Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1892-07-21

prairie blast. colonel Farquhar had
suddenly broken off his shooting trip,
and, without saying why, returned to
the post Captain Rolfe had '.cutp the
club, once a favorite resort, and was
much in DR.. Holden's company Holden,
who was lonely enough now that his
wife and little ones were gone. Through
out the garrison there was one leading
topic for conversation and conjecture
Miss Guthries strange adventure the
night of her intended departure and her
equally strange conduct thereafter. She
had remained senseless but few mo
ments.
Gentle hands had raised and borne her
to the bed in the room She was evidently
just about entering when suddenly halt
ed by some mysterious cause. Here,
when restored to Consciousness, an al
most hysterical attack of laughing and
weeping had followed upon her prostra-
ton. Sne insisted on attempting TO rise
and go to the train, as originally planned.
but this Holden positively forbade. He
had succeeded in stanching the flow Of
the blood from jagged cut near the
temple, and could suggest ready theory
as to the cause thereof in falling She
had probably struck the edge Of the lit
tie wooden post at the top Of the balus-
ters-but beyond this explanation there
was absolutely nothing. Nita Guthrie
would only account for her sudden ter
ror by the half nervous, half laughing
statement that she thought she saw a
ghost, had played the coward and turned
to run.
But to the trained physician it was
evident she had received a severe shock
Despite her pleadings Holden had re-
fused to allow her to attempt the jour
ney until three days had elapsed, during
which time, though she laughed at him
and laughed at herself, her condition
continued so nervous and excitable that
he would not permit visitors to see her
This was pretty hard treatment, thought
her many lady friends at the post, but
he was wise and they could only obey
/ When the evening came for the depar
ture large contingent, ladies and Off
GERS both, assembled to say farewell, aud
Nita, Mrs. Holden, each Of the children
and even the nurse could have had two
or three escorts to the train. But no one
had opportunity to say much to the cen.
trail figure Of all this sympathetic inter
est. Only at the last moment did she
appear, and was ushered almost instant
ly to the waiting carriage by Holden
who had only summoned her when vigi
liant eyes had reported the headlight Of
the express visible far up the valley
But then down at the dark platform of
the station faithful, sad faced Rolfe was
waiting, and in the minute or two that
intervened before the huge train came
glaring, kissing and laundering along
side he managed to have . word Or two
with her
Mrs. Vance, had she been present
might have vowed that Nita shrank and
clung to Holdens arm, but others who
We're there saw her extend her gloved
hand cordially. saw that Rolfe clung to
it an instant-charitabl others who
could only wave adien, for the party was
hurried aboard, and away Went tile ex-
press, the tail lights Of the rear sleeper
disappearing in the dripping gloom
around the bend, for, rs though III SYM
pathy with the mourning of the post, a
drizzling rain had begun to fall Just
after retreat. Rolfe. gazing after them
to the last, wore that look seen on the
face of many another man many another
time. There can be few sensations more
dismal than that Of watching the disap-
pearing lights Of the train that bears
away ones best beloved, especially in
the eyes of him who stands rejected.
''Let me drive you home, Rolfe," said
Holden kindly. Two Of a kind" was
his mental addition. And Rolfe turned
slowly away, neither man saying an
other word until once more they stood
at the gate Of the now deserted home.
"Come in and have a pipe"
Thanks, not-now, doctor. A long,
wistful pause, then-"Well, good night. "
Good night, old man. Come when
you will; I'll be lonely now" And the
doctor stood and gazed after him long
and earnestly as the captain strobe into
the darkness out over the parade
Within the days that followed, when
he had leisure to think it all over, Holden
felt his perplexities increase Up to the
very last Nita had persisted in her state
ment that nothing had happened to war
rant the absurd exhibition she had made
Of herself. II was overwrought, nerv-
Gus, unstrung," she said. II had not
been feeling quite we'll had run up
to the room for my gloves, which | had
left upon the table. had not reached
the door, and it was just the waving of
those white curtains in the draft from
the side window. must have thought
saw a ghost, and, like a fool, 1 scream
ed and tripped, and-voila tout.
But Holden had known her for six
years and felt well assured she was not
Of the stuff that is easily stricken with
terror. With every confidence in her
veracity. in general he did not in the
least believe her now. The more he
studied the matter he felt that she was
hiding something from them one and
all, even from Jennie, whom she dearly
loved and whom ordinarily she frankly
trusted. 1t was evident that Jennie,
too, believed, as did her husband, the
doctor, that there was something behind
it all. But Jennie was gone, and, except
possibly Rolfe, there was no one to aid
him III his search after the truth. Rolfe's
heart was now SO shrouded i'll its own
gloom that any phase of tragedy seemed
credible. Rolfe evidently wanted TO
know Holden's suspicious or surmises.
and again and again led up to the sub
ject; but Of all men in the garrison,
much as he esteemed him, Rolfe seemed
hardly the man to make confdant of
now Was he not Nita's avowed though
rejected lovers
OF course, no time had been lost in
making investigation on the night Of
the occurrence. Even while the doctor
and others were raising the unconscious
girl from the floor, half dozen officers
were securing the premises for signs Of
intruders and had found absolutely
nothing. The room occupied by Miss
Guthrie i'll the doctors house was inme-
diately to the left at the head Of the
stairs. The hall was broad, the landing
roomy. 1t was one Of the Oldest sets Of
quarters at the post. and an oddity in
its way Entering the door Of the rear
room on the east. three windows ap-
peared, two opening at the back and
one at the side The two at the back
looked ont over tie roof Of the rear
porch. It was perfectly practicable for