La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1906-08-18

A hanson darted out Of the station.
and the occupants. two sun-tAnneo
men, stamped with the cavalry seal
each clutched at a vindou-resf ana ex-
changed smiles OF quick understand
ing
Great Scott" cried the major. II
eood TO be back in Gods country art
er two and a half years In the Fhiiip-
pines, Lock at the girls In musiin'
Jimmy. tets charter the hanson Tor
the afternoon ana 20 round ana see
things,"
His excitement met with no re-
sponse- Clancing at his companion.
he suddenly checked the further out
burst on his lips
What's up. Jimmy: No bad news,
I hope!"
Bad news. l have had none at
all"
Faith, there's plenty Of good nsn
in the sea. Believe me. Jimmy. there
Is safety In numbers ! have run art
er women all my life and never caught
one yet. SO | have had all the sport
and none OF the worry
Tennant agreed with him He vas
in no mood for discussion. nor did his
friends cynical badinage appeal TO him
at the moment
At last. when the major mad
gone OF to a club Tennant stood II
rssolutely 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 fg-
nored you for six. long months. and
now treats your homecoming with alb
soiute indifference, Give her no fur
ther heed"
But common sense whispered: FIND
cut the truth before you decide fou
would have trusted Elsie Stapieton
With your life. your future. your honor
DO not now condemn her unheard-"
He was a hard man and an obstinate
one. Not readily, nor yet In sunted
measure had he bestowed his love. and
che causeless, merciless abandonment
70 which he had been subjected had
Scared his heart. Nevertheless, pride
~ent under IN the struggle. and Re
started forth to ascertain from the
lady herself why he no longer found
savor IN her sight
When be 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
seryal opposed blank wall against
further inquiry. II struck him as
small coincidence that at the period
Of this change OF residence he was In
the widest part Of the Philippines and
temporarily incapacitated from writing
home. Letters from Elsie. breathing
love and hope. continued to reach him
by devious routes fof some weeks.
Then-silence,
Being a determined man. he inter
viewed local tradesmen. policemen.
post Office officials. and finally a doc
TOR. Here he fouad clew. Yes. ex-
actly eight months ago, Miss Elsie,
stapleton. suddenly became very Ill
received a shock. he believed. by un-
expected news concerning a friend In
:he Philippiness and was taken abroad
by her father. The girl was danger
ously III.
Abiaze with uncertainty. Tenant
went back to his hotel a 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 have been chasing you round the
world" he explained My business Is
important Can we have a quiet talk
somewhere7"
Jimmie led his namesake to a sit
ting-room. Here the other Capt. Zen
nant seated himself. lit a cigarette. and
produced an envelope.
DO you recognize the handwritiny?"
he said
Jimmie required no second glance
II was Elsies-
How the deuce did this come into
your possession" be demanded, fierce
iy.
Hold o., This AFFAIR may hav-
caused you some trouble. but not hall
80 much a. IL has given me. Now. jus,
sit stiil and listen My name happens
to be John Watson Tenant My wife
whom recently married. and who vas
a miliionaire's widow, happens to be
extremely jealous She collects nv
correspondence don't mind. as I
thought all the letters would be from
duns. ! didn't count on receiving love-
letters. and devilish weIl-written ones
at that from q young lady name1
Elsie By Jove, didn't she make !,
hot for me, Never a word did she let
on. though. for should have discov-
cred the mistake at once To her there
vas only one J. w. vennant in exis,-
ence. and she did not believe me vbe,
! showed her yonr name in the army
list I must admit that the last ;e,,.-
appeared to Justify her susp;c,onx
The last letter.