The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-12-18
the unmistakable sigus?v

the unmistakable sigHS?"
Another change had passed over the
girl, the mischievous sparkle was gone,
and she was gazing dreanily into the
fire. Mrs. Farwen gazed curiously at
her
"You own heart will tell you the un-
mistakable signs when you really care
for anyone" she said, and added after a
moments pause:
1.-THE person You love best can give
you the greatest happiness; but perhaps
surer test is that he can cause you the
greatest pain"
May looked up quickly. Her aunt
was gazing into the fire with slightly
contracted brows and for the moment
seemed to have forgotten she had a
listener.
''That is hard test, aunty. Isn't it
better to keep from loving altogether?''
The elder lady looked up with a smile
that banished the shadow.
SIT isn't always possible to do so if
we would, and no, isn't always best to
do so if we could. If the object is
worthy woman's life is better for the
loving, pain and all. But, my dear, it
is eleven o'clock and if you intend to be
up at five tomorrow morning, want
you to be in bed and asleep in just ten
minutes from now"
May kissed her aunt and taking her
lamp left the room. She mounted the
first step and stopped. 1t was the last
night that she would go up this famil-
lar flight of curying steps to the room
that had grown dear to her from its
many associations, and she stopped on
the first step to think of what to-mor-
row night would be like, when her
three months at the fort would really
be a thing of the past. This was a
style of thinking that she had not al
lowed herself the luxury Of before to-
night; but now 1t seemed to her that
there were a good many things that
needed thinking of, not that it would
do any particular good to think of them
but she meant to come to an under
standing with herself at any rate. She
was naturally of a frank disposition
and averse to concealments of any kind.
She had told herself for weeks past
that she would be glad to Seave this life
and go back to her old peaceful way of
living, but as the time for her depart
urc drew near she had found many ar
gumentS with herself necessary to con-
vince some rebellious, inward sensa-
ton that it was so. She meant to face
this rebellious spirit tonight and come
to an understanding with it. She had a
feeling that she could do so now with
out hurting too much her sensitive self
respect, but in the meantime she could al
low herself to be honestly miserable for
few moments. Standing there on the
lowest step with her lamp in her hand,
it's rays illuminating very woe ebegone,
but pale, sweet face, she made picture
that the one person who saw it did not
SOON forget
Capt. Armstrong had not, as she sup
posed, left the house with the other
visitors, but had been closeted with the
colonel in a room at the further end of
the hall. There had been some writing
to do, and the colonel, sitting Watching
the rapid pen of the younger man, had
fallen soundiy asleep in his chair.
When the writing was finished Ralph
had quietly put away the papers and as
quietly left the room, leaving the
coloners sweet repose to be broken by
his wife.
He had just closed the door and had
the knob still in his hand when May en-
tered the hall; The light of her lamp
did not penetrate as far down the pas
sage as the place where he stood. At
sight of her he had stopped involuntari-
ly, and as she fingered on the stairs he
still hesitated, not wishing to startle
her by sudden appearance.
He saw again a grieved, girlish face,
and again wave of sympathy set his
heart to throbbing responsively. He
longed to go to her and in some way
Danish the pain from her face, but the
weeks that had elapsed since that mooAs
light night when they had walked home
together had raised q barrier between
them which he felt powerless to re-
move. Yet the expression of her face
was SO changed and softened, and the
thought coming to him that in mo-
ment she w99gqlal w9qll pass HIP the status and
out of his life forever, he determined
to speak to her once more. Obeying the
sudden impulse, he opened the door and
closed it again with noise enough to
make his presence known, and ad-
vanced along ths hall he. 70 the foot OF the
May heard the sound of the closing
door and was half way up the. stairs by
the time he reached the foot. She sup
posed, of course, that it was her UNCLE
and hoped that he had not seen her
face She heard she footsteps stop and
felt compelled to stop also and look
down. A proud woman can do won
ders with the expression of her face in
a very. short space of time, and the face
that turned slowly to meet Capt. Arm
strong's gaze had lost its woe -begone-
ness and wore only slightly conscious
look. The conscious look changed to one
OF CONSERVATION and dismay as she saw
who the intruder was. Some subtle in
tuition told her that he had been
watching her, and the pride that had
swarm so sensitive lately to a display
q real feeling was instantly aroused.
-...capt armstrong; / thought you went
| long ago. were the first words Chat
rose TO her lipa in heg surprise, Sbe
Pvt pRe hand betlseen the flame bf fHA
| lamp and her face and from its shadow,y
| retreat could took down into his face
which was brightly illuminated by the
lamp in her hand.
II have been with the colonel and