Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1892-08-04
4 Soldiers S6Cr6t
By Captain CHARLES KING, U. S. A.
copyright, 1892, by J. b. Lippincott company,
and published by special arrangement with
them.l
CHAPTER V.

szElzsa
NJ. l gss
IsTTE IzNAs
My N
- selfg xl1Nf l. V NJ
tssssza
4 tall form passed across the illumtncd
space as Beaayoll drcl0 near.
It's Mr.. Thomas Hughes who asks in
"Tom Brown at Oxford, " Which is the
true-aye, and the brave-man, he who
trembles before woman or he before
whom woman trembles?' There are
men who could have found it no difficult
matter to fatty decline to serve even as
temporary escort to a woman SO evi-
IDENTIFY bent ON mischief-who could
have rebulked then and there the as
sumption Of intimacy and proprietorship
which if unchallenged might mean dis
aster. Brewster did neither She read
him well enough to see that, though he
was too indignant to permit himself to
speak, he was also too much of a gentle
man to snub her. Bravely therefore she
bore her part, keeping up an animated
flow of meaningless words until fairly
outo the hoproom, then promptly shift
ing to that feminine coigne of vantage
wherein lies wonan's greatest strength
Ia gush of silent tears. She knew too
much to add reproaches, accusations,
angry words; that would have given
him something to answer, something to
overthrow. 1t is only when woman
weeps, silently, desolately, showing no
anger, making no charge, that she has
man at her mercy. Utterly false as was
the position in which she had placed
Brewster before the garrison world at
this moment, he actually did not know
but that he might be blamable for all
that he might be much less sinned
against than SHINING. He was no fool,
only so much Of one as the strongest Of
his kind sometimes become IN the hands
of the softer sex. Samson had his De
lilah; Hercules. Omphale; Belisaritls,
poor devil, had both Antonia and Theo-
dora.
1t was bad enough to have l,sr shrink
10 the opposite side of the carriage the
instant he had assisted her in and there
give way to apparently uncomfortable
weeping; it was bad enough to have to
stand there for moment or two until
the lady's long suffering spouse should
be hunted up Che had been having a
cigar with one or two Of the elders in
the sanctity Of the little smoking room;
but what made matters simply intoler-
able was that just at the foot of the
stairs, under the broad gallery, just
where the lantern on the big pillar
would shine full upon himself and his
lachrymose partner, stood Major Berrien
in earnest conversation with Captain
Rolfe, and both looked up, glanced
quickly but searchingly at him and at
her, raising their forage caps in silent
salutation, and turned away. Poor
Curlyl AS in duty bound, he leaned
into the carriage, not too ardently beg
ging the weeping dame to say what had
so distressed her. but She would not re-
ply
Possibly she thought he might yet be
induced to Chamber in after her, and
there in the dark interior tenderly be
seech her to speak; but lie was all eager
ness to hasten back to the hoproom.
If he could but have speech with Mrs.
Berrien a moment, he might make her
understand the situation; she had al
ways been cordial and sympathetic.
But it was three or four minutes, per-
haps. before Knowles came, thanked
him for his attention to his wife.
stepped il, and-how her tears were
explained to her hege lord nobody
knows. Somebody who knew her, how
ever, was mean enough to suggest that
they were Of the theatrical and control
liable order, and, as Randolph expressed
it, 'she braced up and grinned as soon
as Curly was left behind
The instant the carriage rolled away
Brewster turned and sped up the stairs.
At the very top he met the colonel com
ing hastily down. a brown telegraph en-
velope in his hand, thXe)ldier operator,
with look Of rcpress5a excitement on
his face, close at his heels.
Come with me. Brewster" said Far
quhar, in preoccupicd but positive man
ner. Morgan, find the adjutant and
quartermaster, and say that | wish to
see them at the Office
'I'll get my cap and follow You at
once, sir, answered Brewster, and has
tened into the dressing room. There he
met Hazlett and Thorpe just coming
out, throwing their cavalry capes over
their shoulders. silent and preoccupied
like their chief. Selling his cap, Brew
ster paused one longing instant for a
glance into the hoproom. Again the
floor was throngcd. TO the merriest Of
usic-"Toujours Gallant the young
er dancers were fairly ronping in the
half galop, half polka step the joyous
tune inspires, and in their midst. not
romping, but dancing with a slower, al
most languid grace, Winifred Berrien
appeared to his troubled gaze, her slen-
der waist half encircled by Randolph's
arm, her dark eyes downcast, her color
and animation gone.
'sCome, Brewster" called IIazlett
from the doorway, 'Farquhar wants us
at once and does not want anybody else
to know"
Whats up"
You'll know in moment. The
colonel doesn't want it mentioned here. J"
At the foot of the stairs, under the
glare of the same big lamp, Farquhar,
with Berrien and Rolfe, stood waiting.
CHANGING impatiently up, as though to
make sure Of his men, Farquhar took
Berrien by the arm and silently led the
way, Rolfe and Hazlett, Thorpe and
Brewster falling in behind. 1t was but
few steps to the Office.
Pull down the shades, orderly, and
one lamp will be enough. That'll do.
Close the door and remain outside, said
Farquhar, as he threw off his cape, then
silently waited until the sleepy trumpeter
had carried out his orders and vanished.
By this time, too, Warren and Drake,
the adiutant and the quartermaster. had
come bustling in, and, noting the silence
Of those already ON the ground, simply