starved all
through the war. She longed for life, luxury, comforts. She had nothing
but her beauty, he nothing but his pay. The extravagances of a month
swamped him; the drink and desperation of the next ruined him. He
maintained her in luxury at the best hotel only a few weeks, then all of
his and much of Uncle Sam's money was gone. Inspection proved him a
thief and embezzler. He fled, and she was abandoned to her own
resources. She had none but her beauty and a gift of penmanship which
covered the many sins of her orthography. She was given a clerkship, but
wanted more money, and took it, blackmailing a quartermaster. She
imposed on Waring, but he quickly found her out and absolutely refused
afterwards to see her at all. She was piqued and angered, "a woman
scorned," but not until he joined Battery "X" did opportunity present
itself for revenge. She had secured a room under Mrs. Doyle's reputable
roof, to be near the barracks, where she could support herself by
writing for Mrs. Doyle and blackmailing those whom she lured, and where
she could watch _him_, and, to her eager delight, she noted and prepared
to make much of his attentions to Madame Lascelles. Incidentally, too,
she might inveigle the susceptible Lascelles himself, on the principle
that there's no fool like an old fool. Mrs. Doyle lent herself eagerly
to the scheme. The letters began to pass to and fro again. Lascelles was
fool enough to answer, and when, all on a sudden, Mrs. Doyle's
"long-missing relative," as she called him, turned up, a pensioner on
her charity, it was through the united efforts of the two women he got a
situation as cab-driver at the stable up at the eastern skirt of the
town. Dawson had enlisted to keep from starving, and, though she had no
use for him as a husband, he would do to fetch and carry, and he dare
not disobey. Twice when Doyle was battery officer of the day did this
strangely-assorted pair of women entertain Lascelles at supper and
fleece him out of what money he had. Then came Philippes with Lascelles
in Mike's cab, as luck would have it, but they could not fleece
Philippes. Old Lascelles was rapidly succumbing to Nita's fascinations
when came the night of the terrible storm. Mike had got to drinking, and
was laid low by the lieutenant. Mike and Bridget both vowed vengeance.
But meantime Doyle himself had got wind of something that was going on,
and he and his tyrant had a fearful row. He commanded her never to allow
a man