Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-08-24

my WI CIV WV 1891
generals.
In desperation, Stuyvesant went
over to a florists on Post street,
bought box of roses, and sent them
with his card to Miss Ray, express
ing deep regret that he had been de-
MED the opportunity to thank her in
person for her kindness to him the
night of the fire. He wanted to say
that he owed his eyes to her, but felt
that she knew better and would be
more offended than pleased.
He was to sail on the morrow, and
he had not even seen her brother
again.
But the department commander had
said he purposed coming out with
party of friends to run alongside the
flagship as she steamed slowly out
to sea, and that was why Mr.. Stuy-
vesant stood so eagerly watching the
blowing side-wheeler so swiftly COM
ing in pursuit. Already he had made
out the double stars in the bunting
at the jack-staff. Already he could
distinguish the forms of several Off
GERS whose commands were not yet
ready for embarkation and the flut-
tering of garments of a score of
women.
Something told him she would be
of TIL" party, and as the Vanguard
slowed down to let the headquarters
boat run alongside, his heart beat
eagerly when his general said: We'll
go down, gentlemen, and board her.
It'll be much easier than the climb
would be to Them
So it happened that five minutes
later he found himself at the heels
of his chief shaking hands mechan-
ically with a dozen officers, while his
eyes kept peering beyond them to
where, on the after-deck, the smiling
group of women stood eXpectant.
And presently the general pushed
on for word of farewell with them,
the aides obediently following, and
then came more presentations to cor
dial and kindly people whose names
he did not even hear, for just a little
farther on, and still surrounded by
cavaliers, stood Mrs. Ray, the hand
soonest and most distinguished-loo
ing woman of the party, and close be-
side her, petite and graceful, her dark
beauty even the more noticeable in
contrast with the fair features of her
mother, stood Maidie. And then at
last it came, the simple word that
threw down the social barrier that SO
long had baked him.
'My aide-de-camp, Mr.. Stuyvesant,
Mrs. Ray-Miss Ray" and with his
soul in his eyes he looked down into
that radiant face, smiling so cor
daily, unrestrainedly into his, and
then found himself striving to recall
what on earth it was he was so anx-
ious to say.
He knew that he was flushing to
the peak of his forage-cap. He knew
He saw that she was perfectly placid
and at ease. He saw, worse luck, that
she wore little knot of roses on
the breast of her natty jacket, but
that they were not his. He faltered
something to the effect that he had
been trying to see her ever since the
night of the fre-had so much to
thank her for; and her white, even,
beautiful teeth cleaned as she
laughingly answered that the cher
ries had more than Cancelled the
score.
He asked news of her brother, and
was told that he had been too much
occupied to come in again. They
were going out to the Preside that
afternoon.
And then he ventured to hope Mr..
Ray had sustained no great loss in
the robbery of his quarters, and saw
at once that he was breaking news,
for the smile had vanished instantly,
the lovely face clouded with concern,
and he had only time to stammer:
'Then, probably, there was no truth in
the story. merely happened to hear
two nights ago that Mr.. Rays quar-
ters had been robbed-about the time
the prisoners escaped" And then he
heard his general calling, and saw
that the party was already Chamber
ing back to the Vanguard.
I'LL hope I may see you when
we get back from Manila, Miss Ray"
he said, as he bowed over her hand.
81 think you may see me-before
that" was the smiling answer. And
then Capt. Hayvley grabbed him by
the arm and rushed him to the side.
Two minutes more and he was on
the deck of the transport. The lines
were cast off, the white side-wheeler,
alive with sympathetic faces, some
smiling, some fearful, and forest
of futtering kerchiefs, dropped slow
ly astern, and all that long evening
as they bored through the fogs of the
Farallones and bowed and dipped to
the long swell of the sea, and all the
long week that followed as they
steamed over a sunlit summer ocean,
Stuyvesant found himself repeating
again and again her parting words,
and wondering what could have been
the explanation of her knowing moth
ing of the robbery of her brothers
quarters or what could have been her
meaning when she said II think you
may see me-before that"
Only once on the run to Honolulu
was the fotilla of transports neared
by other voyagers. Three days out
from San Francisco the o. & o. liner
Doric slowly overhauled and grad
ually passed them by. Exchanging
signals: GAIL well on board,' she was
soon lost in the shadows of the night
long miles ahead.
RIO Be Continued