Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-04-28

pllttWs
"Now, be easy" said Private Spicer,
who was cleaning his gun by the bed
SIDE. "You're all right, my boy. Where
are youl" Why in the captains tent,
to be sure, and that's pretty good quar-
ters for the rank and file, l should
think"
"The captains tent1 How came l
herel"
"That's Just what can't tell you
You'll have to ask himself, l guess. You
amt any relation to Captain Keene, be
you7"
"Keene -KeeneI" repeated the man.
Because" pursued SPicer, "lt you'd
been his own brother born, he couldn't
have taken better care of you. His
cousin, maybe"
"Nol God forgive me, no." faltered
the wounded man with Il low, bitter
grOau.
"Here he is now," said Spicer, the
familiar accents of his voice falling to
more respectfully modulated tone as he
rose and saluted his officer. "He's all
right, captain-as clear headed as
bell!"
"very we'll, spicer; you caa CO.
The private obeyed with alacrty.
When they wele alone together in the
tent, Wallace Keene came to the low
bedside.
80 you're all right, MI. Harney'" he
asked kindly.
"Captain Keene, murmured Harney'
shrinking from the soothing tone as If
it had been a dagger's point, 81 have
no right to expect this treatment at
your hands"
ooh, never mind" said the young
man lightly. "Wbat eau 1 do to make
YOU more comtortablel"
Harney was silent, but his eyes were
full of the tears he fain would drive
back-tears of remorseful shame-and
he turned his flushed face away lest the
man he had once 50 grossly insultei
should see them fall.
~-Th, next day he again alluded to the
home subject.
"Captain Keeue, you asked me yes
terday what you could do fox met"
eyes"
''I want you to obtain leave for May
to come aud nurse me when | am trans
ferred to the hospital"
Captain Keene turned toward the sick
man a face white aud hard as marble
and said in a strangely altered voice;
"Do you mean your sister,
"My sister-yes."
"Ot course, if you wish it, 1 eau ob-
tain permission, Harney. But"
"Weni"
Keene's cheek colOred, aud he bit his
lip.
81 should not suppose she would be
willing to leave her husband for the
very uncertain comforts OF hospital life"
Harney smiled, looking into his COM
panion's face with keen, sesrching eyes.
"May is not married, Captain Keenc.
She has no such appendage as a hus.
bandl"
"Not marriedw
81 know what you thought. She was
engaged and almost married. We had
nearly induced her to become Lisle
spencer's wife, but she refused on the
very eve of the wedding day"
Keene had risen aud was pacing up
and down the narrow limits oil the tent
with feverish haste.
"Because," went on Harney, "she
loved a certain young volunteer who left
s. about two years ago too we'll ever
10 become any other mans wife"
"Harney-you do not mean to say"
81 do, though, old fellow, aud, what
is more, mean to say that since I've
been lying in this tent my eyes have
been pretty thoroughly opened to my
own absurd folly aOd impertinence."
Captain Keene wruug his companions
hand and hurried away, to mistake the
bootiack for the inkstaud and to com.
NIT several other no less inexcusable ab-
surdities.
az see you'll get nothing written to-
day," sighed Harvey as he lay watching
Wallace Keene tear up sheet after sheet
Of condemned note paper.
sT shall, though" smiled Wallace.
"only cant tell exactly which end Of
my letter to begin at. ."
Captain Keene did write-and il he
inserted little foreign matter into the
spistle it didn't matter, for Harney, con.
siderate fellow, never asked to see it.
Marion came, aud when her brother
was promoted into the convalescent ward,
and she went home again, it was only to
lose herself in bowers of orange bios
soms, forests Of white satin ribbon and