Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1901-06-07

see Mrs. Collins suing for another set
any other old set. Bartlett will let
her have them. He's an exceptionally
obliging @, NJ, as Q. Ms SO. That's
his reputation"
1t did not run as smoothly as Dray-
ton might have wished. The women
of the Collins family did not surren-
der without giving fight. They at
tackled Drayton himself first, but were
met with an urbanity which parted
every thrust. 1t was the thinness Of
the walls and floors, and that was
manifestedly the governments fault.
AS for his insomnia, the blame of
that lay with the doctor, he should
think. He did not like staying broad
awake until nearly dawn any better
than they did. OF course, however,
he woald try to control his restless
ness. The attempt met with failure,
though, and the women appealed to
the commandant The commandant
was urbane, too, but the insomnia Of
his officers was evidently not a mat
1t was plain that the insomnia
aroused the suspicious of the Col
linses. But the insects did not. They
had never-not even in Texas itself
seen q house so oyerrun with reptiles.
There were lizards in everything.
There were frogs and toads in dark
hooks. They hoped into your lap
when you were least expecting it..
They were always getting under your
feet and-squashing Spiders spun
webs and dropped from the ceiling
and the walls. And as for more VEN
nous things! a day hardly passed
that Drayton did not kill tarantula
or a centipede somewhere around.
They seemed to emerge only when he
was near. The wrath toward him was
tempered with unwilling gratitude
to savior There had also been a
garter-snake on the front porch. And
one horrible day they had come upon
Drayton, sabre in hand, standing in
the front hallway beside the decapi-
tated body of rattlesnake. They
neglected, in the excitement, to notice
that the body was not wriggling.
Jimmy had that morning produced
a newspaper package. Here's a
dead RATHER" he had said. 81 didn't
know as you could use him. But
found him, and you can have him for
dime"
And the RATHER had proved the
best investment of all, as well as the
last straw. Captain Collins had car
ried him on stick out into the road
Then he had gone to the commandment
and Bartlett. He was heavy-eyed for
want of sleep. The whole family was
that way; and Drayton was, too. In
all humility he asked the favor Of
being allowed to change his quarters
Any other quarters would do, provid-
ed there were fewer insects. He was
not particular at all. He asked SO
little, in fact, that Bartlett took pity
on him. He renewed his offer OF
paint.
''Now," he said to Mrs. Lawrence
you can come back to your own
They'll move out tomorrow. I've
just been inspecting the premises, and
there hasn't been much harm done
They are still the best quarters in
the post. The kids have knocked a
few holes in the walls and the wood
works a little scratched. But III
give you some paint, too"
Paint was Bartlett's idea of the
panacea for all earthly ills. He had
not much else in the world, being q
second lieutenant; but he had paint
and he was liberal with that.
The Collinses moved next day. Dray
ton waited until the last load of fur
niture was gone, and the three womer
were taking their final look around
, Then he came down the stairs holding
out, at the length of his arms two
centipedes on the point of two large
pins. He exhibited them.
''These quarters are too much foi
me-" he said, I'D rather have a corner
of housetop alone. than a wide up
, per floor with crawling things. In
i, going to go back TO my own room"
A fierce light of suspicion broke il
on Mrs. Collins mind then. II he
lieve," she said sternly and accusing
| ly, 81 believe, Mr.. Drayton, that tn,
! whole thing was put up job"
do you? Do you really?" asked
Drayton, smilingly, deprecatingly
"But consider my dear lady, consider
the centipedes. San Francisco Argo
naut.
Why He Was Detained.
"Why in the world did you keey