Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1890-04-27

unhappy. lOu "a! ~" pciN'' INN ."
wronged and injured man, only you
can't prove it, and you have said that
nothing could be too good for him in
this life as a reward for all his bravery
and fortitude under fearful trials. Then
Nellie Travers isn't too good for him,
sweet as she is, and | don't care who
calls me a matchmaker.
But with Mrs Waldron away the two
appeared to have made but hating pro-
greSs towards friendship. With all her
outSpoken pluck at school and at home,
Miss TraverS was strangely i'll at ease
and embarrassed now. Mr.. Hayne was
the first to gain self control and to en-
deavor to bring the conversation back TO
a natural channel. 1t was a struggle;
but he had grown accustomed to strug-
giles. He could not imagine that girl
whom he had met only once or twice
should have for him anything more than
the vaguest and most casual interest.
He well knew by this time how deep
and vehement was the interest she had
aroused in his heart but it would never
do to betray himself so soon. He Stroye
to interest her in reference TO the music
she would hear, and to learn from her
where they were going. This she an
Swered. They were going no further
east than st. Louis or Chicago. They
might 90 south as far as Nashville until
mid-May. As for the summer it would
depend on the captain and his leave OF
absence. 1t was all vague and unset
tied. Mrs Rayner was so wretched
that her husband was convinced that
she ought to leave for the states as soon
as possible. and of course "She" must
90 with her. All the gladness. bright
ness, vivacity he had seen and heard of
rs her marked characteristics seemed
gone: and yet she wanted to speak with
him-wanted to be with him, What
could be wrong? he asked himself. 1t
was not until Mrs. Waldron's footstep
was heard returning that she nerved
herself TO sudden. almost desperate eff
fort. She startled him with her vehe-
mence.
Mr.. Hayne, there is something |
must tell you before go. If no oppor-
tunity occur, I'll write it,
And those were the words that had
been haunting him all the evening, for
they were not again alone, and he had
no chance to ask question. What
could she mean? For years he had been
living life of stern self denial; but long
before his promotion the last penny OF
the obligation, that, justly or otherwise,
had been laid upon his shoulders was
paid with interest. He was man free
and self respecting. strong. reSolute, an d
possessed of an Independence that never
would have been his had his life run on
i'm the same easy, trusting happy-go-
lucky STYLE i'm which he had spent the
first two years of his army career, But
i'm his isolation he had allowed himself
no thought of anything that could for a
moment distract him from the stern pur-
pose to which he had devoted every
energy. He would win back, COM
mand, compel, the respect of his COM
rades- 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 mountain station he saw no women
but the wives of his senior officers: and
they merely bowed when they happen
ed meet him: some did not even do that.
Now at last he had met and yielded to
the first of two conquerorS 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
emptiness and ycarning of his life before
their meeting was the intensity of the
love and longing that possessed him
now. II was useless to try and analyze
the suddcnneSS and Subtilty of its APP
proach: the power of love had oyermaS-
tered him. He could only realize that
il was here and he must obey. Late into
the morning hours ne lay there. ms
brain whirling with its varied and be-
wildering emotions. Win her he must,
or the blackneSS and dcSolation of the
past five wears would be as nothing COM
pared with the misery of the years 10
come. Woo her he would, and not with
ont hope. if ever wOman'S eyes gave
proof of sympathy and trust. But now
nj last he realized that the time had
come when for her Sake-not for his
he must adopt a new course. Hitherto
he had Scorncd and repealed overtureS
that were not prefaced by an expression
of belief i'm his utter innocence in the
past. Hitherto he had chosen to live
the life of an anchOritc, and had abiured
the society of women. Hitherto hehad
refused the half extended prOtferS OF
comrades who had sought to continue
the investigation of chain of circum-
stances that. complete, might have
proved him a wrongcd and defrauded
man.
The missing links were not beyond
recovery i'm Skillful hands; but IN the
shock and horror which he felt on real
ling that it was not only possible but
certain that jury of his eomrade Off
GERS could deem him guilty of low
crime. he hid his face and turned from
Ian. Now the time had come to reopen
the case. He well knew that a revul-
sion of feeling had set in which nothing
but his own StubbOrnncSS held in check.
He knew that he had friends and SYM
nathizcrS among officers high in rank.
lie had only few days before heard
from Mai. Wadron'S lips strong init
nation that il was his duty to come out
of the shell" and rcaSScrt himself. You
must remember this. Mr.. Hayne,' 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 moth
ing but the evidence to 90 upon and
that was all against YOU. The court
was made up of officers Of other regi-
ments. 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 state
mont: refused counsel: refused advice;
and what could the court do but con-
Wet and sentence? Had been a mem
Der of the court | would have voted just
rs was done by the court: and yet be-
IT,. Won no,v an utterly innocent man. -