San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-11-30

was ~ marry OapUdIn none, was DIT
ter, brutal, mad enough to strive &c
carry out my vow. Twice had seen
her on that balcony ON the moonlit even.
ings, and determined that the night of
her departure she should see me for the
last time. You know the rest. | shaved
clean, so as to look as much as possible
as | did in the old days, wore nay civil
ian dress and-nearly killed her."
at was a fearful experiment" says
Holden gravely. About the maddest
thing you could have DONE"
II was mad, doctor, when heard she
was to marry him. God knows have
realized it daily, hourly, ever since.
And yet, how could she have seen ME!
She never reached the door,"
Simplest thing in the world. Moth
ing but the old principle in optics-the
angle of incidence and the angle of re-
Election. That mirror over the toilet
table did the job. | saw you in the
moonlight at the balcony window when
you couldn't see me in the dark hall, and
neither of us could have seen the other
Mr.. Guthrie. Mind you, you've got 70
make amends for that hsrebrai.z.i per-
Torrance at Pawnee; so no word of re-
proach to him. He's old and broken"
Three minutes later the clerk has re-
tired, after ushering Holden and his
friend into the private office. The IN
slant the latch has clicked a gray haired,
sorrow stricken man, tears standing in
his fading eyes, hands quivering and
trembling, totters forward and might
have fallen but for the strong arms that
catch and clasp him.
my boys friend! my boys friend
whom | so wronged!' he falters, and
then for awhile there is solemn silence
sis Mr.. Percivals confession complete,
and have you seen it?" asks Ellis gently.
81 have, my boy, at last"
''And it clears me, Mr.. Guthrie?"
utterly and entirely,"'the old man
cries. Il thank my God l was wrong
was wrong?'
One scene more. Pawnee again. The
night train has come from the east.
Holden's carriage is at the station. and
so is Brewster.
"All right?-all arranged?" whispers
the doctor, as he springs from the car
and grasps the lieutenant's hand.
"All right! Kenyon's just left him."
answers Curly, and then busies himself
lifting the merry children from the
step, welcoming Mrs. Holden and care
fully assisting Mia Guthrie to the plat
form.
You happy fellowr' she murmurs.
"How can | congratulate you? It's an
nounced, is it not?" And for a moment
she seems, despite pallor and fatigue,
the old buoyant, radiant Nita.
"Announced?" answers Curly. "My
mother-in-law elect-God bless her
says my face announced it before that
elevator could reach the lower floor"
They drive rapidly up the winding
road, and, though plainly nervous and
excited, the fair guest never loses her
presence of mind. She has something
appreciative to say as they pass each ia
miliar object-the lower gate, where the
lutte; the guardhouse, where the relief
is just forming; the brad west gate; the
brightly lighted barracks across the pa
rade; the group of trumpeters in the
moonlight out under the tall, glistening
flagstaff. ThS1 come the rush of Muir
ply and Kathleen to open the door and
assist them to alight; the rapturous
greeting between the children and their
Hibernian friends; the fragrance of cof-
fee floating in from the kitchen; the
hickory logs swapping and sparkling in
the fireplace; the old familiar rooms;
the swinging lamp in the hall.
welcome to Pawnee once more,
Nita," says Holden, clasping both her
hands. We've had enough of pale
cheeks and dropping spirits. We've
brought you here to recall the roses-to
win you back to joy and health, and to
your own old room, Nita. Now will
you promise not to faint this time, no
matter what spooks you see?"
She is trembling violently. She looks
into his beaming face with eager, ques-
tioning, ilGploring eyes.
Come, DEAR" whispers Mrs. Holden.
"Tm going up with you"
The doctor summons the children into
the dining room to see the lovely flowers
ON the table. Mrs. Holden twines her
arm about her cousins waist, and up the
stair they slowly go. Nita trembles more
and more. They are within few steps
g l,n ln,, tln,r -, l., !
of the open door Nita shrinks closer to
her cousins side. Three steps more and
in the dark chamber there CLEANS that
silvery shield of mirror between the dim
white curtains, rejecting the dazzling
moonlight from without. They reach the
landing and Miss Guthrie pauses, breath
less, unnerved. She can go no farther
L L