San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-11-16

troop. Gorham, the captain, had been
away on leave for some weeks, during
which time the lieutenant had had COM
mand, and, soldier that he was, had done
his utmost to improve the drill and eff
ficiency of his men. 1t was about the
only troop that did not come in for a
rasping of some kind at the hands of the
colonel that afternoon, and being in
Berrien's battalion reflected credit of
course upon the major. Brewster's eyes
had kindleG and he had lowered his sa-
Der in glad acknowledgment of the brief
words of commentator that fell from
Farquhar's lips as he completed his rigid
inspection of the equipment of the CLOS
sy blacks, and the major had supple
mented the words by nod and glance
that spoke volumes. But while all this
was joy to his soul, it was as nothing
as compared with being praised by her
father in her hearing. At that precise
moment Carroll Brewster stood the hap
piest man within the limits of crowded
county.
And now at ten o'clock the hoproom
was we'll filed. A number of pleasant
people had "riven out from town. All
the garrison girls were there, most of
the elders among the mammas, all the
juniors among the matrons, and the
dance wea:5 merrily on. Delightful mr.
sic the orchestra of the Twelfth was
ever ready to play, and this night their
leader seemed inspired. The affair was
entirely informal. No written invita-
tons had been sent out. Officers were
all in undress uniform, but. with few
exceptions, all were there, and the broad
stripes of scarlet or yellow or white
were to be seen everywhere throughout
the room. Mrs. Berrien, a smile of
motherly pride in her handsome dark
eyes, was chatting pleasantly with the
wife of local magnate, who could not
say enough about Winifred's grace and
beauty, and the gaze of both women
seemed to follow the child as she ap-
peared literally to float over the smooth
ly polished floor, just lightly borne on
Brewster's stalwart arm. 1t was one of
the Oldest and sweetest of the Strauss
waltzes that was being played at the
moment, "Geschichten aus dem Wien
erwald," and slowly reversing and
turning, with the eyes of more than
half the spectators and wall flow
ers upon them, Brewster and Winifred
were now gliding across the upper end
of the hall within few feet of the
smiling row of lockers on, almost with
- oe+ he,
wore look no woman could for an in
slant mistake. His eyes, full of pas
sionate tenderness, were fixed at the in
slant upon her lovely face. His lips
were moving. Something was being
said.
"There is one couple at least that is
utterly lost to the rest of the world"
said Mrs. Vance, for of sudden the
lovely upturned face was bowed almost
upon his arm, and the deep, dark eyes
were yelled, and the soft flush seemed to
leap through the creamy skin. to her
very temples.
"Oh, has that fellow Ridgeway no
sense whatever" she continued, with all
a woman's horror of an interrupted love
scene, for at the instant Ridgeway had
darted forth, watch in hand, with a tri-
umphant shout: thine! My halfr
And without a word, with one swift
upward glance into Brewster's longing
eyes-a glance fairly trimming over
with meaning-Winifred released her.
self from the half encircling arm and
placed her hand ON Ridgeway's sleeve.
Another moment and she was being
whirled away under the guidance of a
very different partner.
miss Berrien's fam" said Brewster,
bowling a moment later before her
mother. 81 was charged to place it in
your hands" His heart was beating
high. The music seemed thrilling,
throbbing- through his veins. He longed
to hold forth both hands and say: "Read
my secret. Know my heart! l love her!
oh, l love herr But there sat Mrs. Van
Ness, the bankers wife, with broad SYM
pathy and approval glowing in her good
natured face.
"Ah, Mr.. Brewster, it wasn't easy to
give up half that dance-was it, now?
Why do you do such things in the
army?"
"There were only four waltzes, Mrs.
Van Ness" smiled Mrs. Berrien. "Mr.
Brewster had had one and had claimed
this, and Mr.. Ridgeway had had none at
all, and Winifred and both thought he
ought not to be denied entirely. 1t is
the only round dance he knows"
Saying no word, Brewster had dropped
behind Mrs. Berrien's chair.
''He doesn't know that any too WELL"
said Mrs. Van Ness to herself. "Where
could he have learned to dancer" The
floor was crowded at the moment and
unusually slippery, so that reversing or