranch rig, in winter
garb, in tennis costume-but only one
had he of Maidie, and that not of her
giving.
Now, what could his coming mean?
What madness prompted this stealth
and secrecy? If innocent of willful
desertion, his proper course was to
have reported without delay to the
military authorities at San Francisco
and told the cause of his disappear
ance or detention. But he had evil
IDENTIFY done nothing of the kind.
They would surely have heard of it,
and now he was here, still virtually
in hiding and possibly in disguise.
and one unguarded word of hers
might land him a prisoner, war
time deserter, within the walls of the
gloomy carcel in Old Manila.
Sandy she had to tell, and he was
overwhelmed with dismay, had gall
Hoped to Pace to see his colonel and
get leave for urgent personal and
family reasons" as he was to say,
to spend 4s hours in and about Ma
Mia. If possible thing, Sandy was
to trail and find poor Foster, induce
him to surrender himself at once, to
plead illness, inexperience-anyth
and throw himself on the mercy OF
the authorities. Sandy would be
back by nine unless something utter
ly unforeseen detained him at East
Paoo. Meantime what else could she
do?-what could she plan to rescue
that reckless, luckless, harebrained,
handsome fellow from the plight into
| iol l.
had plunged him?
From the yeranda the clink of glass
and china, the low hum of merry
chat, the sound of half-smothered
laughter, fell upon the ear and vexed
her with it's careless joility. Impa-
tiently she threw herself upon the
other-the left-side, and then-sat
bold upright in bed.
Not breath of air was stirring.
The night was so still she could hear
the soft tinkle of the ships bells off
the Luneta-could almost hear the
soothing plash of the wavelets on the
beach. There was nothing whatever
to cause that huge mahogany door
to swing upon its well-oiled hinges.
She heard them close it when they
went out; she saw that it was closed
when they were gone, yet, as she
turned on her pillow and towards the
faint light through the northward
windows, that door was slowly
stealthily turning, until at last. wide
open, it interposed between her and
the outward light at the front.
Many an evening lately she had lain
with her hands clasped under the
back of her bonny head looking
dreamily out through that big open
: window, across the gallery beyond
; and the open easements in front
, watching the twinkle of the, electric
, lights above the. distant ramparts Of
the old city and the nearer CLEAN OF
| the brilliant globes that hung aloft
: along the west edge of the Bagum
bayan.
Now one-half of that vista was shu'
: off by the massive door, the Other
was. unobscured, but even as with
J beating heart, still as trembling
. mouse, she sat and gazed, something
glided slowly, stealthily, noiselessll
between her and those betrayint
lights, something dark dim and hu
} man, for the shape was that Of {
! man, native, as she knew by thu
, stiffiy brushed-up hair above the fore
head, the loosely falling shirt-a ma
/, tive taller than any of their house
) hold servanfs-a native whose move