e to
Department Headquarters a person representing himself as the San
Francisco agent of the Escalante brothers, presenting a written order
for a valuable package which had been given the purser for safe
keeping--had been locked by him in his safe, and which now could be
found nowhere. Mr. Traynor had declared to the owners that after getting
the women aboard the boat he had taken all the money from the safe and
such packages as it was possible to carry, and tossed three or four to
Loring as he stood balancing himself on a thwart and clinging to the
fall, and that he was sure one of them was that of the Senorita Pancha,
for she was at the moment clasping Loring's knees and imploring him to
sit down. The boat was alternately lifting high and sinking deep as the
great waves rolled by, and Traynor, while admitting haste and
excitement, declared that he could almost swear that Loring received
three packages and one of them must have been that now demanded by the
Escalante's agent. Hence the visit of that somber person to headquarters
and his importunate appeals to Loring, who told him the whole story was
absurd.

But then this agent had appealed to the general, and that officer, whose
manner the day of Loring's return to duty had been marked by odd
constraint, sent for the Engineer and required of him a statement as to
the truth or falsity of these allegations, and when Loring, startled and
indignant, answered "False, of course, sir," and demanded what further
accusation there was, the chief tossed aside the paper folder he was
nervously fingering, sprang up and began to pace the floor, a favorite
method, said those who long had known him, of working off steam when he
was much excited.

"I can't--discuss this painful matter, Mr. Loring," said he, testily.
"You'll have to see Colonel Strain, the adjutant-general. This
deplorable loss of Colonel Turnbull has upset everybody."

So Loring went to Colonel Strain, a man to whom he was but slightly
known, and then it was developed that a young lady wearing mourning, a
very lovely girl, so every one described her, had called no less than
three times to inquire if Mr. Loring were not returned. Once only had
the general seen her, but Strain was three times her listener, and a
patient one he proved, and a most assiduous friend and sympathizer for
several days, until, as it subsequently transpired, in some way matters
reached the ears of Mrs. Strain. The colonel very pointedly told