Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-04-06

grounds. he hastily reviewed. thanked
and dismissed them. They rode Gag
crly 10 the stables, surrounded at once
by comrades asking a volley Of ques-
lions which they, knowing nothing.
could not answer. Major Brent. turn
ing his horse ver to a stableman.
walked across the intervening space
to the commandments quarters. There
he announced himself In the custo-
mary way. A moment later he pre-
sentcd himself to Colonel Dare, who
was closeted with Pearl and the Nor
mon army scout.
he saw at once that something was
wrong and fear chilled his heart. The
scout slouched away upon q word from
the colonel who sat mt the command
ants desk ignoring Brent, not even
acknowledging his presence. His at
tention was fixed upon a lady's visiting
card. Ii was Bertha's.
Brent shot a swift glance ut Pearl.
Her back was turned toward him.
He advanced ir~resolutely. exhibiting
TO them the evidence OF the success of
his undertaking.
Presently the colonel lifted his eyes
and soberIy regarded Brent. Major"
said he. finally; II wish you would
read this card before we proceed TO
hear your report"
Brent stepped forward and took the
card from the colonel. His frigid re-
ception had schooled him for the un-
| expected and his composure was per-
feet. He read the words penciled
! thereupon. The colonel and Pearl
had their eyes fixed on him.
These words are true, whoever the
that wrote them may be" said
Brent. steadily. raising his eyes to
theirs. For Miss Dare's sake I am
very sorry indeed. aud also for your
,wn colonel. You both trusted the
fellow implicitly"
Both the colonel and his daughter
turned and gazed ut him c~uriously.
Then Pearl. a tinge Of sarcasm In her
voice, exclaimed:
ITO whom do you refer? i trust you
more than any man on earth except
father!
IL shall hold you to that" he re-
sponded. gravely. "For one foolish
moment / was absurd enough to think
that you. like the card, referred to the
i~nsufferable Adams"
To his superior officer In a formal
way he concluded:
adams. sir. / beg to report Is q
Granadian spy and Is still at large.
There, however are the Canal defense
plans!" lie deposited the document
and also the belt on the desk and stood
ut attention.
Chagrin and apology we're written
upon their faces. He smiled good hui
moredly.
That night Major Brent and Miss
Dare were dispatched to Washington
with the recovered military paper. The
president himself had telegraphed
Pearl t. accompany the major SO that
he might hear her story from her own
lips.
She started away with a counte-
nance hiding a full and sorrowfui
heart. Could she longer refuse to ac-
cept the seemingly irrefutable EVIL
dence of the guilt OF Captain Payne
with the discovery within his own
army belt? She wondered whether.
after all. the existence Of a foreign
alliance making Of Payne their dupe
was q myth. a mental fantasy Of her
own. Furthermore. her disappoint-
ment In the character Of Adams was
more personal than she cared TO let
herself believe. The man had got a
strange hold upon her.
Ard now again entered into the
lives and careers of these two people
that invisible evidence of a dominat-
ing ard controlling destiny SO often
before In crucial moments revealed. Ere
the train had proceeded many miles II
was attacked and held-up while cross
Ing the Rio Granada. The major was