The Oakley eagle. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1901-1908, 1906-09-27

men, stamped with the cavalry seal,
each clutched at window-rest and ex-
changed smiles of quick understand
ing.
Great Scott" cried the major, its
good TO be back in Gods country att
er two and a half years in the Philip
pines! Lock at the girls in muslin
Jimmy, let's charter the hansom-Eor
the afternoon AMI go round and see
things!"
His excitement met with no re-
spouse. CHANGING at his companion,
he suddenly checked the further out
burst on his lips.
What's up, Jimmy? No bad news,
l hope?"
bad newsl | have had none at
| ALL"
FAITH there's plenty OF good r1sb
in the sea. Believe me, Jimmy, there
is safety in numbers. | have run aft
er women all NY life and never caught
one yet, so 7 have had all the sport
and none of the worry"
Tenant agreed with him. He was
in no moon for discussion, nor did bis
friends cynical badinage appeal to him
at the moment.
At last, when the major had
gone off to a club Tenant stood ir-
resolutely in the foyer of his hotel
whilst pride and common sense wres-
tied for supremacy.
Pride said: why trouble your soul
about a woman who has utterly ig-
nored you for six long months, and
now treats your homecoming with alb
solute indifference? Give her no fur
| Their heed"
But common sense whispered: Find
out the truth before you decide. You
would have trusted Elsie Stapleton
with your life, your future, your honor.
Do not now condemn her unheard."
He was hard man and an obstinate
one. Not readily, nor yet In stinted
measure had he bestowed his love, and
the causeless, merciless abandonment
to which he had been subjected had
scared his heart. Nevertheless, pride
went under in the struggle, and he
started forth to ascertain from the
lady herself why he no longer found
favor in her sight.
When he reached the lady's house,
she was not there; indeed no one
knew where she was. Her father had
given up the house eight months ago
and In New York, where no man
knows his next door neighbor, the in
terval opposed a blank wall against
| 4 1rt her fnntaiFu = ctrJ1pk him a
81 Tn coincidence that at the period
of this change of residence he was in
the widest part of the Philippines and
importantly incapacitated from writing
home. Letters from Elsie, breathing
| love and hope, continued to reach him
by devious routes for some weeks
Then-sllence!
Being a determined man, he inter
viewed local tradesmen, policemen
post Office officials, and finally doc
tor. Here he found a clew. Yes, ex-
actly eight months ago, Miss Elsie
Stapleton, suddenly became very i'll
received a shock, he believed, by un-
expected news concerning a friend in
the Philippines, and was taken abroad
by her father The girl was danger
ously Ill.
Abiaze with uncertainty, Tenant
went ba ok to his hotel man await
ed his arrival, an army officer, like
himself and it was sufficiently amaz-
ing to read on the strangers card.
Capt ]. w. Tenant"
Il hare been chasing you round the
world" he explained. MY business is
important. Can we have a quiet talk
somewhere"
Jimmie led his namesake to a sit
ting-roou. Here the other Capt. Ten.
nant seated himself, lit a cigarette, and
produced an envelope.
do you recognize the handwriting? 2
he said.
Jimmie required no second glance
1t was Elsie's.
How the deuce did this come into
your possession" be demanded, fierce.
ly.
Hold on! This affair may have
caused you some trouble, but not hall
so much as 1t has given me. Now, Just
sit still and listen. My name happen.
to be John Watson Tenant My wife
whom | recently married, and who was
a millionaire's widow, happens to be
extremely jealous. She collects my
correspondence. | don't mind, as
thought all the letters would be from
duns. didn't count on receiving love.
letters, ana devilish well-written one:
at that, from young lady named
Elsie. By Jove! didn't she make Il
hot for Ine? Never word did she lei
on, though, for | should have ~.
cred the mistake at once. To sert
was only one ]. w. Tenant In exist
ence, and she did not believe me when
| showed her your name in the arm,
list. | must admit that the last letter
appeared to Justify her suspicious.
The last letter."
Yes. | am awfully sorry for you
old man, but l couldn't help it. Miss
Elsie evidently saw an account OF my
marriage in some papers and thought
l IL uac YOURS &C Won had not xuS;+4