Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-09-07


grounds, he hastily reviewed, thanked
and dismissed them They rode Gag
erly to the stables, surrounded at once
by comrades asking a volley Of ques-
tions which they, knowing nothing,
could not answer Major Brent, turn
ing his horse over 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-
scented himself to Colonel Dare, VINO
was closeted with Pearl and the Nor
mon army scout.
He saw ut once that something was
wrong and fear chilled his heart. The
scout slouched away upon a word from
the colonel who sat at the command
ants desk ignoring Brent, not even
acknowledging his presence. His at
tention was fixed upon a lady's visiting
card. 1t was Bertha's.
Brent shot a swift glance at Pearl.
Her back was turned toward him.
He advanced irresOlutely, exhibiting
to them the evidence of the success Of
his undertaking.
Presently the colonel lifted his eyes
and soberly 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 I'M
expected and his composure was per-
feet. He read the words penciled
t%hereupon. The colonel and Pearl
had their eyes fixed on him.
These words are true, whoever the
woman that wrote them may be-" said
Brent, steadily, raising his eyes to
theirs. "For Miss Dare's sake 1 am
very sorry indeed, and also for your
own colonel. You both trusted the
fellow implicitly"
Both the colonel and his daughter
turned and gazed at him curlously.
Then Pearl, a tinge of arcasm In her
voice, exclaimed:
ITO whom do you refer7 1 trust you
more than any man on earth except
father"
81 shall hold you to that" he re-
spOnded, gravely. "For one foolish
moment I was absurd enough to think
that you, like the card, referred to the
insufferable Adams"
To his superior officer in a formal
way he concluded:
adams, sir, l beg to report is q
Granadian spy md is still at large.
There, however, are the Canal defense
plans !" He deposited the document
and also the belt on the desk and stood
at attention.
Chagrin and apology were written
upon their faces. He smiled good hu-
moredly.
That night Major Brent and Miss
Dare were dispatched to Washington
with the recovered military paper. The
president himself had telegraphed
Pearl to accompany the major so that
he might hear her story from her own
lips.
She started away with d counte-
nance hiding a full and sorrowful
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 a 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.
And now again entered into the
lives and careers Of these two people
that invisible evidence of a domlnat-
ing and controlling destiny so often
before in crucial moments revealed. Ere
the train had proceeded many miles It
was attacked and held-up while cross
ing the Rio Granada. The major was