Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-29
CUT THIS OUT AND KEEP 1T. YOU

other day, from a meteorological view
point. as that on which this story opened
nearly twenty-four hours earlier by the
shadows on the eastward cliffs. At Tues
days sunset the garrison was yawning
with the ennui born of mohotonous and
uneventful existence. AS Wednesdays
ows overspread the valley, even to the
opposite crests of the distant Mogollon.
the garrison was athrill with suppressed
excitement. for half dozen things had
happened since the flag went up at reveilie.
In the first place Captain Wren's arrest
had been confirmed and Plume had wired
department headquarters in reply to some
what urgent query. that there were several
counts in his Indictment OF the captain.
any one of which was sufficient to demand
a trial by court-martial. but he wished.
did Plume, for personal and official reasons
that the general commanding should send
his own inspector down to judge for him
self.
The post sergeant major and the three
clerks had heard with sufficient distinct
ness every word that passed between the
major and the accused captain. and there
being at Sandy some three hundred in
quisitive souls. thirsting for truth and
light. it could hardly be expected of this
quartet that it should preserve utter 81
lence even though silence had been en-
joined by the adjutant. 1t was told all
over the post long before noon that Wren
had been virtually accused Of being the
sentry's assailant well Lieutenant
Blakely's. 1t was whispered that, in some
insane fury against the junior officer.
Wren had again, toward 800. breaking his
arrest, gone up the row with the idea Of
once more entering Blaelys house and
possibly again attacking him. 1t was be-
lieved that the sentry had seen and inter-
posed, and that. enraged at being baked
| by an enlisted man. Wren had drawn a
knife and stabbed him. True no knife
had been found anywhere about the spot.
and Wren had never been known to carry
one. But now a dozen men. armed with
rakes. were systematically going over the
ground under the vigilant eye Of Sergeant
Shannon-Shannon. who had heard the
brief. emphatic interview between the
major and the troop commander and who
to supervise this search. despite the fact
that he had but just returned from the
conduct OF another. the result of which
he impaired to the ears Of only two men.
Plume, the post commander and Doty, his
| amazed and bewildered adJutant But
Shannon had with him a trio of troopers.
| one of whom at least. had not been proof
against inquisitive probing. for the second
| one of the two pairs of moccasin tracks.
among the yielding sands of the willow
copse. led from where Mr.. Blakely had
been doing to where the pony Punch had
been browsing in the shade. for there they
were lost. as the maker had evidently
| mounted and ridden away. All Sandy
knew that Punch had no other rider than
pretty Angela Wren
7,
a dozen homes. and was going wild about
the garrison. to the effect that Captain
Wren, when accused of being Mullins as
| sailant had virtually declared that he had
seen other persons prowlinE on the sentry's
post and that they. not he. were the guilty
| ones: but when hidden to name or describe
them Wren had either failed or refused
some said one. some said the other. and
the prevalent belief in Sudsville circles. as
we'll as the barracks. was that Captain
Wren was going crazy over his troubles
And now there were women. aye, and men,
too, though they spake with bated breath.
who had uncanny things to say Of Angela
the captains only child.
And this 1t was that led to sensation No
"A wordy battle of the first magnitude be-
tween the next-door neighbor of the sad
dler sergeant and no less champion OF
maiden probity than Norah Shaughnessy-
the saddler sergeant's buxom daughter All
the hours since early morning Norah had
been in a state Of nerves so uncomfortable
that Mrs. Westerveit-who knew OF Nornh's
fondness for Mullins and marveied not that
Mullins always preferred the loneliness and
isolation OF the post on No. t-docaded to-