La Junta tribune., 1906-10-13

Instead OF pTacau up lpr air tAOEt 1
put the matter off. stipulating with
myself that would do better when
we were ashore aHd | would not be SO
'a' mately connected with my victims
There | would do soma fine sparriEs
from Il distance.
One morning we stood on the ships
deck in the hariJor of Manila taking
leave of each other. The mother gave
my hand warm grasp. assuring me
she would never forget that her boy
was spared Ia her only through me.
Both the children ciamored for kisses.
and IT seemed they would never loosen
their arms fro4 about my neck. When
| went down the ssnsway they fol-
lowed 10 the gunwale. Jack climbing
n tie risk of falling overheard. Alice
held M by her mother. all waving and
shouting goodbys.
1t WAS several days after we reached
Manila before l took any steps in the
business ON which l had come out
tried TO deceive myself into believing
that / was waiting for something. but
in reality l was giving them time TO
get away. l needed money and drew
on the agency in San Francisco. This
made me ashamed of myself. ! hustled
into a police office with great show of
business and hired a man 10 do the
work l should have done myself.
gave him a description of Mrs. Peter
sen and told him TO find out II she had
left Manila and. IL so. where she had
gone. Then I waited. every day dread
ing that he would report what l did not
wish TO know. In couple of days he
returned with the information that
Mrs Petersen had gone to an army
post In the Interior and had changed
her name TO Finch. having Joined her
husband, lieutenant Of artillery serv'
Ing under that name.
Well. at last ! was In for II. sure
enough. You see. another fellow had
the secret. II was . choice between
my getting the man bad employed Oh
In lonely place and numbering him OF
srresting Petersen. alias Finch. ! con-
fess was strongly inclined to the muir
der. bot reluctantly decided on the
arrest. went to the post where Lieu
tenant Finch was % dsty. ! found
hat be was cOnsi<bsged . GAllant sol
dieS and had risen from the ranks for
bravery In action-
One evening. braced with much reso-
luton, but with . cowarlly heart.
went to Finch's quarters and without
ring or knock entered q hallway. Near
ny was an open door. and from within
could hear voIces-a woman's. which !
recognized as Mrs. Petersen's, and two
children's, Jacks and Alice's. I moved
forward and stood before the open door.
An officer In khaki was sitting with
Jack on one knee and Alice on the
other, while the wife was standing
behind. with her arms around her hus
bands neck. The moment she saw me
she uttered an exclamation of pleasure,
coming forward with outstretehed
hands. Jack and Alice jumped down
from their fathers knees and clung to
my legs.
This Is the gentleman" said Mrs.
Petersen. "who saved Jacks life"
The ofiicer came forward and wei
coined me warmly. What could I do:
Turn this happy welcome into gall by
arresting the father and husband be
fore his wife and children? felt AZ
IL I had been caught stealing instead
OF catching thief But IL wasn't long
before they took all remembrance of
my duty out of me. Mrs. Petersen In
sisted that must be hungry and on
getting up supper for me. As soon
as 1t WAS ready we all sat down at
the table and were soon chatting and
laughing. rapidly becoming the best Of
friends. In the midst of our hlarity
Jack and Alice. who had been put TO
bed In an adjoining room. came romp-
ing in In their "nighiles" and perchcd
themselves on my shoulders. took
them back TO bed In my own arms and
covered them up. We sat till late.
smoking and chatting. I passing one
Of the pleasanfest evenings in my life
When ] arose to go the officer asked
me how long would be In the Philip
pines That brought me back TO the