e that no one answering the description of either of the two
young men had slipped aboard. Those in the employ of the sad old man were
persistent in the statement that they had clues--were on the scent, etc.
He was a sheep worth the shearing, and so, while Mr. Prime spent many
hours in consultation with certain of these so-called sleuth-hounds, the
young ladies took their daily drive through the park, generally picking
up the smiling Schuyler somewhere along the way, and rarely omitting a
call, with creature comforts in the way of baskets of fruit, upon the
happy Billy, whose limits were no longer restricted to his tent, as
during the first week of his arrest, but whose court was ordered to sit
in judgment on him the first of the coming week. Already it began to be
whispered that Armstrong had a mine to spring in behalf of the defense,
but he was so reserved that no one, even Gordon, sought to question.

"Armstrong is a trump!" said Billy to Miss Lawrence, one fair morning.
"He'll knock those charges silly--though I dare say I could have wormed
through all right; only, you see, I couldn't get out to find people to
give evidence for me."

"Do you--see him often?" she asked, somewhat vaguely.

"Armstrong!" exclaimed Billy, in open-eyed amaze. "Why, he's here with me
every day."

"But never," thought Miss Lawrence, "in the morning--when we are."

The eventful Monday was duly ushered in, but not the court. That case
never came to trial. Like the crack of a whip an order snapped in by wire
on the Thursday previous--three regiments, the --teenth regulars and the
"Primeval Dudes," Armstrong's splendid regiment among them--to prepare
for sea voyage forthwith. More than that, General Drayton and staff were
directed to proceed to Manila at once. Two-thirds of the members of the
court were from these regiments. A new detail would be necessary. The
General sent for Armstrong.

"Can't we try that case here and now?" he asked.

"Certainly," said Armstrong, "if you'll send for Canker that _he_ may be
satisfied."

And Canker came and listened. It was admitted that Gray had had a long
talk with the prisoner, took him his overcoat, newspapers, etc., but, in
extenuation, they were members of the same college society and their
social standing was, outside the army, on the same plane. Gray deserved
reprimand and caution--nothing more. As to the carriage, he had nothing to
do with the one that drove to camp that night. A man in the u