News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1893-08-03

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then abruptly turned and plunged into
the darkness.
Meantime Major Kenyon had trudged
up the row toward Holden's quarters.
Already the lights were beginning TO
CLEAN from the various houses around
the big quadrangle of the parade, where
a dozen Of the cavalry officers were now
busily engaged in preparation for the
sudden move. Over at the hospital, too,
the lamps were being lighted in the
stewards room and the dispensary.
Holden's hall door stood wide open. Tho
hall itself was dark, but a lamp was
alight in the sitting room, and that door,
too, was wide open. A tall form passed
across the illumined space as Kenyon
drew near. He stopped for n moment
at the gate, listening 10 the sound Of
hustle, the whistling and singing of the
men at the barracks. Hardship, hun
ger, privation, suffering ahead Of them,
even if they don't have hard fighting"
he muttered to himself. ain thirty-six
hours they'll be freezing, poor devils,
for not a man in the battalion has win
ter kit; and Just hear them laugh and
sing, as though the world had no Joy
like soldieringl God guard them-and
these poor wives and sweethearts here.
Why isn't it my lot to go instead of Ber-
rien's? Who the devil would shed tear
for mey' He shook himself together and
tramped heavily into the gate and up
the steps.
"Docr' he called at the doorway.
"Oh, Door,
No answer. The house was silent.
"Oh, Holdenl Where are your Still
no reply. "Odd," said Kenyon; 81
thought saw him in here. Who could
that have been?" With the confidence
of army intimacy he tramped through
the sitting room on the left of the hall,
then into the dining room beyond. No
one there. Then across the hall again
and into Holden's own sleeping room at
the rear of the house. The kerosene
lamp was burning on the dressing table.
The bed had been occupied. Evidently
Holden had turned in early, only to be
routed out by the orders Of the colonel.
The floor creaked somewhere overhead.
Then he was sure he heard a quick,
light football on the stair. ooh, Doci
Here l am. It's Kenyon" he cried.
But no answer came. Once more re.
turning to the hall, and thence to the
sitting room, he found them empty as
before. The parlor door ON the west
side was closed. Slowly he strolled out
on the front piazza, just in time to catch
sight of a tall form in the dark circular
cape striding mp to the gate. Surely
that was Holden. Then he heard n
hail:
Hello, Rolfe. That your"
"Yes. You go with us, do your
81 do. Won't you come inY'
"Not Just now; I've got TO go 10 my
quarters moment. III be in by and
by. Well have to make n night of IT,"
"All right. Kathleen will get us some
coffee after while. Bring in some of
the others with you" Then the doctor
came bounding up the steps. "Hello,
Kenyon. You here? Well, you were
! right after all, weren't you? I've just
been over TO the hospital TO see TO the
field chests"
Weren't you in here just nowT asked
Kenyon.
II? Mol Not for ten minutes"
and down, both. called twice and got
no answer, but 1 saw n man and heard
the steps. Thought it was you"
"Rolfe, perhaps. He was i'm the road
just beyond our gate as came back, but
thought he had just come from his COM
pany quarters"
''If it had been Rolfe he would have
answered, ! should think" said Ken
yon. Besides, the figure and the foot
steps were those OF a much lighter
man."
"Queerm said Holden, his thoughts in
stantly reverting TO the event of the
week before. Ibid you see himY"
81 saw a figure pass across the light
streaming from the sitting room door.
Then 1 heard the step up stairs while
stood in your room, and then very quick,
light steps on the stairs-some one COM
ing down like a streak, now that think
of it."
''How long ago?"
"Not more than n minute before you
got here"
"By Jove, I'm going to look into thisl"
said Holden quickly. "Of course you've
heard of the excitement we had here.
Bring that candle, will you? III take
the lamp" Up the stairs they went-up
to the landing where Nita Guthrie had
her mysterious fright and fall. The
door of the room she occupied was open.
All was darkness within. Holden, fol-
lowed by Kenyon, entered, and they set
their lights upon a table. The side win
dow was shut and barred, the south win
dows rs firmly closed. Everything
looked neat and undisturbcd, but cold
and deserted. No sign of an intruder
for a moment 10 the eyes Of either man.
Then of n sudden Holden made spring
for the toilet table, seized small silver
frame and stood glaring at it.
"By Jovel look herer'
whats the natter" asked Kenyon.
"Don't you see?" was the answer, as
the doctor held the face Of the frame
toward him, empty and gaping. "Nita
Guthrie's photograph was in this frame
and on that table just before the hop
began when was up here, and where
is it nowY'
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