New-York tribune., 1891-12-20

Arbutus berries when they are ripenng from
orange 10 fame-coloT, and anon from 1ame-color
70 glorious crimson, are pretty TO look upon
snd clustering spray Of blossom, leaf and fruit
forms a charming ornament for ladys hair. 80,
a. least, thought Captain Mark Brett though he
Was man not given TO thinking about such things.
Mark Standing in front of an arbutuS tree
IN the wintry twilight. The month was December
Christmas was fast approaching; but the mild
sirs which famed the tree-tops and the luNurance
of the myrtles bays, and other shrubs on every
hand, were suggestive OF a gentle climate Indeed
tie large seaside garden, wherein grew the flow
eTing aTbutus which Captain Belts was pensiVely
contemplating was SO sheltered by the Overhanging
calls which round the southern border oi the
Isle of Wight that all kinds of delicate growth
abOUnded, and fuchSas were seldom out of bloom
even at the bareSt season OF the year.
Mark mad been spending good deal OF time
in this garden of late. His quarters Were hard
by-that is to say, within Tide-and Mrs. Car
1iugtOns lodge gates had opened TO him and closed
behind him oftener than anyone cared TO count
since his battery had been sent to the fort on the
hill, q year before.
Now he stood still and looked around Every
one else had gone within DOORS aud he too. was
going directly. lie engaged 10 dine with the
IsrringtOns, mother and daughter, ana there was
20 be something of dinner-party: but lllS dress
clothes being already laid out III the httle
room over the porch which had become IN man
per his own on these occasions. and he was I-!er
long over his toilet. lie could ahOfd a lew
minutes 10 stand still and think.
There WAS the house-a cosey, ample, comfort
able house. With his eve lie took IN the deep
which had air Of joyous preparation IN the coid,
departing light. There We're the stables-weli
built, commOdous stables. With his ear he noted
the CHEEKY sound OF ringing hOOfS and DUsy NOicee
giving token of brisk prosperity ana abundance
On every side were trim hedge and shavcn turf,
while from the lower gardens cleaning panes
showed where the rOws of greenhouses ana wineries
aad caught the last rays OF the sinking sun
How Jolly, how awtully Jolly IL al iS mur'
mured Mark, 10 hlmSeli ~
Now, when u uan makes q long pause before
he breathes All ejaculation Of this n0ture-When
bc draws wistful, thoughtful slgh-When ne
ESSAYS an uncertain mOvement-casts a tender
glance upward toward lattlced caSement-hhalV
sighs again and again takes in with slow compIe-
heIisve gaze every feature of lis SURROUNDINGS INC
chances are that the all" referred TO is not en-
braced In the prospect visible TO the naRm eye
Cherchez la femme.
In point of fact. Captain Brett's all was at
The identical moment peeping forth from Dehlnd
the aforementioned lattice, watching his antics
AS closely as the waning light permitted her tO 90
f.ld lsid 1hOpght-nO mahesr What 'sho hah
thought, just before drCssine-time. M
What il she had been out with Mark, stroihng
hith,r and thither IN the dusk ? Nobody had OBJ
jected Her mother was Marks best friend.
And the poor old lady wants somebody here
10 look after things most awfully,7 Mark now
proceeded 10 ponder. She IS TOO rch 10 Dc
easy in her mind in this BIC hcuse at mgAts WIN
ior her wouId look after everything. And
! would be as good 10 her rs posSible-tor she Ii
uncOmm0nlr kind 10 m, ana am as fond OI & &net
as can be- We should M II on togethe[d I Fd;.E 1tSS
q.
another pause. " II only people woulc not thlhk
] an after Edith's money h, said, slowly.
He was we'll aware that this was just what
people would think-what many people were IN
deed already thinking. 49,, ..
ar only child. -,
nleasant ways and an active. energetic mlnd.
For some time after she and Mark had become ac-
Quanted, no thought OF the heiress IS poSsDe
sweetheart or wife lad ever entered the soldier
min 10 ba hpnun TrOffing
Hatch once week or so, bcauNe country nelgh-
bors were rare in the part where he was guar,
tered and because he was a sOciaDle man, anu
liked welcome chat and change from the
monotonY of barrack life. thus was III ule
sprngtme al the year. -,
As summer advanced. Mark Brett found the
evenings on the large, shady lawn worth remain
inr for. and the little dainty meal spread within
more 10 his mind than the long, hot. mess dinner
served in the regulation style al an SEASONS ms tho
Then came autumn. and the shortening OF Ine
DAYLIGHT BY that time Mark had begun to look
jealousy at any third person VINO mlght oe d
guest beneath the matched roof, which had pc
come 10 him loadstar, and toward which ms
thoughts were continually straylng, IN whatSo-
ever direction his feet might be turned. ~ @uIe @
guest chanced 20 he young man-and reisllxeh
Of this kind were for ever turning up AT IN me
Tatch-Captain Brett would retire WITHIN NM
self. be taciturn, watchful and uncommuhlcauTIee'
j think Edith liked him hest IN the Sc noous II,
on the other hand, Mrs, CaTTingtOns VISITOR were
some sharp-eyed spinisteT or worldly-wlse mar mar
ried woman. poor Mark who knew wei ehOuSI, o,o.I,
best 10 put such thoughts to rOut lie WO9lu
avoid Edith: pay attention 10 any OF her slrlsn
companions who Glanced to be present ana, IN
short seek 10 escape the opprobrlum OF Delhg
looked upon as a fortune-hunter, at the RISK 81
being branded as @ nlrt
How should straightforward simplicity unoer-
stand such choppings and chanPings? Many
and many time would pair OF wlde-open eyes
Se gazing out upon the sea from Eclths n'tee
chamber when all the house was q, rest unu
asleep. while the owner OF these would be won
dering and MISUNDERSTANDING what had been
meant by this and that-wondering whether,
rom the very beglnnlnG there n IhlI w hSt ~" 20
The csse were this Had this young glrl Deeh met
with under no favourable clrcunlstahces-ilaGH
there been glamour cast over ner Dy @
ings present and prospective, II Is p.esieo nay ~
likely that She never would have attracted Ihe
notice Of a soldier who Tad seen many WoIei'
snd had known they were all peYohu his ~ ie"I ~,
But beholdinQ Edith Darlington from day 10 Gay
Is the chief level of a setting whlch nad LOT MN
oil ineNpressihle allurement Mark leahleI NY W
gIees to value the eve iVT f from lux
ury refinement eeganct: hut gradualIy ns ~, ao,i tI
that she in her own presence sneo liz Jr Nd st
lustre over the very environment w whlch nhu "a a.,
frst enwrsDued her in halo When ne @ @hau
feached that point the rest was easy @ mu ~ ~
IN love. and All that now tro9Dieu nun "'o enc C"o
knowledge that no one--Or harCy any one-
would believe in his being 80. lie hlinscII So 20
well knew how iil-measured were the sc"eS NV
fain would balance. II t,o In
The dusk. outside the swiftly lighting % rows .!
wndows he felt that his time bad come ne nus nus.
do something, make some effort TO hn1 out INV ~"
the land Law at once. within the ncAl Tm mo"is
lie could 90 on no longer as he was uoins. s, ~ ~
yOnng fellow. one OF Edth's innumefapie cosi,,s n
-confound those cousins !-was 70 arrive Ii. IT, y fr
next day. and dozen Others were 10 ioiIo J I'll
fhe Christmas week He must be beforehdiu NM NM
them. Yet how 10 90 strnight 81 the at aclti., .o
question Yea or Nay? "A man ought hIh. W ~
have sort OF idea If he is on tne Hs"' '
or rot nuoth the soldier. 80 himself .,o
Then he looked up and looked again az ,Ie ,t o.
butus tree and happy thought inspirea nis nisdoroa
sWhat in the world Is he doing "onuN