Barton County democrat., 1901-11-01

enough Tor any hOo< 30 ask lou 10
it, and can do = good deal more for
you than you think for, an I will
do it, too, if certain people don't
treat me better. It's. something
you'll thank me for nightly later on,
If you don't now. I've had my eyes
open, lieutenant, an I see things an
I hear things an know things you
mighty little suspect"
Pardon me, Miss Perkins, inter
posed Stuyvesant at this juncture, his
nerves 1airly twitching under the
strain. ssLet us get at>the matters on
which you wish to speak to me. Ma
late, cochero!" he called to the pyg-
my Filipino on the box. 81 am great
ly pressed for time," he added, as the
carriage whirled away, the hoofs of
the pony team flying like shuttles the
instant the little scamps were headed
homeward.
'ssWell, what L want mostly is to see
the general. He's got influence win
Gen. Drayton and I know it. and
these Red Cross people have poisoned
his ears. Everybody's ears seem to
be just now against me- and I can
get no hearing whatever. Everything
was all right at first. Everything
was promised me and then, first one
and then another, they all. backed
out, and I want to know why-I'm
bound. to know why, and they'd bet
ter come to me and make their peace
now than wait until the papers and
the P d. AS get after 'em, as they
will--you hear my words now-they
will do just as soon as my letters
reach the states. You're all right
enough. I've told them. how you
helped with those poor boys of mine
aboard the train. Bad way they'd
been in if we hadn't been there, you
and I. Why; I just canvassed that
train till I got clothes and shoes for
every one Of those poor burned-out
fellows, but there wouldn't anybody
else have done it. And nursing?-
you ought to have seen those boys
come to thank me the day I went out
to the Presidio, an most cried-some
of them did-said their own mothers
couldn't have done more, and they'd
do anything for me now. But when
I went out to their camp at Paoo
their major just as much as ordered
me away, and that little whipper-
snapper, Lieut.. Ray, that I could take
on my knee and spank He-Lieut.
RayTa friend of yours? Well, you
may think he is, or you may be a
friend CT his, but I can tell you right
here and now he's no friend. and
you'll see he isn't. What's more, 1
hate to see an honest, high toned
young gentleman just throwing him
self away on people that can't appre-
ciate him. I could tell you"
stop, driver!" shouted Stuyvesant,
unable longer to control himself.
miss Perkins," he added, as the lit
tie coachman manfully struggled to
bring his rushing team to halt at
the curb, ''I have a call to make and
am late. Tell my coachman where to
take you and send him back to this
corner. Good night, madam" and,
gritting his teeth, out he sprang to
the sidewalk.
It happened to be directly in front
| of one of those native resorts where,
day and night, by dozens the swarthy
little brown men gather about a bill
lard table with it's center ornament
of lockwood pins, betting on a game
resembling the Yankee pin -pooP in
everything but the possibility of fair
play. Hovering about the entrance
or on the outskirts of the swarm of
men. and boys, a dozen native wom-
en-, some with babies in their arms
and nearly all with cigars between
their teeth, stood watching the play
with absorbing interest, with a score
of dusky, pot-bellied' children from
about the premises, as much at home
two to. twelve years of age sprawled
as the keeper of the place.
The lamps had been lighted but a
few minutes and the game was in
+ full blast. Some stalwart soldiers,
regulars from the Quartet de Malate
| from down the street OF the nipa
barracks of the Dakotas and Idahos,
| were curiously studying the scene,
making jovial and unstinted comment
after their fearless democratic fash
| ion, but sagely abstaining from try
| ing their luck and not so sagely sam
ping the sizzling soda drinks held
forth to them by tempting hands.
! Liquor the vendors dare not proffer
the provost marshal's people had
| forbidden that-and only at the Ii
censed bars in town or by bribery and
stealth in the outlying suburbs could
the natives dispose of the villainous
'.bino" with which at times the un-
| wary and unaccustomed American
was overcome.
Three or four men in civilian dress.
that somehow smacl1ed of the sea,
as did their muttered, low-toned tall,
huddlede together at the corner post,
furtively oying the laughing soldiers
and occasionally peering up and down
| the darkened street. It was not the
| place Stuyvesant would have chosen
| to leave his carriage, but it was a
case of any port in a storm-anything
| to escape that awful woman. With
one quick spring he was out of the
| vehicle and into the midst of the
| rrolln on the narroW sidewalk before