The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1901-12-13
: CHAPTER Xxx.

Walter Fosters mother learned by
cable that the remains she awaited,
and that reached port almost the day
she got the dispatch, were not those
of her only son, but of one who had
practically died for him. And even in
the Joy of that supreme moment the
woman in her turned, after all, in pity
to weep for the motherless lad who
had been her boys warmest friend in
his hours of doubt and darkness and
despair.
A weak vessel was "Wally," as Far
quhar had intimated, and, so easily
cowed and daunted that in the dread
of the punishment accorded the de-
serter he had skulked in disguise at
Hong-Kong, leaving all the burden OF
scouting, pleading and planning for
him to Willard, his old-time chum, who
had even less knowledge and expert
ence of army official life than himself.
Wizards early letters to Hong-kong
gave Foster little hope, for at first
the. only people the recruit could
''sound" were private soldiers like
himself. Then Foster read of the ar
rival of the Sacramento at Manila, of
the presence there of Maidie Ray, and
then he wrote urging his quondam
chum to endeavor TO see her, to tell
her of his desperate straits, to i'm
plore her to exert influence to get him
pardoned, and, in order that she might
know that his envoy was duly accred-
tied, he sent Willard his chief treas
ure, that little cartc-de-visite, togeth-
er with a few imploring lines.
Then not a word came from Willard
for three mortal weeks, but Fosters
daily visits to the bank were at last
rewarded by a dispatch from home
bidding him return at once by first
steamer, sending him abundant means
and assuring him all would be well.
And when the news of his own muir
der was published in the Hong-Kong
papers, without the faintest intima-
tion to the officials of the bank as to
his intentions, he was homeward
bound and never heard a word of it
all until recognized by an officer
aboard the Queen rs the Coptic float
ed into Honolulu harbor. There he
was arrested and turned back.
Among "Billy Benton's" few effects
no letters, no such picture, had been
found, nothing, in fact, to connect
him with Foster. Col. Brent knew
| what hadSbecome. of the carte-de -vis-
tie, but how happened it in other
hands than those of Benton? That,
too, was not long to be mystery.
One day in late December forlorn-
looking fellow begged a drink of the
| bartender at the Alhambra on the
Escolta-said he was out of money,
deserted by his friends, and took occa-
sion to remind the dispenser of fluid
refrcshment that few weeks ago
when he had funds and friends both he
had spent many a dollar there. The
bartender waved him away.
Awe, give the Teller drink" said
| boys in blue, in the largeness of their
nature and the language of the ranks.
"What'n you take, Johnny? Have one
with u.s." and one of the managers
FASTENED over and whispered to some
of the flannel-shirted squad, but to
no purpose.
| The boys" were bent on benevo-
lence, and>"beat" though he might be,
the gaunt stranger was made vel
come, shared their meat and drink,
! anu, STo"ihS SPccVdS CouuucHtidi III
his cups, told them that he could tell
a tale some folks would pay well 20
hear, and then proceeded to stiffen out
in a fit.
| This brought to mind the event on
the Bagumbayan, and somebody said
it was 1.-The same Teller if not the same
fit" and it wouldn't do to leave him
there. They took him along in their
cab and across to their barracks BY
the Puente Colgante, and a doctor
ministered to him. for it was plain the
poor fellow was in sore plight, and g
few days later a story worth the tell
ing was going :he rounds. The good
chaplain of the Californians had heard
his partial confession and urged hin