| Show I or1 d By Capt Charles King U S A Author of DcxRAVEX RANCH THE GOLOSHS I DAUGHTER 4 MJUIIONS A Ere Copyright by J B Lippincott Company Philadelphia and published by special arrangement with them CAPTErt V c I 1 I frJi 4 A little girl Icnclt sobbing and terrified Down in the valley south of the post abroad a-broad glare was already shooting upward up-ward and illuminating the sky One among a dozen little shanties and log Louses the homes of the laundresses of the garrison and collectively known as Budsville was a mass of flames There was a rush of officers across the parade end the men answering the alarm of the trumpet and the shots and shouts of the sentries came tearing from their quarters and plunging down the hill Among the first on the spot came the j young men who were of the party at par J Capt Rayners and Mr Graham was ahead of them all It was plain to the most inexperienced eye that there wa hardly anything left to save in or about the burning shanty All efforts must b directed towards preventing the spread of the flames to those fame t thos adjoining Half clad women and children were rushing abut shrieking with fright and excite ment and a few men were engaged in dragging household goods and furniture from those tenements not yet reached by the flames Fire apparatus th ere seemed to bo none though squads of b thouth men speedily speed-ily appeared with ladders sp buckets brought from the different company com-pany quarters and the arriving officers quickly formed the bucket lines and water dipped from the icy creek began to fly from habdto hand Before anything any-thing like this was fairly under way a scene of semitragic semicomic intensity inten-sity had been enacted in the presence of a rapidly gathering audience It was worth more than the price of admission t hear Blake tell it afterwards said the officers lat A tall angular woman frantic with excitement terror was dancing about in the brad glare of the burning hut tearing her hair making wild rushes at > w the flames from tie t time a though tj l itt on dragging out some prized obI ob-I J3ct that was being consumed before her l I eyes and a the time keeping up a volley vol-ley of maledictions and abuse i lavish I Hibernian apparently directed at a cowering I cow-ering object who sat in limp helplessness upon a little heap of firewood swaying from side t side and moaning stupidly i through the scorched and grimy hands i which his face was hidden His clothing cloth-ing was still smoking in places his hair and beard were singed to the roots he I was evidently seriously injured and the sympathizing soldiers who had i syphig sldie h3 gathered around him after deluging him with I snow and war were striving t get him t arise and go with them to the hospital I A little girl not te years old knelt sobbing sob-bing and terrified by his side She too i was scorched and singed and the soldiers i die had thrown rough blankets about j I be but it was for her father not herself i her-self she seemed worried to distraction J Some of the women were striving to reassure re-assure and comfort her in their homely fashion bidding her cheer upthe father I I was only stupid from drink and would be a right a soon as the liquor was I off of him But tho little one was beyond yond consolation s long a ho could nol or would not speak in answer to her entreaties en-treaties I All this time never pausing for breath shrieking anathemas on her drunken spouse reproaches on her frightened child and invocations to all the blessed I i I taints in heaven to reward the Eint hc t t1e gintleman i 1k who had saved her hoarded money a I smoking packet that she hugged to her I I brMr Clancy the saynior laundress laun-dress of Company B a she had long styled herself wa prancing up and I down through the gathering crowd II cr shrill voice overmastering all other clamor Tho vigorous efforts of the men I directed by cool headed officers soon beat back the flames that wero threatening j threaten-ing the neighboring shanties and leveled t the ground what remained of Private I Clancys home The fire was extinguished j almost a rapidly a it began but the torrent of Mr Clancys eloquence was still unstcmined Tho adjurations of Sympathetic sisters to Howld yer f bist the authoritative admonition of Borne old sergeant t Stop your infernal noi and the half maudlin yet appealing appeal-ing glances of her suffering lord were all Insufficient to check her I was not until the quiet tones of tho colonel were fccard that she began tc cool down Weve had enough of this Mr Clancy b still now or well have t send you t the hospital in the coal cart Ir Clancy knew that the colonel a a man of few words and believed him t b oneof less sentiment She w afraid of him and concluded it time tot to-t crease threats and abuse and come down I JV Ito the more effective role of wronged Buffering womanhood feat which she j 34 accomplished with the consummate ease I j I ot long practice for the rows in thoj f l Clancy household were matters of garrison garri-son notoriety Thp surgeon too had come and after quick examination of Clancys condition had directed him to b taken nt once to the hospital and thither his little daughter insisted on following him despite the efforts of some of the women to detain her and dress her properly Before returning to his quarters the I colonel desired to know something of the I origin of the fre There was testimony enough and to spare Every woman in Sudsville had a theory to express and was eager t b heard at once and to the exclusion of all others It was not until i nc had summarily ordered them to go to their hOI s and not come near him that the CIOle managed to get a clear statement i state-ment from some of the men j I Clancy had been away all the evening I drinking a usual and Mrs Clancy was j searching about Sudsvillo as much for sympathy and listeners a for him Little Lit-tle Kate who knew her fathers haunts i had guided him home and was striving I t get him to his little sleeping corner before her mothers return when in his drunken helplessness he fell against the table overturning the kerosene lamp j I and the curtains were all aflame in an j I instant It was just after tapsr 10 i oclock when Kate shrieks aroused i the inmates of Sudsville and inmat Sudsie started tho I cry of Fire The flimsy structure of 1 pine boards burned like so much fcjder I and the child and her stupefied father I had been dragged forth only in time t save their lives The little one after i i giving the alarm had ruslibd again into i I the house and was tugging at his senseless i I sense-less form when rescue came for both none too soon As for lr Clancy nt the first note of danger she had rushed screaming t the spot but only in time to see the whole interior ablaze and to howl frantically for some man to save her moneyit was all in the green box under the bed For husband and child she had for tho moment no thought They were safely out of the fire by the time she got there and she screamed and fought like a fury against the men who held her back when sho would have plunged into tho midst of it I tooVr vut a minute for one ortwojnen od > arst tr < ugh Jlc > flimsy wall with axes to rescue the ring box and knock off the lid It was a sight to see when the contents were handed t her She knelt wept i I prayed counted over bill after b l of smoking steaming greenbacks until j suddenly recalled to her senses by the eager curiosity and the remarks of some I of her fellow women That she kept money anC a good deal of it in her I quarters had long been suspected and a j i fiercely denied but no one had dreamed of such a sum as was revealed In her frenzy she had shrieked that I tho savings of her lifetime were burning that h there was over three thousand dollars in the box but she hid her treas ure and gasped and stammered and swore she was tajkingwild like They was nothing but twos end wans she vowed yet there were women there who declared that they had seen tens and twenties a she hurried them through her trembling fingers and Sudsville gossiped gos-siped and talked for two hours after she washed away still moaning and shivering shiver-ing to the bedside of poor Clancy who I was tho miserable cause of it alL The colonel listened to the stories with such I patience a could b accorded to witnesses I wit-nesses who desired t give prominence to their personal exploits in subduing I tie flames and rescuing life and property I prop-erty I was not until ho and the group I of officers with him had been engaged some moments in taking testimony that I something was elicited which caused anew beuation new senaton I I was not by the united efforts of Suds nIle that Clancy and Kate had been dragged from the flames but by the individual I in-dividual dash and determination of a I single man there was no discrepancy here for the ten or a dozen who were wildly rushing about the house made no effort to burst into it until a young soldier leaped through their midst into the biasing ing doorway was seen to throw a blanket I blan-ket over some object within and the next minute appeared again dragging a body through the flames Then they had sprang to his aid and between them Kate and tho ould man were lifted into the open air A moment later he had handed Mr Clancy her packet of money andthey hadnt seen him since lie was an officer said theya neW one They thought it must be the new lieutenant lieuten-ant of Company B and the colonel looked look-ed quickly around and said a few words to his adjutant who started up the hill forthwith A group of officers and Indies dies were standing at the brow of tho plateau east of the guard house gazing down upon the scene below and other ladies with their pscorts had gathered on a little knoll close by tho road that led t Prairie avenue I was past these that the adjutant walked rapidly away swinging hand his hurricane lamp in his handWhich way now Billings called one of the cavalry officers in the group Over to Mr Hayes quarters he shouted back never stopping at all A silence fell upon the group at mention men-tion of the name They were the ladies from Capt Rayners and a few of their immediate friends All l eyes followed tho twinkling light a it danced away eastward towards the gloomy coal sheds Then there was sudden and intense interest inter-est The lamp had come ton stand still i I was deposited on the ground and by its I dim ray the adjutant could be seen bending bend-ing over a dark object that was half sitting sit-ting half reclining at the platform of j I j i ti the shed Then came a shout Come I here some of you And most of the men ran t the spot For a moment not one word was spoken in the watching group then Miss Tray ers voice was heard What can it be Why do they stop there She felt a sudden hand upon her wrist and her sisters lips at her ear Come away Nellie I want to go home Come But Kate I must see what it means No come Itsits only some other drunken man probably Come And she strove t lead her But the other ladies were curious too and all insensible were edging over to the east a though eager t get in sight I of the group The recumbent object had been raised and was seen to be the dark figure of a man whom the others began slowly to lead away Ono of the group came running back t them it was Mr Foster vCome ladies I will escort you home a the others are busy What is the matter Mr Foster was ask by half a dozen voices I was Mr Hayne badly burned I I fear He was trying to get home after having saved poor Clancv You dont say sol Oh isnt there something wo can do Cant wo go that i j I i way and bo of some help was the eager petition of more than one of the ladies I Not now They will have the doctor i in a minute He hiss not inhaled flame lit is all external but he blinded I j al exteral was partly blnd ed and could not fur his way He called t Billings when ho heard him coming I will get you all home and then go back to him Come And offering of-fering his arm t Mrs Rayner who was i foremost in the direction ho wanted togo to-go the pathway across the parade Mr Foster led them on Of course thero I was eager talk and voluble sympathy but Ir Rayner spoke not a word The I t others crowded around him with questions ques-tions and her silence passed unnoted cx cepf by one j I Tho moment they were inside the door and I alone Miss Travera turned to her I Sister Kate what was this mans crime I CHAPTER V I I Ii j L5 f I I I I i r I J t p l l Jfj II n I J > f T I r t J I men the injuries at the fire An unusual state of affairs existed at the big hospital for several days Mrs i Clancy had refused to leave the bedside j of her beloved Mike and was permitted J to remain For a woman who was notorious I noto-rious as a virago and bully who had beaten little Kato from her babyhood i and abused and hammered her Michael i until between her and drink he was but j j the wreck of a stalwart manhood Mrs I I I Clancy had developed a degree of devotion I devo-tion that was utterly unexpected In all I tho dozen years of their marital relations I no such trait could be recalled and yet I there had been many an Occasion within I the past few years when Clancys condition condi-tion demanded gentle nursing and close I attention and never would have got it but for faithful little Kate The child I idolized the broken down man and loved him with n tenderness that his weakness i seemed but t augment a thousandfold I while it but served infuriate her mother moth-er I former years when ho was Sergt Clancy and n fine soldier many was the time ho had intervened t save her from an undeserved thrashing many a timo had ho seized her in his strong arms and confronted the furious woman with stern 1 reproof Between him and the child there had been the ten eret love for I she was all that was left to him of four I In the old days Mrs Clancy had been i the belo of tho soldiers balls a fine woman with indomitable looking wih pow j era a a dancer and conversationalist and an envied reputation for outshining j I I all her rivals in dress and adornment I She would ruin Clancy that she would was the unanimous opinion of I the soldiers wives but he seemed to minister min-ister to her extravagance with unfailing good nature for two or three years He had been prudent careful of his money was a war soldier with big arrears of i bounty and tradition had it a consummate consum-mate skill in poker He was the moneyed money-ed man among tho sergeants when the dashing relict of a brother noncommissioned noncommis-sioned officer set her widows cap for him and won I did not take many years I for her to wheedle most of his money I away but there was cessation t the demand no apparent limit to tho supply i i Both were growing older and now it he 1 j I I came evident that Mrs Clancy was tho elder of the two and that the artificiality artificial-ity of her charms could not stand tho i I test of frontier life No longer sought as the belle of the soldiers bal rooms she aspired t leadership among their wives and families and was accorded that pre < eminence rather than tho fierce battle which was sure to follow any revolt She became avaricious somo said miserly I J and Clancy miserable Then began the I downward course He took t drink soon i after his return from a long hard summers sum-mers campaign with the Indians He 1 lost his sergeants stripes and went into I i the ranks I I Ter came n time when the new col I onel forbade his reenlistment in tho cavalry regiment in which ho had served Iso Iso I-so many a long year Ho had been a bravo and devoted soldier He had a I good friend in the infantry he eaid who wouldnt go back on a poor fellow who pr took a drop to much at times and t the surprise of many soldiers officers I and men he waa broucht t the recruit I leg officer one day sober soldierly and trimly dressed and Capt Rayner expressed ex-pressed his desire to have him enlisted for his company and it was done Mrs Clancy was accorded the quarters and rations of a laundress as was then the custom and for a timea very short timeClancy seemed on the road t promotion pro-motion to his old grade Tho enemy tripped him aided by the scoldings and abuse of his wife and ho never rUed Some work was found for him around the quartermasters shops which saved him from guard duty or the guardhouse I guard-house The infantry officers and men i seemed to feel for the poor broken down old fellow and to lay much of his woo to the door of his wife There was charity for his faults and sympathy for his sorrows but at last it had come to this He was lying sorely injured in the hospital and there were times when ho was apparently delirious At such times said Mrs Clancy sir alone could manage him and she urged I that no other nurse could do more than excite or irritate him To the unspeakable unspeaka-ble grief of little Kato she to was driven from the sufferers bedside and forbidden to come into the room except when her mother gave permission Clancy had originally been carried into the general ward with the other patients 1 but the hospital steward two days afterwards j after-wards told tho surgeon that the patient I moaned and cried so at night that tho other sick men could not sleep and offered of-fered to give up a little room in his own part of the building The burly doctor looked surprised at this concession on the part of the steward who was a man tenacious of every perquisite and one who had made much complaint about the crowded condition of tho hospital wards and small looms ever since the frozen soldiers had come in All the same the doctor asked for no explanation explana-tion but gladly availed himself of time stewards offer Clancy was moved to this little room adjoining the stewards i quarters forthwith and Mrs Clancy was satisfied II Another thing had happened to excite remark and a good deal of i Nothing short of eternal damnation was Mrs 1lrs I Clancys frantic sentence on tho head of her unlucky spouse tho night of the fire when she va tho central figure of thq picture and when hundreds of witnesses to her vtis were grouped around Correspondingly had she called down the blessings of the Holy Virgin and all the saints upon the man who rescued and returned to her that precious packet of money Everybody heard her and it was out of the question for her to retract re-tract Nevertheless from within an I hour after Clancys admission to the i hospital not another word of the kind i I escaped her lips She was all patienco j and pity with the injured man and she shunnedall allusion t his preserver and her benefactor The surgeon had been called away after doingill in hispower to make Clancy comfoitable was needed elsewhere and only two or three soldiers and a hospital nurse still remained re-mained by his bedside where Mrs i Clancy and little Kate were drying their tears and receiving consolation from the I stewards wife The doctor had mentioned men-tioned a name a ho went away and it was seen that Clancy was striving t aka ak-a question Sergt Nolan bent down I Lie quiet Clancy me boy you must t be quiet or youll move the bandages I I Who did ho say was burned Who i was he going to see1 gasped the sufferer suf-ferer The new lieutenant Clancy him i that pulled ye out Hes a good one and J its Mrs Clancy thatll tell ye the same i i Tell him what said she turning about in sudden interest I About the lieutenants pulling him out of the lire and saving your money I Indeed yes Tho blessing of all the saints be upon his beautiful head and j But who was it What was his name I1 I say vehemently interrupted Clancy half raising himself upon his elbow and groaning with the effort What was his name I didnt see him Lieut Hayne man I Oh my God goapeU Clancy and fell back a though struck a sudden blow Sho sprang to his side Its faint ho is Dont answer his questions seri ser-i I geant Hes beside himself Oh will ye never stop talking to him and lave him in pace Go away all of yesgo away I say or yell dhrive him crazy wid yer Be quiet Mike dont ye spake agin And she lid a broad red hand upon his face He only groaned again and threw his one unbandaged arm i across his darkened eyes a though t hide from sight of all I From that time on she made no mention I men-tion of the name that so strangely excited ex-cited her stricken husband but the i I watchers in the hospital tho next night declared that in his ravings Clancy kept j I calling for Lieut Hayne I Stannards battalion of the cavalry came marching into tho post two day 1 after the fire and created a diversion in I the garrison talk which for one long day had been all of that dramatic incident I and its attendant circumstances In social circles among tho officers and ladies the main topic was the conduct of Mr I Hayne and the injuries ho had sustained I as a consequence of his gallant rescue i i Among the enlisted men and the denizens I deni-zens of Sudsville the talk was principally principal-ly of the revelation of Mrs Clancys hoard of greenbacks But in both circles I a singular story was just beginning toI creep around and it was to the effect that Clancy had cried aloud and fainted dead away and that Mrs Clancy had I gone into hysterics when they were told that Lieut Hayno was the man to whom the one owed his life and the other her I money Some one met Capt Rayner on the sidewalk tho morning Stannard came marching home and asked him if he had heard the queer story about Clancy He had not and it was told him then and there Rayner did not even attempt to laugh at it or turn it off in any way He looked dazed stunned for a moment turned very white nnd old looking and hardly saying good day t his informant faced I about and went straight t his quarters He va not among tho crowd that gath ered to welcome the incoming cavalrymen I cavalry-men that bright crisp winter day and that evening M Rayner went t the Ihosnital to ask what eho could do for ts < I Cla cad his wife Capt Rayner always ted her to that ev care ways expected ts reare andattention was paid to the sick and I nee y of his company she explained to the doctor who could not recall having seen her on a similar errand before although al-though sick and needy of Company B wero not unknown in garrisons where he had served with them She spent a good while with Mrs Clancy whom she had never noticed hitherto much to the j laundress indignation and concerning I whose conduct she had been known to express herself in terms of extreme disapprobation approbation But in times of suffering such things are forgotten Ir Rayner was full of sympathy and interest there was nothing she was not eager to send them and no thanks were necessary She could never do too much for the men of her husbands company I Yet there was a member of her husbands hus-bands company on whom in suffering neither she nor the captin saw ft to call Mr Haynes eyes were seriously injured by the flames and heat and he was now I living in darkness I might be a month said tho doctor before he could use his eyes again Only think of that poor fellow all alone out there on that ghastly prairie and unable to read 1 was the cxclania tion of one of the cavalry ladies in Mrs I Rayners presence and a there was an awkward silence and somebody had to break it Mrs Rayner responded I I lived on Prairie avenue I should consider blindness a blessing I was an unfortunate remark There was strong sympathy developing for Hayne all through the garrison Mrs should have Rayner never meant that it any such significance but inside of twentyfour hours in course of which her language had been repeated some dozens of times and distorted quite as many the generally accepted version of I the story was that Ir Rayner so far I from expressing the faintest sympathy j I or sorrow for Mr Haynes misfortune so i far from expressing the natural gratification I gratifi-cation which a lady should feel that it was an officer of her regiment who had reached the sceiioof danger ahead of the cavalry ulcer of the guard had said in so many words that Mr Hayne ought to be thankful that blindness was the worst i thing that had cOle to him i There was little chance for harmony after that Many men and some women of course refused to believe it and said they felt confident that she had been misrepresented Still all knew by this time that lr Rayner was bitter against Hayne and had heard of her denunciation denuncia-tion of the colonels action So too had the colonel heard that she openly declared l de-clared that she wouldrefuse any invitation invita-tion extended to her or to her sister I which might involve her accepting hospitality hos-pitality at his house These things do get around in most astonishing ways I Then another complication arose Hayne too was mixing matters The mi jor commanding the battalion umanj r in no wise connected with his inisfort unes had gone to him and urged with the doctors full consent that he should be moved over into and become an inmate in-mate of his household in garrison He Ie had a big roomy house His wife ear ncstly added her entreaties to the majors ma-jors but all to no purpose Mr Hayne firmly declined Ho thanked the major ma-jor ho roso and bent over tho ladys hand and thanked her with a voice that was full of gentleness and gratitude but he said that ho had learned to live in solitude Sam was accustomed to all his ways and he had every comfort ho needed His wants were few and simple sim-ple She would not be content and urged him further Ho loved reading surely lie would miss his books and would need some one to read aloud to him and there were so many ladies in the garrison who would bQ glad to meet at her house and rend to him by turns He loved music she heard and thero was her piano and she knew several who would be delighted to come and play for him by tho hour Ho shook his head and the bandages hid the tears that came to his smarting eyes He had made arrangements to be read aloud to he said and as for music that must wait awhile Tho kind woman retired dismayed she could not understand such obduracy and her husband felt rebuffed Stan nard of the cavalry too came in with II his gentle wife She was loved throughout out the regiment for her kindliness and grace of mine as well as for her deo i I lion t the sick and suffering in the old days of the Indian wars and Stannard r had mado a similar proffer and been similarly refused and ho had gone away indignant Ho thought Mr Hayne too I bumptious to live but lie bore no malice and his wrath was oon over Many of the cavalry officers called in person and tendered their services and were very civilly received but all offers were positively posi-tively declined Just what time infantry officers should do was a momentous question That they could no longer I hold aloof was a matter that was quickly quick-ly settled nnd three of their number I went through tho chill gloaming of the I wintry eve and sent in their cards by Sam who ushered them into the cheerless cheer-less front room while one of their number I num-ber followed t the doorway which led to the room in rear in which still confined con-fined to his bed by the doctors advice the injured officer was lying I was I Mr Ross who went to the door and cleared his throat and stood in the presence pres-ence of the man to whom more than I five years before he had refused his hand The others listened anxiously I Mr Hayne this is Ross I come with Foster and Graham to say how I deeply we regret your injuries and to tender our sympathy and our services I There was dead silence for a moment I Foster and Graham stood with hearts I that beat unaccountably hard looking at each other in perplexity Would ho never reply The answer came at lasta question To what injuries do you allude Mr Ross Even in tho twilight they could see I the sudden flush of the Scotchmans cheek Ho was a blunt fellow but a 1 the senior had been chosen spokesman I i for the three The abrupt question stag I I gered him I was a second or two before I be-fore ho could collect himself r colet himsel I I I mean the injuries at tho fire he rcDlied j G I II This timo no answer whatever It was growing too painful R looked in j I I bewilderment at tho bandaged face and i and again broke the silence I i We hope you wont deny us the r h I i to bo of service Mr Hayne I there is I anything wo can do that yon need or I would like hesitatingly You have nothing further to say1 asked the calm voice from the pillow Idont know what elso I wecan say faltered Ross after an instants pause The answer came firm and prompt but icily cool Then there is nothing that you can doAnd tho three took their departure sore at heart There wero other of the infantry who had purposed going to see Hayno that I evening but the story of Rosss experi cnce put an end to it all It was plain that even now Mr Hayno made the con i dition of the faintest advance from his i regimental comrades a full confession of j j error He would have no less j That evening thc loneI8at by his bedside bed-side and had au earnest talk He ventured 1 ven-tured to expostulate with the invalid on i his refusal to go to the majors or to Stannards He could have so mauI mau-i comforts and delicacies thorp that would I i bo impossible here He did not refer to j edibles and drinkables alone he said with a smile but Haynes patient face gave no sign of relentin He heard the colonel through and then said slowly and firmly I I have not acted hastily sir I ap1 I preciatc their kindness and am not ungrateful un-grateful Five years ago my whole life was changed From that time to this I 11 have done without a host of thin s that i used to be indispensable and have abjured I ab-jured them one and all for a single luxury I lux-ury that I cannot live without the luxury I lux-ury of utter independence joy of I knowing that I owe no man anything I the blessing of being beholden to no one jon I I j-on earth for a single service I cannot pay for I is tile one luxury left me CHAPTER VII 1 0 < f 7 1 l t j g z u = 0 < d w K IfJ I A 1 I m5 I 1 l j 1 = You shell not rjoF I was clear winters evening sharply cold about a week after the fire when I as Mrs Rayner camo down the stairway equipped for a walksand was passing i i the parlor door without stopping Miss Travers her caught sight of and called to Are you going walking Kate Do wait a moment and Ill go with you Any one in the hall could have shared the authors privilege and seen the expression ex-pression of annoyance and confusion that appeared on Mrs Rayners face I thought you were out DidjiotMr Graham take you walking He did but we wandered into Mrs Waldrons and she and the major begged i us to stay and we had some music and then tho frt cal sounded forrntreatand I Mr Graham had to go so he brought home Ive had no wall and need exercise exer-cise cisc I But I dont like you to be out after sunset That cough of yours I Disappeared the day after I got here Kate and thero hasnt been a vestige of it since This high dry climate put an i end to it No Ill be ready in one minI ute more Do wait Mrs Rayners hand was turning the I knqb while her sister was hurrying to the front door and drawing on her heavy I jacket as she did so The former faced I her impatiently I I dont think you are at all courteous I to your visitors You know just as well as I do that Mr Foster or Mr Royce or I some other of those young officers are i sure to be in just at this hour You really are very thoughtless Nellie I Miss Travers stopped short in her preparations prep-arations I Kate Ryner she began impressively impressive-ly it was only night before last that you rebuked mo for sitting here with I Mr Blake at this very hour and asked I me how I supposed Mr Van Antwerp would like it Now you Fudge I cannot stay and listen to such talk I you must go wait a few minutes until I get back II want t make a short call Then Ill take you So do I want to make a short call over at the doctors and you are going right to tho hospital are you not How do you know I am asked Mrs Rayner reddening You do go thero every evening it seems to me I dont Who told you I did Several people mentioned your kindness I kind-ness and attention to the Clancys Kate I have heard it from many sources I I wish people would mind their own affairs wailed Mrs Raynerpeevishly S do I Kate but they never have I and never will especially with an engaged en-gaged girL I have more to complain of than you but it doesnt make me forlorn for-lorn whereas you look fearfully worried about nothing Who says Im worried asked lfr Rayner with sudden vehemence you look worried Kate and havent ben at all like yourself for several days Now why shouldnt I go to the hospital with you Why do you try t hide your going from me Dont you know that I must have heard tho strange storieshat are flitting about the garrison Havent I asked you to set me right if I have been told a wrong one Kate you are fretting yourself to death abut something some-thing and the captain looks wore and i i I cannot but think it has some connection I con-nection with tho case of Mr Hayne Why j should the Clancys I II You have no right to think any such thing I answered her sister angrily Wo have suffered to much at his hands or on his account already and I never want to hear such words from your lips I would outrage Capt Ray ner t hear that my sister to whom belies be-lies given a home and a welcome was liki gen with those who side with thatthat thief Kate I Oh how can you use such words How dar you speak so of an officer You would not fell me what he was accused of but I tell you that if it bo else theft I dont believe it and no ono I There was n sudden footfall on the porch without and a quick sharp mi j perativo knock at the door Mrs Ray ner i fled back along tho hall towards the dining room Miss Travers hesitating but n second opened the door I was the soldier telegraph operator with a dispatch envelope in hL hand I I It is for Mrs Rayncr miss and an i answer is expected Shall I wait I Mrs Rayner came hastily forward from I her place of refuge within the dining i din-ing i room took the envelope without a j I word and passed into the parlor where standing i beneath the lamp she tore it j open i ghuiccd arxdously at its contents then tiiisw i with an exclamation of peevish indignation upon the table Youll have to answer for yourself Nellie I cannot s straighten your affairs and mine too And with that she was going but Miss Tnivers called her back i The message simply read No letter I in four days Is anything wrong Answer An-swer paid and was addressed to Mrs Rayner and signed ti V A I think you have been e neglectful neg-lectful said Mrs Rnyner who had i turned and now stood watching the I rising color and impatient tapping foot of her otmger sister Miss Travers bit her lips and compressed them hard I There was an evident struggle in her mind between a desire to make an impulsive I im-pulsive and sweeping reply and an effort to control herself Will you answer a quiet question or two she finally asked You know perfectly well I will was the sisterly rejoinder How long docs it tako a letter to go from here to New York Five or six days I suppose I Miss Travers stepped to the door briefly told the soldier there was no answer I thanked him for waiting and returned i You are not going to reply asked Mrs Rayner in amaze I I am not and I inferred you did not i intend to Now another question How many days have we been here Eight or nine nine it is I You saw me post a letter to Mr Van I Antwerp as we left tho Missouri did you not notY Yes At least I suppose so I wrote again as son as we got settled here three days after that did I not F You said you did repliedMrs Ray T ner ungraciously j And you Kate when you are your j i self have been prompt to declare that I i say what I mean Very probably it may have been four days from the time that letter from the transfer reached Wall j street t < the time tho next one could get to him from here even had I written the i night we arrived Possibly you forget that you forbade my doing so and sent me to bed early Mr Van Antwerp ha simply failed to remember that I had gone several hundred miles farther west and even had I written on the train twice a I day the letters would not have reached him uninterruptedly By this time he is i beginning to get them fast enough And as for you Kate you are quite a unjust I as he I augurs badly for my future peace nndI am learning two lessons I here Kate What two pray That he can be foolishly unreliable in estimating a woman And the other I That you may be persistently unreliable unreli-able in your judgment of a man i I Verily for a young woman with a I j sweet girlish face whom we saw but a week agone twitching a kittens ears and saying little or nothing Miss Travers I 1 was displaying unexpected fighting qualities qual-ities For a moment Mrs Rayner glared j at her in tremulous indignation and dismay dis-may j mayYou you ought to bo ashamed of i yourself was her eventual outbreak j But to this there was no reply Miss I Travers moved quietly to the doorway turned and looked her angry sister in I the eye and said I shall give up the walk and will go i to my room Excuse me to any visitors this pvcning I You are not going to write to him i now when you are angry I hope I I j 1 I shall not write to him until tomorrow tomor-row but when I do I shall tell him this I I Kate that if he desire my confidence heI i will address his complaints and inquiries j j to me I I am old enough to bo engaged I to him in your opinion I am equally old enough to attend to such details a these in my own I r Rayner stood one moment as I though astounded then she few to thin door and relieved her surcharged bosom a follows Well I pity the man you I t marry whether you arc lucky enough I to keep this ono or not and flounced in I r dignantly out of the house j When Capt Rayner came in half an I hour afterwards the parlor was deserted de-serted He was looking worn and dispirited i i di-spirited Finding one on the ground I floor he went to the foot of tho stairs i and called t Kate t j A dooropened above Kato has gene out captain I Do you know where Nellie Over to the hospital I think though j I cannot say i i She heard him sigh deeply move ire Bolutely abut tho hal for 0 moment then t r and go out i At his gate he found two figures dimly visible in the gathering darkness they had stopped on hearing his footstep One was an officer in uniform wrapped in heavy overcoat with a fur cap and a 1 I bandage over his eyes Tho other was a I Chinese servant and it was the latter i who asked I This Maje Waldlons l No said he hastily Maj Vial drorjs is the third door beyond t tho sound of his voico the offices quickly started but spoke in low measured meas-ured tone Straight ahead Sam And the Chinaman led him on Rayner stood a moment watching them bitter thoughts coursing through his 1 mind Mr Hayno was evidently sufficiently recovered t be up and out for f air and now ho w being invited again This time it was his old come Waldron who honored him Probably it was another dinner Little by little at this rate the timo would soon coma when Mr Hayno would be asked every where and ho and his correspondingly dropped Ho turned miserably away and went back to tho billiard rooms at the t store When Mrs Rayner rang her Del for tea that evening he had not re ippeared and she sent a messenger for him It wasa brilliant moonlit evening A strong prairie gale had begun to blow from tho northwest and was banging shutters and whirling psbbles at a furious furi-ous rate At the sound of the trumpets wailing tattoo a brace of young officers calling on tho ladies took their leave The captain had retired t his den or study where he shut himself up a good deal < of late and thither Mrs Rayner followed fol-lowed him and closed the door after her Throwing a cloak over her shoulders Miss Travers stepped out on the piazza and gazed in delight upon the moonlit panorama the snow covered summits to the south and west the rolling expanse panse of upland prairie between the rough outlines of the foothills softened in the silvery light the dark shadows of the barracks across tho parade the twinkling lights of the sergeants a they took their stations tho soldierly forma of tho officers hastening to their companies com-panies far across the frozen level Suddenly she becamne aware of two forms coming down tho walk They issued is-sued from Maj Waldrons quarters and the door closed behind them One was a young officer the other she speedily made out a Chinese servant who was guiding his master She knew tho pair in an instant and her first impulse was to retire Then sho reflected that he could not see and she wanted t look s she stayed They had almost reached her gate when n wild blast whirled the officers capo about his ears and sent some sheets of music flying across the road Leaving his master at the fence the Chinaman sped in pursuit and the she noted that Mr next thing was lIr Haynes fur cap was blown from his head and that he was groping for it helplessly I There was no one to call no one t i assist She hesitated one minute looked anxiously around then sprang t the gate picked up the cap pulled it well down over tho bandaged eyes seized tIme I young officer firmly by tho arm drew I him within the gate and led him to the l shelter of the piazza Once out of1 tbo I fury of the gale she cod hear his question ques-tion Did you get it all Sam i i Not yet she answered Oh how she 1 longed fore deep contralto I Hois coming com-ing He will b hero in a moment I am so sorry t have been a trouble t you he began again vaguely You are no trouble to me Im glad I was where I happened to see you and could help He spoke no more for n minute She I stood gazing at all that was visible of the pale face below the darkened eye It was so clear cut so refined in feature and the lips under the sweeping blonde mustache though set and compressed were delicate aud pink Ho turned his head eagerly towards the parade but Sam was still far away Tho music had scattered and was leading him a lively dance Isnt my servant coming he asked constrainedly I fear Im keeping you do wait He will find here Please not le wi fnd me hee You were going somewhere No unless it was here She w trembling now Please be patient M Hayne Sam may be a minute or two yet and hero you are out of the wind Again she looked in his face Ho was listening eagerly to her words a though striving to place her voice Could she b mistaken Was he too not trembling Beyond all doubt his lips wero quivering now nowMay I not know who it i that led me here he asked gently She hesitated hardly knowing how t tell him T and guess she laughed nerv ously But you couldnt You do not know my name It is my good fortune Mr Hayne You you saved my kitten Iyour cap There was no mistaking his start B doubt he had winced yond a though stung and was now striving t grope ida way to tho railing She divined his purpose pur-pose in an instant and her slender hand was laid pleadingly yet firmly on his arm Mr Hayne dont go Dont think of going Stay hero until Sam comes Hes coming now she faltered Is this Capt Rayners house he asked hoarse and low No matter whose it ist I welcome you here You shall not go she cried impulsively and both little hands were tugging at his arm He had found the railing and was pulling himself toward the gate but her words her clinging hands were too persuasive I cannot realize this ho said I do not understand Do not try to understand it Mr Hayne If I am only a girl I have aright a-right to think for myself My father was a soldier I am Nellie Travers and if he were alive know well he would have had mo do just what I have done this night Now wont you stay And light was beaming in through his darkened eyes and gladdening his soul with a rapture he had not known for years One instant ho seized and clasped her hand May God bless you was all he whispered but so softly that even she did not hear him He bowed low over the slender white hand and stayed This story was commenced In THE SUNDAT HERALD February S3 Back numbers can bo obtained at this offlcel Fro BE CONTINUED JTEXT SUXEAT |
