d, and had risen to her feet, she saw that the young American
"senorita" was still watching her.

The two woman had been born with the earth between them, and with
centuries of difference in traditions and training. Neither could
understand the words which the other spoke, but when their eyes met
there went from the heart of each to the heart of the other a message
which did not require words to make itself understood.

With a beautiful grace of manner and expression, the Visayan went
to the other woman, and again speaking as if she thought her words
could be understood, held out the picture which she had kissed,
for the stranger to look at.

The photograph was that of a young American officer, in a lieutenant's
uniform.

Grace Allenthorne and her mother had lived in Manila for several
months. As the daughter of one of the oldest and most highly respected
officers in the service, and as a beautiful and attractive young woman,
she had naturally been popular in the life of the military element
of Manila's society. If she had herself been asked to describe the
situation in Manila, Grace would have said that she liked no one
officer better than another. They had all been "so nice" to her. With
the exception of two of their number, however, the officers with whom
she had ridden and talked and danced, would have said, if they had
expressed their opinion of the matter, that they were all out of it
except Lieutenant Chickering and Lieutenant Day; and some of them,
among themselves, possibly may have made quiet bets as to which one
of these two men would win in the end.

Then there came one of those official wavings of red tape in the air,
which army officers' families learn to dread as signals of approaching
trouble, and Colonel Allenthorne was transferred from Luzon to
Mindanao; and among the troops sent with him were the companies of
the rival lieutenants.

When the General sent back word that Zamboanga was a quiet city, with a
fair climate and comfortable quarters, his wife and daughter followed
him. If either of the young officers flattered himself that Grace was
coming on his account, and that he was going to be made aware of her
preference for himself on her arrival in Mindanao, he was disappointed.

Lieutenant Chickering was on duty when Miss Allenthorne arrived,
and she devoted two hours that evening to hearing Lieutenant Day
describe the city as he had found it. The next morning Lieutenant
Day was on duty,