The Great Falls leader. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1888-1900, 1889-05-30

| tIlslt leu up TO IEe norcii-t!tere was not
post left in the yard-he mounted the
steps and knocked at the door. He wait
ed some time for an answer and then
knocked again.
"Who's there:" said a frightened voice
from within. Herecognized it as Alice's.
ga friend-Arthur Howe"
The bolt was withdrawn and the door
thrown open. There stood Alice Reade,
almost breathless. Worn with excite
ment during day in which she had
dreaded being with her invalid mother
in the midst of Il battle field, and after
wards i'll momentary terror of stragglers,
she had nerved herself to answer the
knock at the door as she would IL sum-
| mons to execution. The reaction at see-
ing a friend, one whose image had never
left her for day, scarcely for an hour,
since she had first seen him. was too
much for her overstrained nerves. She
| grasped at the door for support. Howe
caught her in his arms.
"Alice! child!' lie cXclaimcd; you're
frightened" He couldn't help it, he inn
printed a kiss upon her cold lips.
She did not speak. The sense of rest,
freedom from terror, protection, WAS
like an clysium into which she had sud-
denly awakened from II dreadful dream.
0 that she could lie in those strong arms
forever!
Howe led her, almost carried her, to
tho room where they had spent an even
ing together a year before. Tho carpet
was covered With dirt: tho atmosphere
was laden with stale tobacco smoke; the
room was almost bare of its former sim
pie decorations.
"And you have remembered HE all
this timer he asked, sitting by her.
lie looked into her eyes and knew
what words alone could never llsvc made
him believe. How in one short evening
he could have unconscollsly, uninten-
tionally won a heart, was then and ever
afterwards n mystery to him. All he
knew was that it was his; why, he could
not conceive. And Howe was strongly
drawn tol her. There is something, strange
ly alluiilg iii t!le first consciousness Of
possessing heart; and pre comes quick
in young days. Then Lieut.. Howe was
a gallant fellow. reckless aud prone to
follow every generous i:nrillse.
"-Alice' Sweetheart" lie said, "you
gave me your las:,'t and have not taken
it away: though ini.Ga Il:s,; tssn full Of
forgetfulrcsti and careless seltisl,ness. I
will atone for this. Yon are my love;
my first, my onl;' love- ! will never
have another. We will enjoy peace,
when it comes, together. will take
you with me; am III, u: %c will travel;
we will see foreign countries, we will do
nothing but go about viewing all that is
beautiful in this beautiful world"
80 Arthur, i'!eas,' don't talk SO; You
frigbten m. Peace hasn't come. 1t
may never come for us. She cllng to
him as though some. Invisible demon of
fate were lurking to separate them.
conscious of all s:,ve what l..,! beef, real.
then q lon: T. al. rttys tlslt'hlv real
again; the ll4i1 tl'n!''::,., i,i's u to lie ii
the presence OF all uncu,r.r4uu5 iuuo-
cence, Il pure love. given freely, yet
without hope. He was too young to
reckon what this love which had met
him in the midst Of Il hostile country,
where he had expected only bloodshed.
might bring him. I.c reioiccd in it with
all the ardor OF 1Ii;thinkiny youth.
"And are yoii rciils away again to-
morrow morning. she asked ruefully.
"How can tell, Alice: go where /
am ordered"
ooh, how do wish this war would
end!"
''It will soon be over, This campaign
will end it," he s;,i,!. ras;suTingly.
II fear it will !r'T"r end
Howe did not reply. He seemed sud-
denly to have caught the spirit of her
There is a scene Of only five or six sec
onds duration, which when it stalks into !
the chamber of Arthur llnwe's memory
other recoIlections See before it as from
a srecter. 1t is the s,!i. cyc11t of his life,
it existence would be pleasure
to him: with it there is Il scar upon his
heart that mars the spiritual beauty of
his world.
lie had drawn ALICE to him to say
good night" Her cheek rested against
his, and they We're Whispering again and
again their partinss. The night was STILL
the negroes were al! qAint in the under
story; the mother was sleeping in an adj
joining chani,se.: s!&'..er!y the pair
heard the SQUAD Of horses !loofs Then
! voice directly H'.f!pr the window:
'Ta1e the cri..er. I'll join you at the
:ross ru@lt." 1ln tr.,..l Of rctreating
aoofs tod love til. his Horse Yves gone.
Then a hca''y st''}' IN Tic perch. Alice
:luil! T.. her lo,el H. t,ltov. J
"Thc door! the '.,,or..'' she whispered,
7hite as ashes. ''!t'% rnholted.'
The step was il. the hall. A gaunt
gure dressed in '''n1ttcrnut," sombrero
at, all empty holster hanging from the
'aist, stood in the chamber door. The
omer lost no tjue IN bringing the
[eapon he carried in his hand to cover
lieut.. Howe.
Throw up Your hands, you - Yam
ee!'
Howe had kept his stat, but at the