The National tribune., 1903-06-25
Harry Joslyn's Struggle for the Ring-He
Makes HIS Way Back to Carp in Dilapi-
dated Condition-The Ladies Engrossed in
Wedding Preparatious.

i
Wedding Preparations.
Harry Joslyn was young and 1.-THE. He
squirmed like an eel in the hands of his
brawny but clumsy assailants. Even
while they were holding him so tight that
their pincer-like fingers crushed into his
young flesh. he managed to deliver KICK IN
the stomach of one of the men who was
searching him for the diamond with such
force that the man speedily felt deeper
interest in his digestive apparatus than
| in all the jewe.ry in the world.
| Harry then suddenly snatched one of
his arms free, and grabbing as he went
down the fOretop of another man, Jammed
his face so hard against the ground that
the blood gushed from his nose. The
third man threw Harry, but he managed
to light ON the head of the Knight of the
| Bleeding Nose, and drove it still farther
into the earth, and as he was thrown
over Harry kept his heels flying, and sue
| ceeded in getting i'll Il kick on the ribs
| of still another.
| One of the men tore off his blouse, and
| hastily feeling the pocket on the outside
| thought he discovered the ring and started
| off on Il dead run. Another pulled off his
vest and did the same thing, leaving two
olHcES lTSHS 10 JcTh Ol AIS p'thttio'h',
! where they We're sure he had the ring de
posted. They Mt last did this in spite Of
Harry's kicks, and ran off in Il different
direction. Then the man with the bleed
ing nose, fearful lest his companions we"t.
getting away with the booty, scrambled
to his feet made venomo,s kick at liar-
ry, and ran off TO oyertake them, leaving
the young man reduced to shirt and draw
ers, though master of the field.
nd thr1S ShaI a M
broken and the ground torn up as if it had
been rudely plowed.
Il am Il little shy of clothes,' remark
ed Harry, sitting up and making men-
tai report of the engagement. But
there's more at the Quart-rmaSter's. The
ring is safe somewhere in this muck, and
there's lots of blossoms left in spite OF
the havoc they made among them. l
guess III come out all right, after all.
AS Harry looked around for his assail-
ants he saw that the one who had got
ten away with his blouse had far cut
stripped his companions, and running as If
he hoped to reach the next boat going
North. and have the prize all to himself.
The others seemed to realize this, and were
making every effort to Overtake him. Sud
denly FIVE or six other camp-fOllowers of
| the same thieving ilk sprahg out from con
cealment i'm thjcket, where they had
knocked the LEADER down, and snatched
the blouse from him.
Hello" remarked Harry, divining
what was occurring. Its dog eat dog,
| and robber rob rol,ber. Well, l am the
loser of blouse and some other things
in the operation. .Irwonder where in the
world that ring got Ito in the scuffle," he
continued, looking around over the ground.
Its here somewhere, but it's like look
| iuv fnr n poaHln IN. hnycfocly I don't
believe I'd betteri make search for it
| until times get more peaceful, SO to
speak"
He looked again toward the crowd Of
men on the rise of ground between him
and the camp and saw them, in order to
make assurance sure, knock down one
after Onother of 1.-THE robbers, and take
away from them the garments which they
had snatched from Harry.
The first robbers, though badly wind
ed, showed fight. and general scrim-
mage resulted. Each man would snatch
| n garment and run with it until Overtaii-
en- and knocked down by another scamp.
Rather hard on my Clothes" muttered
Harry philosOphically. "I'm afraid they
won't bring auctioneer's fees at damage
sale, after they're through with them. But
| it's all in your three years. How in Gre
alton am | ever going to get back to camp
| in this rig, or rather lack of it? Nice
fix for gentleman and soldier to be in.
| I'll have to pass at least a dozen houses,
any way | go, and then won't the boys
have it on me, the way l came back to
camp? Holy Moses, don't wish it was
Monty or ALI who was in this fix instead
of me? They haven't any mOdesty, espe-
| cially Alf, who has no use for it in his
business, as he's going to be a doctor.
But I've got to get back to camp, all the
same, and that in a hurry. It's getting
near time for noon rollcall, and they've
been putting down the screws pretty hard
lately about missing roll-call. WOrse'n
| that. those hOodlums will find out after
awhile that nobody's got the ring, and
they'll be sure to think that it was lost
in the scuffle, and come back here to look
| for it. I've got to get a move ON me OF
some kind, right away"
The long bright day was drawing to-
ward a close, and the wedding dress to
| be worn on the morrow was almost done.
| The three women were sewing with might
and main. Mrs. Klegg was industriously
pressing the seams of the yOIuminous we'd
ding skirt, and directing Maria how to
fasten back the imprOvised cores. Anna
bel was busily engaged sewing the real
thread lace from Annabels grandmother 3
handkerchief in the somswhat low round
ed neck of the basque. Suddenly the door
opened and Mrs. Brookes walked in. She
had evidently copcluded to forget all
about the incidents of the day before,
and demean herself as a lady in her posi-
ton should. There was never a woman
who could withstand the joyous prepara-
| tiOns for wedding, and Mrs. BroOkes
had so lately come into her own inheri-
tance in this respect that she still held
her interest in all such matters. Then,
too. the halo of romance was over this
wedding, as she liked to believe had been
over her own, so she felt kin to Maria
in many respects.
Mrs. Brookes had gotten herself up re-
gardless, and wore her most winning
smile 81 think l owe you all an apol-
ogy," she said qs she advanced toward
Mrs. Klegg with optstretched hand. That
lady, looking little heated from bending
over the ironing. set the fat-ron on an
upturned saucer and reached out her own
plump and fairly .shapely hand, sincerely
glad for the evidence Of a truce held forth
by Mrs. BrOOkesIG
"Law, Mis-, Brookes," she said cordial
ly, pushing forward a dilapidated chair
with her foot, mo apologies are needed
round here. Take seat won't you,
and be sOciableTh
But Mrs. Brookes was in an amiable
mood, and meant to have her say. ''I
certainly do need to apologize" she in
sisted, as she nodded at the busy girls
and dropped intOtthe creaking old chair.