Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-03-29

an MS nights burning. NO: thas vshtcae,
whatever Il was, had brought somebody
out to see him-somebody who peupoeed
to remain several hours; otherwise the
carriage would not have driven away.
In confirmation of this theory no hard
voices, CHEEKY voices, in laughing talk,
and one of them made him prick up his
cars. lie heard the plano crisply trilling
o response to light, skillful fingers He
longed for peep within, and regretted
that he had dropped Mr.. Hayne from the
list Of his acquaintance. He recognized
Haynes shadow presently thrown BY
the lamp upon the curtained window,
and wished that his visitor would come
similarly into view. He heard the clink
OF glasses and saw the shadow raise .
wine glass to the lips, and Sans Mon
golian shape fitted across the screen.
bearing tray with similar suggestive
objects. What meant this unheard OF
conviviality on the part Of the ascetic,
the hermit, the midnight oil burner, the
scholarly reclusc Of the gariisonf Bux-
ton stared with all his eyes and Listened
with all his ears, starting guilty when
he heard martial footstep coming
quickly up the path, and faced the in
truder rather unsteadily. Il was only
the corporal OF the guard, and he glanced
at his superior, brought his fur gauntlet
ed hand in salute to the rife on his sl,oul-
der and passed on.
The next moment Buxton fairly gaspcd
with amaze; he stared an instant at the
window rs though transflxed, then ran
after tho corporal, called to him in low,
stealthy tone to come back noiselessly,
drew him by the sleeve to the front OF
Haynes quarters, and pointed to tho
parlor window. Two shadows were
there now-one easily recognizable as
that of the young officer in his snugly
der, graceful, feminine.
''What do you make that other shadow
to be, corporal?" he whispered, hoarsely
| and hurriedly. "Lookp And with that
exclamation shadowed arm seemed to
encircle the slender form, the mustached
image to bend low and mingle with the
outlined luxuriance of tress that decked
the others head, and then, together, with
clasping arms, the shadows moved from
view.
"What was tho other, corporalf' he
repeated.
| "Well, sir, should say 1t was q young
woman"
| Buxton could hardly wait until morn
ing to see Rayner. When he passed the
latter's quarters half an hour later oil
was darkness, though, had lie but known
it, Rayner was not asleep. He was at
the house before guard mounting and
had confidential and evidently exciting
talk with tho capta;n. and ybau ba ,Yont
inst ma the tr,,mnets wero sounding
| these words were beart, at tho front door.
.Sbe pever loft until oftor dov,;,ht
when the same RIG drove her bocI to
town There was n STRANGER with her
then.n
That morning both Ravner and Buxton
looked hard at Mr.. Hayne when he came
in to the matinee: but he was inst ma
calm and Quiet as "A Ill living sa.
luted the command w. or 70 * seat
by Can't. Gregg and was soon occupied
in conversation with him. Not n Word
was said by the officer of the day about
the mysterious visitor to the garrison Inc
nreyious night. With Cant. Ravnek.
however he was AGAIN in conversatiA
much of the day, and to him. not to his
successor as officer Of fhe dav. did lfe
communicates all the details of the pro-
vious nioht's adventure and his theories
thereanent
late that nicbt. having occasion To
stem IN his front door convinced that he
heard steaItbv footstens on his niazza
Mr. H,vpa conld 600 nohodv in tho dark
noss Int fourI his front cato onen ia
roIl,eI or1,,nl b;s ,;ttIa Eouso Int not
man was visible Ills heart was full
of new and strange excitement that
night, and, as before, he threw on his
overcoat and furs and took a rapid walk
around the garrison. gazing up into the
starry heavens and drinking in great
draughts of the pure, bracing air. Re-
turning, he came down along the front
of officers row, and as he approached
Rayner's quarters his eyes rested long
ingly upon the window he knew to he
hers now; but all was darkness. AS he
rapidly neared the house, however, he
became aware of two bulky figures at
the gate, and, as he walked briskly past,
recognized the overcoats as those of OFF,
GERS. One man was doubtless Rayner,
the other he could not tell for both, the
instant they recognized his step, seemed
to avert their heads. Once home again,
he soon sought his room and pillow;
but, long before he could sleep, again
and again sweet vision seemed to
come TO him: he could not shut out the
thought of Nellie Travers-of how she
looked and what she said that very after