Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-06-20


lucky style in which he had spent the
first two years Of his army career. But
in his isolation he had allowed himself
no thought of anything that could for
moment distract him from the stern pur-
pose to which he had devoted every
energy. lie would win back, command,
compel, the respect of his comrades
would bring to confusion those who had
sought to pull him down; and until that
stood accomplished he would know no
other claim. In the exile of the noun
tain station he saw no women but the
wives of his senior officers; and they
merely bowed when they happened to
meet him; some did not even do that
Now at last he had met and yielded to
the first of two conqucrors before whom
even the bravest and the strongest go
down infallibly-Love and Death.
Suddenly, but irresistibly, the sweet
face and thrilling tones of that young
girl had seized and filled his heart, to
the utter exclusion of every other pas
sion; and just in proportion to the empti-
ness and yearning of his life before their
meeting was the intensity of the love and
longing that possessed him now. 1t was
useless to try and analyze the suddenness
and subtilty of its approach; the power
of love had overmastered him. He could
only realize that it was here and he must
obey. Late into the morning hours he
lay there, his brain whirling with its
varied and bewildering emotions. Win
her he must, or the blackness and DESC
lation of the past five years would be as
nothing compared with the misery of
the years to come Woo her he would,
and not without hope, if ever womaus
eyes gave proof of sympathy and trust.
But now at last he realized that the time
had come when for her sa5e--not for his
he must adopt new course. Hitherto
he had scornCd and repealed all Ovcrtures
that were not pretaced by an expression
of belief in his utter innocence in the
past. Hitherto he had chosen to live the
life Of an anchorite, and had abjured the
society of women. Hitherto he had re-
fused the half extended proifers OF COM
radcs who had sought TO continue the in
vestigation Of a chain of circumstances
that, complete, might have proved him a
wrOngcd and detraud"d man.
The missing links were not hC"Ond re-
coyery in skillful hands; but III the shock
and horror which he felt ON realizing
that it was not only possible but certain
that q jury Of his comrade officers could
deem him guilty. of low crime, he hid
his face and turned from all. Now the
time had come to reopen the case. lie
well knew that a rcyuiaion Of feeling had
set in which nothing but his own stub
bOrnuess held in check. lie knew that
he had friends and sympathizer5 among
officers high in rank. He had only a
few days before heard from Mai. Wal
drons lips strong intimation that it
was his duty to come out of his SHELF
and rca,scrt himself. You must re-
member this, Iiayne, said he, ''you had
been only two years in service when tried
by court martial. You were an utter
stranger to every member of that court.
There was nothing but the evidence to 20
upon, and that was all against you. The
court was mal2up of officers from other
regiments, and was at least impartial.
The evidence was almost all from your
own, and was presumably well founded.
You would call no witnesses for defense.
You made your almost defiant statement;
refused counsel; refused advice; and
what could the court do but convict and
sentence: Had l been a member of the
court | would have voted just as was
done by the court; and yet l believe you
now an utterly innocent man"
So, apparently, did the colonel regard
him. So, too, did several Of the officers
of the cavalry. So, too, would most of
the Youngsters of his own regiment if he
would only give them half a chance. In
any event, the score was wiped out now
he could afford to take a wife if a woman
learned TO love him, and what wealth of
tenderness and devotion was he not
ready to lavish on one who would! But
he would offer no one furnished name.
First and foremost he must now stand
up and fight that Calumny-"come out
Of his she'll as Waldron had said, and
give people chance to see what manner
of man he was. God helping him, he
would, and that without delay.