The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-05-05

up and attend to your business or I'm
tend 10 you. Start that FIRE at once, and
then take the bucket and bring some wa
ter. We want good wash in warm water
to take off this CRIME. Look alive, now"
Pausanius rubbed his ear and looked
very much alive, as he chucked the wood
in the stove, produced a match without
having to hunt all over the tent for it,
lighted the fine, grabbed up the bucket,
again without having to hunt around 10
minutes for it. and started for the spring.
Get along-mosey, you animated SCOT
pile, said Shorty savagely, as he passed
giving him the cuff that he would have
liked to best0w upon the school-teacher.
Shah out lively. nor. or I'll break every
bone in your enfranchised body"
Such sweet masterfulness," murmured
Capt. Pilkington. looking at Maria with
melting eyes. "Wouldn't she adorn any
mans home? Shed preside over it like a
Queen III make sure Of her before she
leaves this tent"
Maria, with the readiness that marked her
always. took of her things, and hung them
up on the hooks where the Captains dress
uniform was suspended, a propinQuity
which made the Captains heart melt with
JOY and Shorty gnash his teeth. Then she
started to rearrange the cots for the night.
The first thing her eye fell on was the
tray of lately-drained glasses. She picked
ihem up, looked at them with eyes grow
ing very hard and then shifted at them.
that there should be no mistake. A CLEAN
OF nope began to show in Shorty's eyes,
wniie the Captains expression became
sickly. He FASTENED forward with a ready
| lie:
Where In the world did those things
come from!" he asked. with as much as
constituent as he could assume. 20. see
now. Lieut. Lowndes, who has a great
deal more vivacity than brains or good
taste, is fond Of practical jokes. He
knows my antipathy 10 even the smell OF
liquor, and he's silly slipped that tray OF
| empty glasses in here to tease me. I'll
send him out in charge Of the wood detail
tomorrow, to give him an opportunity to
| reflect on his smartness"
| Maria looked as if she believed him and
went on with her work.
Shorty wanted to yell "Same old lie"
1 but restrained himself
Maria caught hold Of blanket n ar
range the cot and revealed the demiiobn.
Again her nose went up and she incurred.
some more of Lieut.. Lowndes's practical
Joking. l SUPPOSE!
Indeed it must be-" said Capt. Pilking-
ton. Who having ventured in 10 the pool Of
mendacIty, saw that he must wade on
even If he were engulfed and drowned.
Take it out of sight, them" said Maria
coldly, looking less convinced than before
Nnu 6oihS on Win the arrangement OF the
Capt Pilkington picked up the demijohn
and: restraining his temptation to dash il
against the tent-pole carried il out and do
posted lt IN the meSs-tent, where he COW
cred it carefully over with a blanket.
When he came back he heard Maria
saying: 1--WE certainly ought TO have some
sheets. There ought to be sheets around
here somewhere. That chest there looks
as II it might have some in It." and She
stepped over and put her hand on the lid
OF the regimental desk.
The Captains heart stopped beating for
an instant, and then he recovered himself
sufhciently to remember that the desk
closed with spring lock, and that she
couid not get in. Again the fates were
against him. For some reason the spring
was not working. The lid raised obedi.
entity TO Maria's touch, and revealed the
aggregation OF well-thumbed playing-cards.
mar emptied box Of cigars, a pile of
| more or less empty TASKS, q stack Of poker
chips. and other evidences of the deenest
obliquity
| II the Captain had been a woman IA
would have tainted at the damning dis.
closure, but he despers tely resolved to
make one more effort.
Some more Of Lieut.. Lowndes's prac.
teal joking?" she said in q voice of death.
denouncing scorn.
Shorty could not restrain hoarse laugh
OF triumph.
Il beg to assure you Miss Maria,@-
SAID the Captain, fastening to her side.
oh. You are making another mistake"
with deadly emphasis on another and
mistake" she declared with the attitude
OF an indignant Juno. Haven't Won met
my husband yet? Allow me to present him
to you, willard Shorty came grinning
20 the front. MY husband, Mr. Elliot
Capt Ellington"
And the Captain Jared sadly forth into
the dense darkness, where q dismal rain
had begun to fall.
TO be continued.)