Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1892-09-01

himself and goes.
Winifred is still standing by the cur
tanned window, half hidden by the pro-
lection Of the chimney and its marble
mantel Very, very lovely She is in her
dinner toilet, simple gown, clinging
in its soft, creamy folds about her slen-
der form, i necklace Of rare pearls. a
beautiful quaint old heirloom, looped
below her fair, rounded throat, its
pendant rising and falling rapidly, un-
evenly now, for her heart is throbbing
hard One moment Brewster hesitates,
casts Il quick glance around, then steps
forward to her side.
Possibly, we can see from this win
dow, Miss Berrien, he says, as lie raises
the shade. And together they disap-
pear into the curtained alcove.
But they eannot see. This window.
like the other, looks upon the roof Of the
portico, and the backs Of their numer-
GUS friends are visible, but not the
street-not the departing soldiery in
whom such interest is felt. It is chilly
here by the cold, CLASSY barrier. A
bright coal fire is blazing in the CRATE.
Both have been warned not to take
cold, yet neither seems to think Of that
fire.
mo, I'm afraid we can't see them
here" says Winifred, namely. "Bus
won't you go and get your cape?'
81 saw them today, and | can see
them again tomorrow"
Tomorrow? Where?" And now the
dark eyes. full of trouble. glance quick
ly up.
Hear those sounds from below The
shrill voice of the colonel: s'Column Of
fours. Break from the right to march
to the left" The Inevitable boom, boom
br-r-oom, boom. boom, Of the drums.
Loud plaudits and cheers from the
crowd. Lively applause from the por-
tico. Low voice are indistinguishable
here at the window. Brewster pulls
down the shade; it may shut out the
noise, thin as it is, and SO long as one
can't see anything, why have it up?
"Where?' she repeats. 81 thought
they went cast, and that We But she
gets no further. The pearl pendant is
rising and falling like storm tossed
shallop. Her slender fingers are nery-
ously twisting and untwisting her filmy
handkerchief. Tramp, tramp. tramp.
echoing the drum beats, the column Of
fours is stridiny away down the ap-
plauding thoroughfare. Then, as the
band clears the left flank of the line and
opens out across the street, joyous.
spirited, ringing, it bursts into martial
song. Where had she heard that intro
duction before? Surely there's some
thing familiar But she has no time to
think Of that now
Il supposed-yon never cared for
detached service" she falters. But
is it your wound"
He shakes his head:
Three months ago | would not have
left the regiment. Now I am better
anywhere away from it.
Oh, Curly, Curly! What fools these
mortals be.' You should have sense
enough to see how utterly the situation
has changed. You ought to know that
something more than gratitude has
prompted all old Berrien's clumsy ef-
forts at cordiality. You ought to see
b. MIS-. Belri4n's unaffected kfndliIless
that the cloud has been dispelled Why
stand in your own light, victim to this
bumptious pride, striving to persuade
yourself that had it not been for the for.
tunes Of war her father would have IN
terposed today as sternly and positively
as ne did before and she-she would
probably have as meekly. tamely sub
mitted as she did that bitter night 81
parting at the gate? Can you never for
give that unresponsive hand, that hall
shrinking, constrained goodby?
He is silent, waiting for her reply
He will not look at her, for her beauty
dazzles, almost drives him wild with
passionate love and longing. lie ha:
worshiped her, adored her as loyal knight
might worship his queen Of love and
beauty. Down in his heart Of hearts hei
image has lived through every instant Of
the fierce campaign and reigns there
now, rebel against it as he may. Hel
silence daunts him. If he lad thought
to pique or trap her into questioning, il
was unworthy Of his love and her. Hei
little hands are clasping now. She la:
started, raised her head, is listening in
tentlv. Absorbed only III her, in hi;
love, in his wrongs, Brewster has lost all
ear for the thrilling, martial music
growing fainter and fainter down the
street, but the look in her sweet face
startles him. The color has fed. The
dark eyes are dilating. One little hand
is uplifted, as if to ward off any other
sound Borne On the night wind the
strains come full and rich upon the ear
No wonder the girl is silenced, stunned
Oh, for the clasping mothers arms now
Oh, for the love, the wordless sympathy
that was hers that cold, gray wintry
morning when the battalion with it;
loved ones strobe buoyantly away down
the winding road at Pawnee! All tht
heart breaking sorrow, all the vague
throbbing, quiyering pain, come back t
her again as now she leans breathless
against the easement listening to The
same sad, sweet, fearful old song:
Love not. love not, ye hapless sons of clayI
One instant only she stands trembling
there, then great sob surges up in hel
throat, and, burying her face in hel
hands, she bursts away, she runs sh(
knows not whittier. Out into the de
serted corridor, along the carpeted aisle
she speeds. Then to her left, wide open
brightly lighted, she spies the elevator
and, with the leap Of hunted hare to it.
form, She springs within No one there
She tries to shut the sliding door, bu
now some one is there Brewster-ant
his one arm is too strong for her two
An instant more and he is with her
blessing the fates that had carried of
the attendant for surreptitious look a
the departing regiment. With quick de
cision Curly pulls the starting rope. anC
when the car has glided softly upward
just half way to the next floor checks it
motion, then springs to her side. Nevei
till that instant had he known the full
misery of crippled and useless arm.
s.Winifred, sweet one, listenl" he cries
seizing slender wrist and striving t,
draw her hand away, as, sobbing, shD
erouches in the corner of the cage, while
his brave young heart is humping will
joy and exultation it never knew be
fore. His blue eyes are aHame Will
love and gladness.
.Listenl Don't cry SO. | must tel
you"
R-r-rr-ring! goes the confounded ele
vator bell She springs to her feet, sti
fling her sobs. conquering her wornanll