The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-24
BLACK MAIL.

On Two Parts; Part Two)
I'm in the same boat said tho
little man boldly. Il haven't cent.
Il just saw you leave the bank"
said Arthur. adding suggcstively,
there's an officer at the next corner.
For a moment terror seized the
little man. Then he grew desperate.
Take it," he cried. throwing him the
check Its the last I've got and I'm
glad" With a cry he DISAPPEARED into
the gathering storm.
Lieutenant Wentworth, absent and
unaccounted for"
For the first time since he had been
one of Uncle Sans defenders were
the foregoing words written after his
name. For week now tho report had
stood thus. There was not man in
commissioned circles. save one, but
regretted the abaence of Lieutenant
Billy" as he was callo:, and thoro
was not n man in the ranks, save
one but missed the cherry, we'll known
face Of their boy officer.
"Everywhcre I go it is the same. 1
can always see his face as l saw 1t
last" The speaker. Captain Murray.
Leaned on a case Of books in tho
library, where group OF officers were
gathered, and looked out the window
at the driving rain.
1T was the night the storm first
struck u.s." said one. 1T is popular
belief that he was lost along the
coast. And he was jus. boy, too
/ knew him back in Kentucky
From the enlisted mems quarters
above the roar OF the storm came the
sound Of some one playing banjo.
and the tune was MY Old Kentucky
Home" The one who had just spoke
hummed the words.
He was Just a boy" repeated the
old colonel God have mercy or.
him And no one spoke for they
knew he was thinking OF his own boy
who had been lost in such storm
years before. Searching parties had
been sent out for young Wentworth,
and now all there was to do was sit
and wait. And they waited but i'm
patiently.
And. meanwhile, what Of Went
worth? When he parted with Arthur
his one impulse was to get somewhere.
anywhere, away from the tall man.
where he could not hear his voice or
see his face or breathe even the air
he bGeathcd. BHndly nc walked on
and on, the entire night. and when
I the storm struck the place he found
/ himself in a small costal village he
/ had visited once Eefore. The thought
/ of reaching the post that night was
! absurd, and FOR three days he stayed
| along the storm swept coast. Then
/ an inundation was threa tened and tho
/ Mace was deserted The little man
awake In the night to hear the lap
lap of rising water. IT covered the
floor OF the little nipa hut he had
called home" for the last three days
frcnzied he rushed to the door and
lung II opan. Black sky and blacker
water greeted him on every side. lie
had beer left alone to the mercy OF
the rising waters!
lie crawlcd TO the roof of the little
nuiidina and chung there desperately
Ia" rain had slightly abnted, but 1t
seemed as If Il hurricane were blow
ing. and. with lurch. the hut toppled
over ana was borne away Tho cold
water crcpt over the little man. chill
ing him TO the marrow, and no struck
out in the direction Of IN u2rooted
palm for support. but. on reaching It.
nc FOUND ii took all his strength Ia
cling to the slippery wet bark. The
'nin came down harder now and heat
p,tiiessy In his cold face, and heavy
objects crushed against him. but hc
could not feel the pain for tho chill
or Tho rushing water. Vivid streake
OF lightning lit up the heavens and