Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-08-23
CHAPTER VI.

Tho bar-room OF ;he hotel was almost
deserted, for il lacked but five minutes Of
midnight when Colonel Dcnslow entered 1t
and asked for "a small bottle" The SLICK
and suave man behind the bar raised his
Owed eyebrows. You're changln' your
night-cap." lie sald.
The Colonel looked grmly up and
drulnmed with lie flnger-tips on the bar
He was the most sOciable man with SCI
wants in the house, and they liked him,
from chambermaid on the housetOp to
boots in tho basement. wearing always a
smile expectant Of a nod or friendly word
OF the approach Of hIs brisk and dapper
little figure.
Tonight, however, he drank his wine
ard left the bar in silence. Upstairs tho
VIDE. windy corridors were deserted; so
were the piazzas, save by few servants
uojselessly engaged IN stacking the
chars. The Colonel strollcd 70 the
end Of the wing and looked sea
ward; then with guilty. stealth tip
toei down the long fight OF steps,
walked rapidly over the sparse grass IA
tic black shadow of the hotel, and coming
out into tho moonlight made straight for
the beach. Earlier many other and
Younger eyes had been drinking IN the
beauty of tho night; many lips had Deen
h8bbllnr over the "loyely" effect of the
low took no notice of this. The big waves
came crumblng and rumbling 10 the
shore he turned his back upon them III
fine ugly pavilion, lighted cigar, and cast
himself lipon q wooden bench covered
with sand. -, -.
lis imagination would not be held IN
leash. He had come out INT the sweeping
salt air that he might set 10 question
which yexed his soul, but let him drag
=. n
strairutway il clGded the GRASP OF hls WI
and IN much confusion he found himself
thinking of his dead wife and little DICK
and the home that for two years had been
Heaven TO him.
He,nb. hol it was funny. indeed, or the
pOmmery made II seem so. Now, II ms
rirl - savs the Colonel resOlutely 10 hun
selt-and then tho rest goes out IN the
nu1 of smoke and he feels the clasp or
dear warm arms and cannot help out seq
tho baby living IN the cradle laughing at
~, This girl," lie begins again, COM
uressinQ his lips-but. lash. Oh. that
darIinr face and form. Oh, Ruth, the
ali nassion is not dead; had IT
not lived in his dreams for years
He sees her plainly now, in light. loose
Gown. with little Dick in her arms. He
hears her say "Show papa how big oaoy
IS lie is bolt upright now, tho sorriestt
sDactaCle on EARN. hlai III " S0vi III ",
tsars. How big is baby-show papa: y
Good God! thought tho Colonel. II |
could show her how big he Is to-day
"Show papa" He rushed sobhing Ike
child into the moonlight. Nc, dignity, no
eio-ticity in his figure now; how the no.
lei. now Miss Gail would stare to see him
' Some thought Of this may have come to
hnttress him. Perhaps the full sweep OF
the salt air was more potent than cham
nagne- IL is true in either event that after
q lew stumbling steps he Strengthened and
stroJe on towards the line OF cottages,
d;ngv and amorphous masses set IKE vast
TocEs in the moonlight P5haw! ne had
.ctsd like fool. He never said ne would not
,narrv AGAIN; he never said so 10 Dlck. On
H. contrary, he had been considering
marriage as a possibility for the past year
~ two-since that night, IN fact, at Lu-
oa,ne when Gail had talked so frankly
Ia sweetly 10 him about HIS wife. Yes,
he could sse that she had been associa,ea !
with the thought all along; Ana why not Z
Who would be wrongedi Not kutn. She
,vonld understand him, he hurrisdly, Zee,
h,y said. Not Dick. The boy was Old
enough to look out for himself.
Ma had como to halt In mont OF the
psnyith cottage, and looking at II he re,
aalIsd with a shock the scene winch had
s". him 10 thinking and brought him by
s sucb painful retrospect TO his present
sss,ns az mind. There, on the other side
80 the bsy window, they had stood. but
.a,siy hs had been mistaken. After all.