Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-13
CHAPTER v.
COME RACK.

CHAPTER v.
COME BACK.
Mrs. Tyerman's threat was never carried
out; even she, 1 suppose, as little
Mrs. DOrman mad prophesied, not caring
to face the quiet, courteous old Dean on
such an errand.
So time sped on. Autumn had sighed
itself somewhat blusteringly out, and
winter, like old age, had stolen quietly al
most imperceptibly, in.
As time went on, and the Major became,
if that We're possible, a still more frequent
visitor to the deanery, his confidence did
not increase, and he saw no way to
speaking what was nearest to his heart.
At times it had seemed to him indeed that
the time for speaking would never come to
him at all. Was he, as the days wentOn,
becoming less to the Deans daughter in
stead Of more? Were her smiles, her
welcome, really losing something of their
warmth and readiness? Was she a
goddess still, but a goddess freezing into
marble as his own fire and ardOr in
creased? Latterly there were days even
when he thought she Stunned him, and
when the remembrance that another had
been beforehand with him would force it
self upon him and haunt him with per-
sistency that made the outlook very dark
indeed. For Of course he, too, had heard
of Captain Dandy. Mrs. Tyerman,
for one, had taken care that he should not
be in ignorance on that subject.
That the Major eluded that lady in
every possible way l need not say. At the
first sound of that dreaded voice he would
turn and flee. But this was not always
possible. Calm and impassive as the
Major could be, the Rectoress knew well
where the shoe pinched, and pertinacious-
ly insisted whenever they met at social re-
unions, street corners, she cared not
where, upon trying it on.
'The unfortunate part Of it is" she
loudly declared one day under the very
walls Of the deanery, where she had cap
tured her victim coming Out-'1the unfOr-
tunate part OF it is the girl cares for him
still-any one can see it. Oh, she is very
much altered-Yery much. But, as ] was
saying the other day, the man may come
back yet. You military men seem to think
YOU can let girl down and pick her upas
you please"
Mrs. Tyerman came to full stop. The
Majors dark face was quiet and impassiVe
as usual, but there was something in the
keen gray eyes, which Jack had likened to
gmlets, that she had never seen there be-
fore. What was it the owner of the eyes
was saying?
''Say what you choose of-us, Mrs. Tyer-
man, but / must ask you to understand
for the future ] utterly decline to hear you
discuss Miss Wharton or her affairs"
The Major raised his hat and was gone.
Mrs. Tyerman stood looking after him,
almost doubling her own identity. This
was worse than Mrs. DOrman.
And the victorious MajOri The Rector
ess might have taken comfort to herself
could she have heard him, as he strobe bar
backward, repeating her lately uttered
words: ''She cares for him still; the man
may come back yet"
1t was already growing late, but he re-
peated them to himself a good many
times before the day was done. They
haunted his dreams, they were on his lips
the first thing When he awoke the next
morning.
1t was not the custom for the troops at
Postleton to attend the cathedral, though
a red coat or two, with its accompaniment
Of gold lace, was generally to be espied
cleaning here and there at morning SER
vice. One of the stray red-ceats on the
Sunday following Mrs. Tyerman's rebuff
was the Major himself but he, as you NAV
suppose, was often TO be found there. This
morning service had already begun when
ne entered. The Deans family were long
since in their places, and the Deans
James, who was wont to find a seat with
them, had to content himself with a mod
est place among the crowd Of general
worshipers, from whence, however. he
could catch glimpses of the face for w hich
he hungered, and which, l fear, was, on
this particular morning at least, all that
he had gone there for.
Jacks fresh young voice rang out from
his place in the choir; the Dean himself
preached the sermon, but neither Jacks
fresh young voice, nor the Deans silVery
tones, reached him. For James Browne
just now there was only one voice in all
the world, and he was telling himself, alas
that it would have been better for him,
perhaps, if he had neven heard it.
But other eyes were upon the Deans
daughter this morning and upon the Major,
too. The Rector of st. Swithin's was
breathing freely in his own pulpit. He
was in disgrace, and his very much the
be tter half was prOclaiming it aloud, as
was her wont, in furs and rustling winter
garments, to the best families in Pos
Teton.
Service over, choir and clergy were
filing from their places, then Mrs. Tyer-
man, scarcely waiting for the last sur
pllce to futter and disappear, elbowed her
way out with a nod here and there, reach
ing the great west-door just in time to lay
OBTAINING hand upon a s0ldierly figure
leaving it.
Captain Danby!" she said.
When the Deans daughter, one of the
last to leave, came out some three of four
minutes later, she came straight upon the
two still standing there.
Poor Agatha! She saw at once who
Mrs. Tyerman's companion was. A flush
came to her cheek, little throb to her
heart, but that was all. Then she put out
her hand.
GLOW do you do?" she said, quietly, so
quietly that the Captain, who was looking
Tor something quite ditferent-surprlse,
pleasure, agitation-lost some Of his own
GOODNESS ana began q hurried inquiry af-
ter all at the deanery.
Frank and the Major were not far be-
hind. AS the three-Agatha, Mrs. Tyer-
man, and Captain Danby-turned down
the path between the leatless elms, these
two appeared at the big door.
GOOD graci0us!" cried Frank, coming
to stand-still at sight of the retreating
figures, and Jack, who had just come up,
made face of disgust.
1t was not much either to say or do, but
the Major had seen enough. He needed
to ask no questions; he knew at once
what had happened. Mrs. Tyerman's
words had fulfilled themselves and "the
man had come back" For a. moment or
two he was conscious of nothing else; then
Franks voice recalled him.
'EShe will never ask HIM in, Jack"
shy Georgew cried Jack, with saw
age jump, ''but she has, thought oh,
como along, Major, and let's turn him
out.'
The deanery door, through which the
three had disappeared, stood Hospitality
open still, but the Major shook his head.