Evening star., 1903-08-01

ward-the latter probably as being nearer
their friends at the reservation and farther
from the few renegade TOntOs lurking in
mountains toward Fort Apache. Byrne's
promise to the wanderers sent by these
runners. was to the effect that they would
be safe from any prosecution If they would
return at once to the agency and report
themselves to the Interpreter and the lieu
tenant commanding the guard He would
not, he said, be anSWerabIe for what mig hit
happen If they persisted in remaining at
large. But when it was found that, so far
from any coming in, there We're many going
out. and that NatZies father and brother
had already gone Byrne's stout heart sank
ihe message came by wire from the agency
not long after the return Of the funeral
party, and while the evening was yet young.
He sent at once for Wren and, seated on
the majors front piazza with an orderly
lowering just out of earshot and with many
an eye anxiouSy watching them along the
row. the two veterans were holding earnest
conference. Major Plume was at the bed
side of his wife, SO said Graham when he
came down about 8. Mrs. Plume, he con-
tinued. was at least no worse, but very
nervous. Then he took himself back to the
hospital.
Another topic of talk along the line was
Blakely's watch and its strange recovery
and many were the efforts to learn what
Blakely himself had to say about it. The
officers, nearly all of them, of course, had
been at intervals to see Blakely and inquire
do this being the conventional and proper
thing. and they who talked with him. with
hardly an exception. led up to the matter
of the watch and wished to know how he
accounted for its being there on the post of
No ). 1t was Observed that, upon this
topic and the Stabbng of Private Mullins
Mr.. Blakely was oddly reticent He had
nothing whatever to suggest as explanation
of either matter. The watch was taken
from the inner pocket of his thin white
coat as he lay asleep at the pool. of this lie
felt confident but by whom he WOULD not
pretend to say. Everybody knew by this
time that Angela Wren had seen him sleep
ing. and had. in a spirit of playful mischief
fetched away his butterfly net, but who
would accuse Angela of taking his watch
and money? OF course, sach things had
been. said one or two wise heads, but-not
with girls like Angela.
But who could say what all this while
Angela herself was thinking? Once upon
a time 1t had been the way of our young
folk well over the north and west to claim
forfeit in the game of Catching the wea-
sci asleep" There had been communities
indeed and before co-educaton became
fad at certain of our great universities
wherein the maid caught mapping could
hold it no sin against vatchful swain, or
even against her, that he then and there
imprinted on her lips kiss On the other
hand, the swain found sleeping might not
always expect a kiss. but must pay the
penalty, pair Of dainty gloves. Many
claimed and allowed in army days whereof
we write, and Angela, stealing upon Blake
ly as he doZed beneath the willows, and Ek-
ing him we'll and deploring her fathers
pronounced aversion to him-perhaps even
resenting it an undutiful bit-had found
it impossible to resist the temptation to
softly disengage that butterfly net from the
loosely clasping fingers. and swiftly.
stealthily. delightedly to scamper away
with 1T against his waking. 1t was of this
very exploit, never dreaming of the fateful
consequences, she and Kate Sanders were
blissfully bubblng over. fairly shak-
ing with maiden merriment. when the de-
sight of them upon the mesa. Ten minutes
more, and in full force she had been made
to feel the blow of her fathers fierce dis
pleasure Twenty minutes more. and under
the blow of her fathers furious wrath,
Blakely had been feled like log.
When with elongated face and exag-
gerated gloom of manner Aunt Janet came
to make her realize the awful consequences
of her crime, Angela's first impulse had
been to cry out against her fathers un-
reasoning rage. When she learned that he
was in close arrest-to be tried doubtless,
for his mad assault-in utter revulsion of
feeling. in love and tenderness. in grief and
contrition inexpressible, she had thrown
herself at his feet and. clasping his knees.
had sobbed her heart out in imploring his
forgiveness for what she called her wicked,
needless heartless conduct. No one saw
that blessed meeting. that scene Of mutual
forgiveness, Of sweet reconciliation; too
and Calvinistic mold. Are we ever quite
content, 1 wonder, that others bairnies
should be so speedily. so entirely, forgiven?
All because Of this had all Janet's mani
festations of sympathy for Robert to be
tempered With q fine reserve. AS for An