Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-17


trooper guard went back to Sandy, bringing
the borrowed horse and the bad news
that Shannon had been arrested for assault
ing Sergt Bull, and all men knew tina,
court-martial and disgrace must follow. II
was Shannon's last run on the road he
knew so well Soldiers of rank came for
ward to plead for him and bear witness to
his worth and services, and the general
commanding RENTED most of the sentence
restoring to him everything the court had
decreed forfeited except the chevrons. They
had to go, yet could soon be rega1ned. But
no man could restore to him the pride and
self-respect that went when he realized that
he was only one of several plucked and de-
luded victims of a female sharper. While
the French woman ogled and langu1shed
behind the bars Shannon wandered out into
the world again. deSerter from the troop
he was ashamed to face, an unfollowed. I'M
sought fugitive among the mining camps In
the Sierras. Three. stout soldiers stricken
from the rolls-two of them gone to their
last account" unused poor Plume, as at last
he led his unhappy wife away to the sea,
land all the work of one woman!
Yes, Mrs. Plume was gone now for good
and all, her devoted, yet sore-hearted ma jOr
with her, and Wren was sufficiently recov-
cred to be up and taking the air on his
veranda. Sanders sometimes stopped to see
him and pass the time of day." but cut his
visits short and spoke of everything but
what was uppermost in his mind, because
his better half persuaded him that only ill
would come from preaching. Then late one
wonderful day the interesting invalid, Mr..
Neil Blakely himself, was ''paraded" upon
the piazza in the Sanders special reclining
chair and Kate and Mrs. Sanders beamed
while nearly all society at the post came
and purred and congratulated and took
Sidelong glances up the row to where An
gela but while before was reading to her
grim old father, but where the father now
read alone, for Angela had gone as was her
custom at the hour, to her own little room,
and thither did Janet conceive it her duty
to follow, and there to investigate.
1T won't be long now before that young
man will be hobbling around the post, sup
pose. How do you expect to avoid him? %
said the elder maiden, looking with uncom-
promising austerity at her niece Angela
as before had just shaken loose her wealth
ing them She did not turn from the con-
temptation of her double in the mirror be-
fore her; she did not hesitate in her reply.
1t was brief, calm and to the point.
Il shall not avoid him."
angela! And after all 1-your father and
I-have told you!' And Aunt Janet began
to bristle.
''Two-thirds of what you told me. Aunt
Janet, proved to be without foundation.
Now l doubt the rest of it." And Aunt
Janet saw the big eyes beginning to fill;
saw the twitching at the corners of the soft,
sensitive lips; saw the trembling of the
slender white hand and the ominouS tapping
of the slender, shapely foot, but there
wasn't a symptom of fear or fiinching. The
blood of the Wrens was up for battle. The
child was woman grown. The day of re-
volt had come at last.
Angela Wr-r-ren!' rolled Aunt Janet.
''D'you mean you're going to see him.
speak to him."
I'm going to see him and-thank him,
Aunt Janet" And now the girl had turned
and faced the astounded woman at the
door. You may spare yourself any words
upon the subject"
The captain was seated in loneliness and
mental perturbation just where Angela had
left him, but no longer pretending to read.
His back was toward the southern end of
the row. He had not even seen the cause
of the impromptu reception at the Sanders.
He read what was taking place when An
gela began to lose her voice. to stumble
over her words; and, peering at her under
his bushy eyebrows. he saw that the face
he loved was flushing. that her young
bosom was swiftly rising and falling, the
beautiful brown eyes wandering from the
page. Even before the glad voices from be-
low came ringing to his ears. he read in his
daughters face the tumult in her guileleSs
heart, and then she suddenly caught her.
self and hurried back to the words that
seemed swimming in space before her. But
the effort was vain. Rising quickly, and
with brave effort steadying her voice, she
said. "I'll run and dress now. father, DEAR
and was gone, leaving him to face the prob
lem thrust upon him. Had he known that
Janet too. had heard from the covert of
the screened and shaded window of the lit
tie parlor. and then that she had followed,
he would have shouted for his German
striker and sent mandate to his sister
that she could not fail to understand. He
did not know that she had been with An
gela until he heard her footstep and saw her
face at the hall doorway. She had not
even to roll her RS before the story was
told.
Two days now he had lived in much dis
tress of mind. Before quitting the post
Major Plume had laboriously gone the
rounds. saying goodbye to every officer and
lady. Two officers he had asked to see