is ear--more poor devils coming
or being dragged home from the hog ranch. Suddenly there came the sound
of muffled curses and blows. Sandy wondered why No. 2 did not call the
corporal. He hastened onward and out beyond the gate and came upon the
explanation: no need to call the corporal when two were already there,
with several of the guard, striving hard to lug peaceably to the prison
room a sextette of soldier revelers who resented being either lugged or
persuaded. The guard couldn't bear to hurt their fellows: who could say
but that conditions and parties might be reversed within the week? The
row subsided with the sight of Lieutenant Ray, but not until it had
prevented his hearing the call for the corporal that came from No. 4. He
found the front door bolted when he got back to the house, and,
remembering having bolted it, passed round to the rear steps and
then--met his mother at the door.

She had even more to ask him then, yet once more he pleaded: "Wait until
to-morrow night." So wait she did, patiently, prayerfully, trustfully,
until the morrow's night; and then, not so patiently, but, oh, even more
prayerfully, longer, very much longer.

CHAPTER XXII

THE LOST FOUND

"At the usual place and about the usual hour" the pretty phaeton, with
its fair charioteer and her black-browed companion, drew up that
afternoon under such shade as the cottonwoods afforded and waited for
the coming of a rider who, starting some time ahead, was now some time
behind. Nor did he seem to hasten when finally he came suddenly into
view at the mouth of that well-remembered ravine, and rode straight but
slowly to the rendezvous. She, the charioteer, exquisitely gowned as we
saw her parting from her invalid husband, watched him with dilating
eyes, alighted as he neared the grove, walked a dozen yards or so to
meet him and by his side as he led his mount to a point beyond earshot
of the carriage. "_You_ may trust that woman, Mrs. Dwight," said he,
"but I do not. I have come at last and against my judgment to hear----"

"_Mrs. Dwight!_" she began, with pouting reproach. "Are we at the hop
room, Sandy, or are we,"--and the dark eyes slowly lifted,--"are we back
again at Nagasaki?"

"We are never _that_!" was the quick reply, as he bent and knotted the
reins about a sapling at the brink; then, suddenly facing her: "I said I
should not meet you here again. I have come for this last time solely at
your urging. Never until this w