News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1893-08-10

ing her TO the STAIRS. I'VE won't be SOne
long. We're all coming back, dear; and
We'll have lovely Christmas, and you
4 shall have the jolliest ki.d of barty,
pet. But be brave little woman now.
it'll all come right" She turned
with quick convulsive sob and threw
herself upon his breast, again twining
her soft arms about his neck, her beau
tiful dark hair streaming in ripping,
shimmering masses down over the
creamy white wrapper. The burst of
tears would have been blessed relief,
but it never came. A quick, soldierly
tread was heard on the plank walk with
out, and then springing up the steps.
Even before the rat-tat-tat at the door
she had torn herself from his arms and
sped like startled fawn upth carpeted
stair.
sit is Mr. Brewster" said Mrs. Ber-
rien, in low tone, quickly. Berrien
threw open the door. Anything for a
pretext to come here again." he NUT
tered angrily to himself, as he confronted
the unwelcome intruder. 1t was Brew
| Ster.
"Major Berrien, the colonel's compli-
ments, and he desires you to know that
the train will be here at four instead of
fve." And Brewster's eyes glanced but
In instant into those of his superior,
and then went wandering longingly over
his shoulder.
81 had already heard it, sir. You
have everything ready?"
81 beg pardon, then, for disturbing
you, major. ! have just left the col
onel, and he thought you might not have
heard. Yes, sir, everything will be
ready, though the rations are not yet
cooked"
''Then be ready to get your horses
aboard the moment T has finished load
ing Anything else, Mr. Brewster?
Poor fellow, there was something else
something that filled heart and soul and
dominated every thought. Gazing
wistfully up the stairs, his sad eyes had
caught one glimpse of that white, fleet
ing form, one glimpse of the lovely
pallid face all framed in dark, falling
tresses, as, clinging to the balustrade,
Winifred turned, unable to resist the
longing to hear what he might have to
say.
Nothing-nothing more, believe,
sir" And, mechanically raising his
hand in salute, poor Curly turned away,
the door promptly closing behind him.
Berrien came back into the parlol
clinching his fists, speechless indigna-
ton in his face Mrs. Berrien saw the
unmistakable signs. and, though in her
cart she felt full of sympathy ~.
brewster, she knew it best to say n0.t,,
ng now.
"If l thought it as you said" he
aoarsely spoke at last, ''if | thought
that fellow had been trifling with Win
ME while all the time carrying on this
- Faugh! it makes me feel as though
could throttle himr' And Berrien
strobe up and down the cozy room,
beating one brawny fist into the palm of
the other hand.
But, Richard dear, why do you think
there has been anything serious between
him and this-this woman? | think she
deliberately assumed that manner at the
hop tonight. | think she called him
Carroll solely for Winifred's benefit
and mine. | saw how astonished and
annoyed he was"
But Berrien held up warning hand
'She came down the stairs weeping and
he striving to soothe her. She was sob
bing aloud when he put her in the car
riage. ROlfe and both saw and heard
Don't tell me there wasn't anything be-
tween them. Very possibly he does
want to make up to Winifred now, but
damn him! he shant. won't have her
degraded by any such offer, if | have to
send her and you to Europe to get her
away from him. 1t is no imagination
Bess; tell you know. Why, only this
morning she sent him a new picture Of
| herself; and as for calling him Carroll
| for our benefit, that's what she calls
him in her letters, and can prove it
"How, Dick?"
"Rolfe saw it-saw it this very morn
ing"
Captain Rolfo! Why. how came he
to see her letter to him.
"Wcn, it was lying open on his desk.
he could not help seeing"
"Why, Dick, cannot understand
Captain ROlfe's looking at OF reading
other peoples letters, aud"--
cit was an accident, l tell yo1t."
'Ah, but it was no accident his tell
ing of it, Dick. Nothing OH earth should
have induced him to refer t. it, if as he
claims, he saw it By accident. did not
suppose Rolfe would do such a thing"
"Well, he couldn't help himself |
dragged it out of him, suppose"
Another step, another rap at the door
and, casting one glance aloft, Berrien,
to his dismay, again caught sight of
Winifred's pale face peering over the
balustrade. The child could not, would
not rest.
"What's wanted" he curtly asked as
he threw open the door.
cit is Sergeant Ellis, sir" said deep
voice. Il have come to beg the major
to intercede for me. My troop goes
with the majors battalion and | begged
to be relieved and allowed to go, but the
quartermaster says | must stay until
| some sergeant can be found who is com
petent to take charge-some one in the
infantry battalion. That may require
two or three days, sir, and | am fearful
that once the command gets away there
will be no obtaining orders to follow it.
Besides, sir, there is my horse"
"YOu belong to the Black troop"
Eyes, sir, and think that if the ma
/ jor would but speak to Major Kenyon
st once he could name sergeant who
would take my place here at the fire.
house. Almost any man can do it, sir
| only there is no time to be lost Major
Kenyon is at the doctors now
"Dr. Holden's?"
"Yes, sir, and Captain Rolfe has just
Joined him there"
"Have you spoken to Lieutenant
Brewster? He commands your troop
as you know. row that the captains
away"
Il have, sir, but it was at the office,
and the quartermaster spoke up at once
so that Lieutenant Brewster could do
nothing"
Berrien turned back into the parlor
"Bess, dear, | must run over to Holden's
a moment. Will you not go up to Wini
fred? She is not lying down at all
Followed by the sergeant, Berrien
entered Holden's gate and gave whack
at the open hall door as he passed in.
Rolfe's voice was the first thing he