Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-06-23

! Miss Edgerton seemed obliviouS to
it all. But she was such Il childlike
little thing that no one had much fear
of her suspecting any deception. and If
she did suspect it there was no way of
confirming it. Was not Rogers shut
I'D in his quarters. not daring to show
his face outside. both OIL account OF
military discipline aud because he did
not wish to spoil Mrs. Seymours mat
rimonial plans for him?
Notwithstanding Miss Edgerton's in
nocence it struck me that she was
bit of flirt. Al any rate. IL seemed 10
me at times that she was flirting with
me. | suppose in such affairs there Is
more or less of game going on De
tween the parties Interested. | men
ton this as some excuse for myself for
entering upon IL process calculated to
win the heart of an innocent girl. es-
pecially when was not sure that l
was doing it for pastime.
One morning the mail brought an
order from Washington to dismiss the
charges against Lieutenant Rogers and
release him from arrest. A bOmDShell
thrown into the garrison could not
Mrs Seymour was in terrible guam
Diary. having laid no plan for such
juncture. All the officers and officers
families. who had been calling me
Rogers. began to think Of the position
they would occupy toward the girl
they had conspired to fool.
AS soon as Rogers appeared for duty
he solved the problem. He was to be
Lieutenant Boynton. and l was to re-
main Lieutenant Rogers. This satisfied
Mrs. Seymour, who invited us both to
dinner, and so great was the interest
Of the others in this complicated affair
that before the dinner came off she in
vited all the officers and their wives.
was still supposed to be in especial
attendance upon Miss Edgerton and
took her in to dinner. The first words
spoken by Rogers caused consterna-
ton.
II say. Rogers" he said to me. 81
congratulate you on your release from
arrest. What did you want to make
beast Of yourself forT'
AS soon as l could regain my equa-
nimity l turned upon him with feigned
severity and said:
what do you mean. sir. by thus &C
cusing n brother officer?"
IT mean that Lieutenant Alfred Rog-
erS at the last hop got tipsy on three
glasses of champagne and a pony Of
brandy, called the major names and
was arrested and confined TO his
quarters. Charges were preferred. and
Lieutenant Rogers father. being a
senator. succeeded in having them
dropped. Now. who is Lieutenant Rog,
ers If he is not you? Are you in the
army under an assumed name to hide
Some former disgrace?"
Up spoke Miss EdgertOn. During
this harangUe she had drawn away
from me as far as possible, regarding
me with a singular expression. Then
she turned to Mrs. Seymour.
What does this mean?" she de-
manded.
Mrs. Seymour was so agoniZed that
she couldn't find either voice or words
for reply. Miss EdgertOn left her seat,
went to her friend and put her arms
about her. Then, standing by her. she
said:
The farce is ended. Let those laugh
best who laugh last Soon after my
arrival here | saw ut q window an Off
Ger whom l had met last summer at
West Point and whose name l knew TO
be Alfred Rogers. We chatted. and he
confessed that he was confined to his
room under arrest for getting tipsy
and being disreSpectful to the major.
l had no difficulty in getting out Of
him this scheme to substitute Lieuten-
ant BOynton in his place. Since that
time the real Lieutenant Rogers and 1
have been carrying on a clandestine
correspondence"
During this revelation to those who
had supposed themselves to have been
deriving amusement at Miss EdGer-
tons expense. of how she and Rogers
had outwitted the whole of us. there