Evening star., 1903-08-03

door-the back door-of Mr. Blakely's quar-
ters, was it not strange that he had taken
no pains to prevent recurrence Of so COM
promising an excursion. for strange stories
were afloat. Sentry No 4 had heard and
told Of feminine voice. somebody cryin'
like" in the darkness Of midnight about
Blakely's and Norah shaughnessy-re-
turned to her duties at the Trumans. yet
worrying over the critical condition OF her
trooper lover. and losing thereby much
needed sleep-had gained some new and
startling information. One night she had
heard. another night she had dimly seen.
a visitor received at Blakelys back door.
and that visitor woman. with shawl
about her head. Norah told her mistress,
who very properly bade her never refer to
it again to a SOUL and very promptly re-
ferred to it herself to several souls, one of
them Janet Wren. Janet. still virtuously
averse to Blakely. laid the story before her
brother the very day he started on the war
path and Janet was startled to see that
she was telling him no news whatever.
Then. indeed" said she. 'it Is high time
the major took his wife away" and Wren
sternly bade her hold her peace. she knew
not what she was saying! But. said Camp
Sandy. who could 1t have been but Mrs.
Plume or. possibly. Elise2 Once or twice
In its checkered past Camp Sandy had had
Its romance its mystery. indeed It's sandals,
but this was something that put in the
shade all previous episodes: this shook San
dy to its very foundation and this, despite
her brothers prohibition. Janet Wren felt
II her Quty TO Oetall IN 1uIl 10 Angela.
To do her Justice. it should be said that
Miss Wren had striven valiantly against
the impulse-had indeed mastered it for
several hours-but the sight of the vivid
blush the eager JOY in the sweet young
face when Blakelys new STRIKER handed
In a note addressed to Miss Angela Wren
proved far too potent a factor In the un-
doing Of that magnanimous resolve. The
girl fled with her prize, instanter, to her
room, and thither. she did not reappear.
the aunt betook herself within the hour
The note itself was neither long nor effusive
merely bright, cordial friendly missive.
protesting against the idea that any apollo
gy had been due. There was but one line
which could be considered even mildly sig
nificant. 1.-The little net" wrote Blakely.
has now a value that 1t never had before" :"
Yet Angela was smuggling that otherwise
unimportant billet to her cheek when the
creaking stairway told her portentously OF
q solemn coming. Ten minutes moro and
the note was lying neglected on the bureau.
and Angela stood at her window. gazing
out over dreary miles Of almost desert
landscape, Of rock and shale and sand and
cactus. with eyes from which the light had
fled. and new. strange trouble biting at
her gtrlish heart. COnf0und No. 4and
Norah Shaughnessyl
1t had been arranged that when the
Plumes were ready to start Mrs. DAILY and
her daughter, the newly widowed and the
fatherless. should be sent up to Prescott
and thence across the desert to Ehrenberg.
on the Colorado. While no hostile Apaches
had been seen west Of the Verde valley,
there were traces that told that they were
watching the road as ia: at least as the
been chosen to go as escort to the little
convoy. 1t had been supposed that Plume
would prefer to start in the morning and go
az Tar as stemmers ranch. in the Aqua