The Irish standard., 1909-03-06
CHAPTER XVIII,
Casa fuerte.

when he had q normal temperature;
yet he saw the stars come out and the
; stars fade on that fateful April night.
He entered his room at the hour when
midnight brushes the pale skirts of
dawn and misguided cocks are vocifer-
: ating their existence to an Indifferent
world. Before he came there had been
! long council with Mercer and his
aunt Mercer, who had been success
full in his mission, had barely seen his
chief for moment before gentle
but imperious nurse ordered him
away. Winter caught queer, abrupt
/ laugh from the tinancier. The latter
beckoned to him. See you are as
obedient as I am when your time
comes" he chuckled; and he chuckled
again when both the soldier and Miss
Smith blushed over his awkward
| jocoseness. Yet, the next moment he
! extended his hand with his formal,
other-generation courtesy and took
Miss Janet's shapely, firm fingers in
his own lean and nervous grasp. CAL
low me to offer you both my sincere
congratulations" began he, and halted.
his eyes, which seemed so injurious
but were so keen, travelling from the
! woman's confusion to the mans. II
beg your pardon; understood-Ar-
chic who was here, gave me to under
Standard heard you singing; you
will hardly believe It, but years ago I
| sang that to my wife"
$50 far as am concerned, It is
settled" said the colonel steadily.
1--WE are ALL" Keatcham continued,
no longer with any trace Of embarrass.
! ment, as he touched the hand which
he still held with bis own other hand.
I'VE are all, as you know, my dear
| young lady, in considerable personal
peril; I regret that it should be on my
account; but 1t really is not my fault;
1t is because will not relax my pur-
! suit Of great scoundrel who is dan
gerous to all decent people. But being
in such danger, I think you will be
glad afterward II you are generously
frank, and give up something of the
sex's prerogative to keep lover On
the anxious seat. Excuse me Aft
presume on my age and my privileges
as a patient"
Janet lifted her sweet eyes and sent
one glance as heeting and light as the
flash of a birds wing. "I.I-reckon
1t is settled" murmured she; but i'm.
mediately she was the nurse again.
mfr. Keatcham, you are staying awake
much too late Hereois Colvin, who
will see to anything you want. Good
night" - 81
! It was then that Mr.. Keatcham had
taken the colonel's breath away by
kissing Janet's hand: after which he
shook hands with the colonel with a
i strange new cordiality, and watched
them both go away together with a
look on his gaunt face unlike any
known to Colvin.
Only three minutes in the hall, with
; the moon through the arched window
! and his arm about her and the fra
GRANGE Of her loosened hair against
his cheek and her voice stirring his
heartstrings with an exquisite pang
Only time for the immemorial ques'
! lions of love: are you sure, dear, it
! is really II" and when did you
first To this last she had an.
swered with her half-humorous, adora'
/ BILE little Tilt Of laugh: ooh,
reckon it was-a-little-al along
ever since I read about your saving
] that poor little Filipino boy, like
+. Archie; .he one who was your servant
in Manila, and going hungry for him
on the march and jumping into the
rapids to save hjm-when you were
lame, too"
Here the colonel burst in with q
! groan: "Oh, that monstrous newspa
per liar! The dear little Filipino boy
was married man; and didn't jump
into the river to save him. 1t wasn't
more than wading depth-I only swore
/ at him for an idiot and told him to
/ walk out when he tipped over his
boat and was noundering about And
| he did! He was The limit as liar
To his relief. the most sensible az
! we'll as the most lovable woman in the
! world had burst into a delicious bit OF
laughter and returned: ooh, well
i you would have jumped in and saved
him II the water had been deep; II
wasn't your fault 1t was shallow" And
Just at this point Mercer and Aunt
Rebecca must needs come with a most
unusual premonitory racket. and Janet
T; had fed.
Afterward had come the council
All the coil had been unraveled. Bird
sail appeared in person. as sleek
smiling and complacent over hi.
blunders as ever One of his first
sentences was a declaration Of trust
In Miss Smith.
II certainly went of at half.cocl
there" said he, amiably; "and just be
cause she was so awful nice I felt
obliged to suspect her; but I've go'
the real dog that killed the sheep this
time; it's sure the real Red Wull!'
It appeared that he had. Of verify
been usefully busy. He had secured
tho mechanic who had given Atkins q
plan Of the secret passages Of Casa
Juerts, He had found tho policeman