The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-12-18

STANDING WITH HER LAMP IN HER HAND.
her throat made speech difficult and
she felt that she could not trust her
face out of the shadow Of her hand.
She felt an intense anger with herself,
and wild desire to get away before
she made herself ridiculous.
"You have not offended, have moth
ing to forgive, / hope" She hesitated
little. You may come back from your
campaign greater hero than ever.
Good-by.'' -
With a feeling Of miserable failure
she turned and ran up the stairs. As
she turned at the top she glanced down
once more and the expression of his up
turned face arrested her footsteps.
With sudden impulse she leaned over
the banister.
"Good-by, Capt, Armstrong. good -hY!"
she said in q half whisper, catching her
breath with a quick sob at the end.
In an instant the flushed, quivering
face was gone and he was standing
alone in the dim hall.
CHAPTER v.
There were two people at the garri-
son that night whom sleep remoraeless.
ly deserted. May lay ON her bed and
eourted the coy goddess. but without
success. At last, as the first faint
streaks of dawn were appearing in the
east, she arose and wrapping herself in
a shawl sat down by an open window.
Presently began the stir and hustle at
tendant on the departure of the troops.
She could Just distinguish the dim
foEIns as they took their places in line
ready for departure. Then there was
sound of galloping hoofs, and dimly
defined mass moved out across the
prairie and was swallowed up by the
darkness shat lay dense and black at
the foot Of the mountains. She sat at
the window until she heard her aunt
moving in the room below, then rising
she, too, began to dress.
When she descended her aunt stood
at the foot of the stairs with an envel-
ope in her hand and a peculiar look on
her face.
"Good morning, Maybelle," she said;
II was just going up to say good
morning and giys you this letter. which
came at daylight this morning"
May felt tina she knew whom the
letter was from as soon as she saw it
in her aunt's hand; nevertheless, as
she took it and read her own name on
the envelope the blood mounted to her
face in hot flgsh, which did not es-
cape the keen eyes of her aunt, who
was exceedingly puzzled at the turn of
affairs, and exceedingly interested in
what she felt to be romance carried
on under her very eyes without her per
ceiving it until SO late "a hour. She
had the kindness, though, to go on and
leave the girl to read her letter alone.
She tore open the envelope with slow
fingers and found in it note that had
neither beginning nor end.
'sThe world is not SO wide but that
We shall surely mset again, and when
that time comes have much to say to
you, and much to thank you for in that
last good-by."
She read the brief note with mingled
sensations, but the predominating one
was relief. She had tormented herself
with the thought of her impulsive ac-
ton and in the long hours of the
night she had exaggerated it until It
seemed to her that she had made dis
play of her feelings in very school
giElish sort Of . way. This brief note
conveying SO much and asking SO little
was wonderful balm TO her harassed
nerves.
She read it again, feeling the quiet
power of the man that wrote it in every
word, and feeling, too. that he had
taken the matter into his own hands
and meant to bring it to an issue in
spite Of any resistance on her part.
She was glad however, that the issue
was not to be just yet. She wanted a
little more time to think,
CHAPTER VI
Miss Farwell had dressed early for the
ball at the secretary of states, because
her aunt had iasssted on superintending
her toilet before Beginning her own.
This ball was to be one OF the events
Of the season and Mrs Farwell had
been very anxious about her niece's
dress, but she felt supremely satisfied
when May stood before her for inspec-
zion after the finishing touches had
IPeen given. She began her own toilet
lwith the satisfaction Of feeling that she