The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-03-13

| woman presented herself before him he wa
equal TO the occasion. lie sprang TO his fee
Snd with a low bow advanced to meet his Wis
| itor, hesitated moment and thon cztendin!
both hands cordially, exclaimed, Is it possible
j see Mrs. Dupont at last? How charmed am
! TO see you. Why did you not come straight t,
my house? Mrs. Carver will feel aggrievcC
that you hesitated a moment"
Katherine was much embarrassed, but sht
replied,
4 CAME MOST UNEXPECTEDLY, AND"
"No matter No matter" he interrupted
/ Come right along now. Where is your lug
! gage2 Aud where is your little boy? BY 1ove
! We've got you at last, and we will not give you
/ up very soon. All the yOuug fellows at the
| post viii he just dying of envy when they sec
me escorting tho prettiest woman in the regi'
| ment!"
Katherine blushed aud looked distressed.
Please listen to me, Colonel, and in des.
perate way she added, Il must make an ex-
panation."
oh, well" said the Colonel, laughing as he
| seated himself again. =" / see you are like the
rest of your sex, determined to have your own
way. What is this important explanation that
cannot wait for dinner, nor for a greeting TO
Mrs Caryer?'
Katherine looked into the face of the kindly
Old man and gathering courage, said, " am no
longer Mrs. Dupont, Colonel"
"Ho! ho! And that is it, 4 wedding jour
ney, eh? Permit me to offer my congratula-
tions."
No" said she sadly, not wedding jour
ney, but very sad one"
Sad Why, how is this? Who is this fell
low who has dared TO steal you away from us,
and now is trying TO break your heart?
She drew herself up proudly and said, Do
not say that. Colonel. lie is only very Ill. l
am Mrs. Roemer"
For an instant Col. Carver sat perfectly still,
absolutely unable TO comprehend this intelli-
gence, and then light seemed to break upon
him, and he sprang up rs if impelled by an
electric, shock. GOOD God . Madam" he said,
DO You mean it? Are you crazy? Mrs. Ser
geant Roemer of this regiment?'
katherine WAS a timid woman, but Mt this
onslaught every particle of pride and dignity
she could command came TO her rescue, and
with the gesture of princess she replied,
The same sir"
"And you have dared. +" he thundered "to
return 10 this regiment where your first hus
band is almost wOrshpcd; where every man
IN his company WAS ready 10 lay down his life
for You, his widow; where you have been my
guest, and where we still looked upon you as a
tenderly- cherished friend, as the wife OF one of
his underlings! Truly, Madam. you have
great courage. / tell you. you shall not stay
here a single dayl Poor Dupont shall not be
y
GET YOU GONE AT ONCE"
During this TRADE Katnerine's hands had
worked convulsively. but she would not break
down before this angry man, and she answered:
came because you sent for me, Colonel"
"'Tis false he replied ~ never sent for
you. To crafty dying soldier wish to
Heaven had let him die without it-l sent for
some common hussy as / supposed whom he
had picked up in the slums of Buffalo. How
wa j tn Init bp Wild of
brave officer. and, as / am told, the mother of
his boy, could so forget yourself?"
The angry flush came TO katherine's face,
aud she said "Would you rather he had
brought such an one here than II"
BY heaven, l would! In that case he
would only have disgraced himself but now he
has dragged You down with him J"
IL is not true" said she, with increasing
anger; lie is the peer OF any man hec and has
not dragged me down, but made better
woman Of me than / ever was before"
Col Carver turned scornfully away. saying:
q have no more 10 say. One Of the lessons
he forgot to teach you is respect for superiors.
Permit me to say that the less you are seen
about this reservation the better for ali con-
cerned."
Ii was a heavy heart Katherine carried from
the post that night. She had expected an un-
pleasant scene, bat the reality far exceeded her
imagination. She felt angry and outraged,
and lOnged to repay some Of the scorn Col.
Carver had heaped upon her head. Then she
recalled his cordial greeting. his fathcrly man
ner at the first! How gladly she would have
laid her head upon his knee and confessed the
whole stoTy-aud now she was separated from
him forever! IL was an outrage. she said over
and over again; but the assertion did not alter
facts: Scrg't ROemer was her husband, aud she
loved him; he was III, and she must aud would
help him, though the whole United States
Army should rise in opposition!
As early the next morning as she thought
the Surgeon would approve she started for the
hospital In her excitement she fancied she
might he turned back from the gate, but no one
seemed 10 notice her, and she passed on The
joy, the love in her husbands face, was enough
10 drive away all memory OF the Coionci's
harshncss. What did IL matter what he or
anyone else might say; the one who was moro
to her than al the world beside was here, aud
nothing but death should part them again
The attending Surgeon was gruf aud short.
but be did not send her away, and she asked
no more. Teuderly
sHE CARED FOR THE INVALID HOUR BY HOUR.
Clasping her hand he slept soundly; admins
tered by her, the nourishment had different
flavor. AHd 90 passed a week. Every day size
came 10 his side; the color came back 10 his
checks and strength 10 the wasted limbs.
Through the Surgeon he preferred a request 10
go into the city for few days; but it was
sharply denied. " Mrs. ROcmer was doing very
well, If no one interfered with her; il was no
time TO ask for favors."
Adolphe was hurt. A short leave was seldom
denied a decent soldier, and ia this case the
Doctor had approved il. Little by little he
drew from Katherine an account Of her inter.
view with the Colonel, and though she s0ftencd
the narrative in many ways. he understood il
ali too well. That he could not keep her near
him be knew; she was liable TO harshuess, if
not insult, and for her sake he must send her
away No human being could know how hun
cry he was for her presence, but IL mattered
nOt-ag soon as he was able 10 join his company
she must 90 home. 1t was hard % persuade
Katherine Of this necessity; she assured him
She would not care what people said, and he
needed her, she knew. But be would not have
IL 50; for his sake she must submit and it was
arranged that so soon as he was able 10 20 on
duty she should return 10 Aunt Patience aud
little Guy.
There was an old fashioned bench under the
shade Of a tree in the rear Of the hospital, and
there Katherine and her husband were accus-
toned TO pass the days of his convalescence. IL
was in q retired part Of the grounds seldom
visited by officers but one day, luck or chance,
or some other malicious sprite. led Col. Carver
ia that direction, and the sight once more
aroused his anger 10 fever heat. Since the
night Katherine had called upon him he had
never mentioned her name, and had done his
best TO forget her. But here they were,
HAPPY ~ SPITE or MS ANGER,
and II was mare than fha irsgcihla officar c,,l5