Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-01-25

rcssucd from hi, quarters on his return to
the ma ior, house. In the mean time he had
searched his desk and summed up his LOSSES,
They amounted to mere tIilc,--a few pos
tage stamps and perhaps 1--WE dollars in cur
rcncy-Whch happened to he lying in the
drawer above his tobacco receptacle.
"Luclv hadn't got my April pay yet ~
thought he. There were some handsome
sleeve buttons and n scarf pin or two IN an
other drawer. but these had not been touch
cd-thc pilfcrcr had been interrupted too
soon. Some letters and notes that were ~
ing in the lower pigeon holes had evidently
been objects of scrutiny. but were still there
so far as he had time to count. He had
left jolly little gathering at the Mlllers'.
and was eager to return he had left them
only at Mrs Mllers urgent request that he
should bring over hi, scrap book, - in
which he had miscellaneous assortment of
photographs of army friends, and army
,ceucs, of autographs, doggelel rhymes and
newspaper clippings, such as Spelling
Tests and "Feats i'll Pronunciation. and
a quantity of others containing varied and
useful information It was great standby
and resource of his and had helped to while
away many an cvenugon the frontier. Now,
Mrs. Miller had been telling Nellie Bayard
about it. and was eager She should see it.
The major. too. and several ladies present.
all united in the request and en- joined upon
him to hurry back As 'Bcdam" lay but
a hundred yard, away there was no reason
why he should not have returned IN five
minutes. but it was fifteen when be reap
pcarcd and was. n, became the only young
man in the room, the immediate centre
OF combined question and inVcctlve.
Nv hat could have kept you 50 long"
''Wherc ON earth have you been - "Wcre
it any body but Mr. Mclean, | wauld say he
han gone down to the club room for adrink' :
etc. Nellie Bayard alone was silent. The
question that occurred to her was finally
asked 10y Mrs. Miller;
"Why Mr.. Mclean, how white you look !
Have you seen n ghost"
''No. =" ne answered, laughing nervousy.
owe seen nothing. 1t is dark as ErcbuS
outside and lrau into something couldn't
see at all--something too tangible for a
ghost.
"Who was il or what was it,
,'That ; what l'mdying tolmow. Iwasout
in the very middle of the parade, and this
something was scurrYing over towards Cor
,lon'S quarters as was coming here. We
ran slap into each other. sang ont
'Huloa Beg pardon. and began hunting
for the book that was knocked out from
under my arm and this figure Just whzzed
right on-nevcr answered at all.
"Odd g. said the major. Some one of
the men. do vou think been over paying a
visit to a sweetheart in some kitchen of the
opposite Quarters>'
swell. no. " answered Mclean, coloring
and hesitating 1T might have been some
sweetheart going over to visit the east side,
IL t,I-i Ia, ,.,ltu O.
wasn't a man,
''Oh That's it. of course" chimel in
Mrs. Brenhan at once The Johnson~
/ have girl--Winnic they call her-Who is
/ pclpetually gaddins about, and Warrant it
wa, She. Come Let us see the scrap
book,
And 20 the party returned go the huenes-
Of the evening and were soon absorbed i'll
! the pages of Mclean , collection He had
many question to answer and kept
from the reat lie longed to take, 10y Nellie
| Bayard's side Where three on foru
women are gathered together over an album
! Of photographs or a scrap book of which h.
is the owner no man need hope to escape fol
50 much as an instant. Net she was watch
ing him and wondering ut what she saw
the effort it cost him to pay attention tC
their simplest question-th" evident dlotrac-
ton that had seized upon him.
BY and bytattoo sounded. The maiol
went out with Mclean to receive the re
ports and when they returned Mr.. Hattol
came, too.
'Where have you been, Mr. HGtton =
asked Mrs Miller "We'Ve been lookin;
for you all tine evening and wouldn't have
bite or Il glass of wine until You cam
in.n
cover at the Gordon,'. They are havin;
a little gathering, too, mostly of the
refugees regular hen convention, | wa
the only man there for over an hour
"Who all We're there inquired th
hostcso-hcr southern birth and her woman,
interest in the goiugs ON of the garrison
manifesting themselves at one and the sam,
time.
"Oh. about a dozen, all told" answcre,
Mr.. Hatton. Mrs. Bruce and Jennie
Mrs. Forrest. Mrs. Post, the Gordon girls
Mrs. Wells and finally Miss Forrest. Tn
little par Tor was packed like "A ration can b,
nine O'Clock and | was glad TO slip away a
first call. "
"A likely statement in view OF the fac
. Jennie Bruce was there.
Fact though - answered Hatton, with
knowing look ON hi, handsome face. He di
not want to say it was because Jennie Bruc
went home at first CALI and that lie escort
ed her.
Mclean would be sure 10 understand tina
point, however thought Mr., Hatton to hin
, self, and to obviate the possibility of his mi
, chieyously suggesting that solution of til
matter it might he well to tip him a wirl
Looking around in search of his chum MI
e IIarton was surprised at the odd and wretcl
ed expression on Mclean'S face. The ia
young subalteln had seated himself at last b
, Nellie Bayurd'S side but instead of devotin
himself to her, rs was to have been eNpec
A ed, he was staring with white face at lla
e ton and drinking in every word.
"Why, what's the matter old man? Nc
> look all struck of a heap ~ exclaimed Ha
ton, in genuine concern.
Mr., Mclean encountered a spook ON h