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

Troop c. Janet knew of this, and shouif
have known 1t meant amende and recon
citation. perhapsi revelation. but because
her brother saw At to sit and ponder, shs
saw fit to cling un1inchingly to her precon
celved ideas and to act according to them
with Graham she was exceedingly wrotl
LOT caring 10 defenu' such persons at Lieu
tenant Blakely and that Indian souaW
1t was akin to opposing weak-minded theo
RES to positive knowledge of facts She
had seen with her own eyes the ignorant
but no Less abandoned. creature kneeline
at BlakelyS bedside. her black head pillow
ed close to his breast. She had seen hel
spring up in fury at being caught-wha,
else could have so enraged her that she
should seek to knife the intruders? argued
Janet. She believed or professed to be.
lieve. that but for the vigilance of poo,
Todd, now quite happy in his convalescence
the young savage would have murdered
both the major and herself. She did not
care what DR.. Graham said. She had seen
and seeing, with Janet was believing.
But she knew her brother well, and knew
that since Graham's impetuous outbreak
he had been wavering sadly, and since
Plume's parting visit had been plunged in
mental slough of doubt and distress.
Once before his stubborn Scotch nature
had had to strike it's colors and surrender
TO his own subaltern, and now the same
struggle was on again, for what Plume
said, and said in presence of grim old Ora
ham, fairly startled him.
You are not the only one to whom owe
amends and apology, Capt. Wren wrong
ed you, when you were shielding-my wife
at no little cost to yourself. 1 wronged
Blakely in several ways, and 1 have had to
go and tell him so and beg his pardon The
meanest thing L ever did was bringing Miss;
Wren in there to spy on him. unless it was
In sending that girl to the guard house.
Ia beg her pardon, too, If she could be
found. Yes. l see you look glum, Wren,
but we've all been wrong, 1 reckon. There's
no mystery about 1t now"
And then Plume told his tale and Wren
meekly listened. 1t might we'll be- said he
that Matte loved Blakely. All her people
did. She had been watching him from the
willows as he slept that day at the pool.
He had forbidden her following him, for
hidden her coming to the post, and she
feared to wake him. yet when she saw the
two prospectors that had been at Harris,
ride over toward the sleeping officer she
was startled She saw them watching,
whispering together. Then they rode down
and tied their horses among the trees a
hundred yards below, and came crouching
along the bank. She was up in an instant
and over the stream at the shadows and
that scared them off long enough to let her
reach him. Even then she dare not wake
him for fear of his anger at her disobedf-
ence. but his coat was open. his watch and
wallet easy to take She quickly seized
them-the little picturecase being within
the wallet at the moment-and sped back 10
her covert. Then Angela had come canter-
ing down the sandy road: had gone on down
stream, passing even the prowling pros
pectors and after few minutes had re-
turned and dismounted among the willows
above where Blakely lay-Angela whom
poor Matte believed to be Blakely's sister
Matte supposed her looking for her brother
and wondered why she waited Natzie
finally signaled and pointed when she saw
that Angela was going in disappointment
at not finding him. ( Matte witnessed An
gela's theft of the net and her laughing
Rxyf he
had given up and gone about their business.
and then. while she was wondering how
best to restore the property, Lola and AL
chisay had come with the annoying news
that the agent was angered and had sent
trailers after her. They were even then
only a little away,yup stream. The three
then made a run for the rocks to the east.
and there remained in hiding. That night
Matte had done her best to find her Way
to Blakely with the property. and the rest
they knew. The watch was dropped in
the struggle on the mesa when Mullins was
stabbed. the picture case that morning at
the majors quarters,
WAS 1t Blakely told you all this. sir?''
Wren had asked, still wrong headed and
suspicious.
mo, Wren. It was told Biakely. All
this was given me by Lola's father, the
interpreter, back from Chevlons Fork only
yesterday. I sent him to try to persuade
Natzie and her kinsfolk to return. / have
promised them immunity"
Then Plume and Graham had gone leay-
ing Wren to brood and ponder, and this
had he been doing two mortal days and
nights without definite result. and now
came Janet to bring things to head In
grim and ominous silence he listened to her
recital, saying never a word until her final
appeal:
'.R-r-robert, is our grille going daft, do
you think? She solemnly said to me-to
me-but minute ago. I mean to go to
him myself-apd thank hint
And solemnIy the soldier looked up from
his reclining chair and studied his sisters