ut Vinton had long known him, and that was
enough. His name, his lineage, his high position socially, all united to
throw discredit on the grave suspicion that attached to him. Yet, here
they were, brought face to face, rivals for the hand of as lovely a girl
as the army ever knew. It was even possible that Foster was the
aggressor. Reilly's reluctant words gave proof that discussion of some
kind had occurred, and Stuyvesant broke away and was apparently wrathful
at being compelled to go back; then more words, longer detention; then a
swift-running form, Stuyvesant's, away from the scene; then the fatal
pistol; and against this chain of circumstances only the unsupported
statement of the accused that he left that revolver on the table in the
salon, left it where it was never afterwards seen. No wonder men shook
their heads.

It was three in the afternoon when the examination was resumed.
Meantime, from all over Manila came the correspondents, burning with
zeal and impatience, for the Esmeralda was scheduled to leave at five,
and a stony-hearted censor at the Ayuntamiento had turned down whole
pages of thrilling "copy" that would cost three dollars a word to send
to the States, but sell for thirty times as much when it got there.

"Despite the positive identification of the remains," wrote one inspired
journalist, "by such an unimpeachable and intelligent woman as Zenobia
Perkins, who attended the murdered lad after he was so severely burned
upon the train,--despite the equally positive recognition by that
eminent and distinguished surgeon, Dr. Frank, this military satrap and
censor dares to say that not until the identity of the deceased is
established to the satisfaction of the military authorities will the
report be cabled. How long will the people of America submit to such
tyrannical dictation?"

When the provost-marshal himself, with his assistants and Vinton and
Stuyvesant, returned at three and found Zenobia the vortex of a storm of
questioners, the centre of a circle of rapid-writing scribes, these
latter could have sworn--did swear, some of them--that, far from
expediting matters in order that a full report might be sent by the
Esmeralda, the officials showed a provoking and exasperating disposition
to prolong and delay them.

And even at this time and at this distance, with all his regard,
personal and professional, for the official referred to, the present
chronicler is unable entirely to refute the allega