The suburban citizen., 1901-05-18

turned to face the tall
young soldier standing motionless and
attentive in the doorway. 1t was al
most a minute before he answered,
and when he did there was something
akin to pity in his voice.
Eyes, corporal, and for a very dan
gerous piece of work, too. You need
not feel compelled to do it, as it is vol
untary service, but there is no man
whom can trust so well as yourself"
The corporal inclined his head slightly
at the compliment and the other con-
tinued. THE truth is we are in a tight
place, and I must get a dispatch to
Major Upton at Using Pei to send us
re-enforcements or come to our assist
ance. 1t is a dangerous mission. VIII
you undertake it,"
Il will do my best" was the simple
response.
THANK you, corporal. One thing
more. Mr.. Latham here"-indicating
by gesture a gentleman sitting in an
opposite corner of the room and hith-
erto unnOticed by the young subaltern
has come down from the north to-
day and must get on to Pekin as rap
idly as possible. He wants to accom-
pany you on your ride"
At the mention of Mr.. Latham's
name Corporal Frank Russell gave a
slight start, and then smiled grimly
when he thought how secure dis
guise his mustache and sunburn would
be. Like fash the events of one sad
day three years before went through
his mind. He had been a society
man" in Chicago in those days, with
penchant for literature and art but
an aversion to concentrating his ener-
gies on steady work, an unfortunate
circumstance for him, as he had no
means Of support. Modern society has
a stern law that paupers shall never
presume to fall in love, but love laughs
at such restrictions. Unkind fate led
him across the path Of Gertrude Lath-
am, only daughter of a rich broker and
mine owner, and she, in spite Of the in
equality of their positions, returned
his love.
Too late the girl was sent to Europe
to make her forget him in the whirl Of
travel, while he was advised to cease
his attentions to her for all time to
come He was honest enough to real
ize that he had made a mistake, and
so, unwilling to be the means of caus-
ing her any additional unhappiness, he
lett Chicago and after several months
of wandering enlisted in the cavalry
as a common soldier.
Good conduct raised him to the rank
of corporal, and then the battalion had
been ordered to China to assist in the
relief of Pekin. A vision of Gertrude
as he last saw her passed before his
eyes-her trim figure set off by a gray
walking costume, her auburn hair and
brown eyes, her cheeks glowing from
brisk tramp in the keen October air.
With an effort Russell composed him
self, and saluting respectfully, turned
and left the room. Two hours later,
mounted on fresh horses and armed
for any emergency, the two men rode
road which follows pretty closely the
Wen Ho River and leads on to Pekin.
There was not little danger of their
encountering rowing bands of Boxers
or bandits, for the detachment Of cav
airy which had left Pekin several days
previous had separated into two or
three smaller parties, using Using Pei
as a base Of operations, from whence,
securing the country in every direc-
tion, they were Kidding it Of all enc
mics. One party, under Lieutenant
Prescott, had pressed on up the river
as far as Yenho Tcheng, town on the
great wall at the Konankow Pass,
where, hearing that large force Of
rebels were gathering in his rear, and
fearing to be cut off, he had found it
necessary to send on word Of his pre-
dicament to the commander of the
main body of the troops at Using Pei.
They rode on in silence, not wishing
to make any more noise than possible,
nor did Frank Russell care to converse
with Mr.. Latham, lest something in
his voice or manner should betray his
identity. Not tnat he harbored any re-
sentiment against the elder man, but
he shrank from having Gertrude know
how much he had fallen from his for
mer station in life.
Occasionally they were compelled to
follow paths through the forest in or
der to avoid villages, and once they
barely had time to conceal themselves
as a party Of Chinese soldiers went by
in an opposite direction The road led
close to the river which was hemmed
in most of the way by heavily wooded
mountains. When about two-thlrds OF
the journey had been accomplished
they came suddenly upon a small ham.
J let so closely wedged in between the