Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-03-14

Even in the excitement attendant upon
their reception al the station neither Mrs
Rayner nor her sister could entirely re-
cover from the surprise and pain which
the strangers singular words had Ciused.
So far from feeling in the least rcbutted.
Mrs. Rayncr well understood from his
manner that not the faintest discourtesv
was Intended. There was not n symptom
of rudencss, not vestige of irritation or
haste in bis tone. Deep embarrassment.
lneXpressihlc sadness even. she read in
the brief glimpse she had of his paling
face. 1t was all a mystery to her and to
the girl seated in silence by her side.
Both followed him with their ewes as he
hurried away to the rear of the car. and
| then, with joyous shouts, three or four
burly, fur enveloped men came bursting
| in the front door, and the two ladies.
the baby. and the kitten were bounced
upon and surrounded by a group that
grew larger every minute, Released
/ finally from the welcoming embrace of
her staIwart husband. Mrs. Rayner found
time to present the other and younger
officers TO her sister. As many as half a
dozen had followed the captain in his
wild rush ui.pn the car, and. while hc
and his baby boy Were rosuming ac-
/ workmanship after a separation of
many long months Miss TraverS fond
! herself the center of a circle of young
officers who had braved the vintrv biz
zard in their cagcrness to d. her proper
| homage. Her checks were atiame with
excitement and pleasure her eyes dane
ing, and despite the fatigue of her long
journey she was looking dangerously
pretty, as Capt. Rayner glanced for
moment from the baby's wondering
eyes, took in the picture like an instan-
taneous photograph, and then looked
again into Mrs. Rayner's smiling face.
"You We're wise in providing against
possibilities as YOU did. Kate. he said,
with q significant nod Of tho head.
"There are as many as a dozen OF them,
or at least there will be when the -th
gets back from the field. Stannard is
out yet with his battalion
ooh, yes; we saw them at n station
east of here. They looked frozen to
death; and there are ever SO many of
the soldiers frozen. The baggage car is
full of them. Didn't you know it,
Not a word of it. We have been
here for three mortal hours waiting at
the station, and any kilograms must
have been sent right out to the fort
The colonel is there, and he would have
all arrangements made. Here, Graham!
Foster, Mrs, Raynor says there are a
lot of frozen cavalrymen forward in the
baggage car. Run ahead and see what
is necessary, will you? III be there in a
minute, as soon rs we've got these ladies
OFF the train
Two of the young gentlemen who had
been lowering around Miss Travcrs took
themselves off without a moments delay.
The others remained to help their senior
officer. Out into the whirling eddieS of
snow, bundling them up in the big,
warm capes Of their regulation over-
coats, the officers half led. half carried
their precious charges, The captain bore
his son and heir; Lieut.. Ross escorted
Mrs. Rayner: two others devoted them
selves exclusively to Miss Travers; a
fourth picked up the Maltese kitten.
Two or three smart, trim looking in
fantry soldiers cleared the section of
bags and bundles of shawls, and the en-
tire party was soon within the doorway
of the waiting room, where red hot
coal stove Slowed force welcome. Here
the ladies were left for moment, while
all the officers again hustled out into the
storm and fought their way against the
northwest gale until they reached the
little crowd gathered about the doorway
of the freight sheds, A stout, short,
burly man in beaver overcoat and cap
pushed through the knot of half numbed
spectators and approached their leader;
1--WE have only two ambulauces, cap
tain-that is all there was at the post
I +when.the dispatoh .came,-and- there are