Army and Navy Weekly — page 23: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ARMY AND NAVY ago,’’ replied the lad. ‘‘And she told me to run. She seemed scared to death, sir, and I know she’d been crying.”’ Mark stared into his earnest face a mo- ment, and then he turned away in thought. ‘You may go,’’ he said to the boy. gal know my way to her house alone.’ The lad disappeared ; and Mark, with- out a moment’s hesitation, went over and woke one of the cadets. “Wake up, Texas,’?’ he whispered. ‘¢Wake up and read this.”’ Texas arose from his couch in surprise and sleepy alarm. He read the letter, gasping; then he stared at Mark. “Do you think she wrote it?’ he in- quired. That problem was puzzling Mark, too. He had received two letters before from that girl, under exactly similar circiim- stances. One had been a trick of the ca- dets to lure him out. The other had been genuine, and had resulted in Mark’s sav- ing the girl’s brother from disgrace and ruin. But which was this?. Mark made up his mind quickly. “T think she wrote it, old man,’’ he said. ‘The drum-boy who gave me this gave me the other she wrote, too, and he swears she wrote this. He said she was frightened and crying. ‘Texas, she lives way off there with her old mother, who’s blind and helpless. And there’s no tell- ing what may have happened to her. Just see how urgent that noteis. I must go, old man. I’d be a coward if I didn’t. She don’t know a soul to call on but he;?’ And Mark, generous and noble to a fault, had turned and begun to fling on his clothing. Texas was doing likewise. “T’m a-goin’, too,’’? he vowed. “(She says not,’’? whispered Mark. “T know,’ was the answer. ‘‘She ain’t a-goin’ to know it. I’m a-goin’ in case it’s them durnation ole yearlin’s. Ef Isee it’s all right, and she wrote it, I reckon I kin sneak home.”’ Nothing could deter the faithful and vigilant Texan from his resolution, and when Mark stole out of his tent his friend was at his heels. ‘They passed the sentry, Baby Edwards, with the usual signal, Mark fooled for once, was chuck- ling at his deception, thinking Baby 1077 thought them yearlings. But Baby knew who it wads, and laughed. The two, once clear of camp, set out on adead run. ‘They dashed across the cavalry plain and down the road to High- land Falls. It was nearly a mile to where Meg Adams lived, but Mark never stopped once, not even when he came to the dreaded cadet limits, to be found . beyond which meant court- martial and dismissal in disgrace. He took the risk grimly, however, and ran on. When they finally reached the girl’s house the Texan was panting and exhausted. ‘“You stay there,’’ whispered Mark, pointing to a clump of bushes nearby. Texas crouched behind them, and dou- bled his fists in determination. Mark just as promptly stepped up to the door and softly rapped. There was a light in one of the rooms on the ground floor. The curtain was carefully drawn, but Texas, watching closely, saw a shadow swiftly flit across. And just after that the door was flung open, and the girl stood before them. “T knew you would come!’’ Texas heard her cry. ‘‘Oh, thank Heaven!’’ Then Mark stepped inside, and the door shut again. Texas waited in suspense and curiosity. He did not know how long Mark might be in there, but he was resolved to stick it out.. Then suddenly, to his surprise, the door was opened again, and Mark and the girl stepped out. She was leaning upon his arm, and hurrying him forward quickly. She was evidently in great distress, and from what the hidden listener heard, Mark was striving his best to comfort her. The two figures hurried across the clearing and vanished in the woods. Texas arose from his position. ‘*T reckon it’s all right,’’ he muttered. wats curation mysterious, but there! S nothin’ mo’ fo’ me to do.”’ And suiting the action to the word the faithful Southener turned and set out rapidly for camp. Which ended Mark Mallory’s last chance of escape. CHAPTER IV. THE ALARM AT CAMP M’PHERSON. Mark Mallory when he entered ‘‘Meg’’ COmiclboooks.Gom