The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1890-12-13

silence.
Il am the commanding officer, Mr..
/ Royce" said Buxton. with majestic dig
nity-'at least will be after 12 o'clock:
and you may depend upon it. gentle
men. this thing will not occur while l
am in command without it's receiving
the exact treatment it deserves. Re-
member, now, not word of this to any
! body. You are as much interested as l
am in bringing to justice n man who
will disgrace his uniform and his regi-
ment and insult every lady in the garri-
| son by such an act. This sort of thing
of course will run him out of the service
for good and all. We simply have to be
sure of our ground and make the evil
dence conclusive. Leave that to me the
next time it happens. I repeat. say moth
ing of this to any one"
But Rayner had already told his wife,
Just as Maj. Waldron was driving off
to the station that bright April after
noon, and his carriage was whirling
through the east gate, the driver caught
sight of Lieut.. Hayne running up Prai-
rie avenue, waving his hand and shout
ing to him. He reigned in his spirited
bays with some difficulty, and Hayne
finally caught up with them.
"What is it, Hayne% asked Waldron,
with kindly interest, leaning out of his
carriage.
''They will be back tonight, sir. Here
Is a telegram that has just reached me-"
81 can't tell you how sorry am not
to be here to welcome them; but Mrs.
Waldron will be delighted, and she will
come to call the moment YOU let her
know. Keep them till I get back, if you
possibly can"
SAY, ay, sir. Good-by."
"Good-by, Hayne. God bless you. and
good luck!'
A little later that afternoon Mrs. Ray
ner had occasion to go into her sisters
room. 1t was almost sunset, and Nellie
had been summoned downstairs to see
visitors. Both the ladies were busy with
their packing, Mrs. Rayner, as became
an invalid, experimenting, and Miss
Travers, as became the junior, doing all
the work. It was rather trying to pack
all the trunks and receive visitors of
both sexes at odd hours. Some of her
garrison acquaintance would have been
glad to come and help, but those whom
she would have welcomed were not
agreeable to the lady of the house, and
those the lady of the house would have
chosen were not agreeable to her. The
relations between the sisters were some
what strained and unnatural, and had
been growing more and more so for sew
eral days past. Mrs. Rayner's desk was
already packed away. She wanted to
send note, and bethought her of her sis
ter's portfolio.
Opening it she drew out some paper
and envelopes, and with tho latter came
an envelope sealed and directed. One
glance at its superscription sent the blood
to her check and fire to her eye. Was it
possible? Was it credible? Her pet, her
baby sister, her pride and delight-until
she found her stronger in will--her proud
spirited, truthful Nell was beyond ques-
ton corresponding with Lieut.. Hayne!
Here was a note addressed to him. How
many more might not have been OK
changed! Ruthlessly now she explored |
the desk, searching for something from !!
him, but her scrutiny was vain. Oh, /
what could she say, what could she do, !
TO convey TO her erring sister an aoe-
quate sense of the extent of her displeas- /
ure? How could she bring her to realize
the shame, the guilt, the scandal of her
curse? She, Nellie Travers, the be-
trothcd wife of Steven Van Antwerp,
secretly with this-this
whose past, crime laden as it |
had hpQn WAC q q nNfhino -
the present with its degradation of vice!
All! she had it! What would ever move
her as that could and must?
When the trumpets rang out their sun
set call and the boom of the evening gun !
shook the windows in Fort Warrener and !
Nellie Iravers came running upstairs !
again to her room, she started at the
sight that met her eyes. There stood !
Mrs. Rayncr, like Juno in wrath infiexi-
bic, glaring at her from the commanding
height of which she was so proud. and
pointing in speechlcss indignation at the
little note that lay upon the open port
folio.
For moment neither spoke. Then
Miss Travers, who had turned very
white, but whose blue eyes never flinched
and whose lips were set and whose little
foot was tapping the carpet ominously,
thus began:
kate, | do not recognize your right
to overhaul my desk or supervise my cor
understand this first. Cornelia," said
iirS Rayncr. who hated the baptismal
name us much as did her sister, and used
il only when she desired to be especially
and desperately impressive: II found it
~ accident. Inever dreamed of such a