The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-05-26

iChtiuSu. GNcIJ DulCsl vi CdiHdliOuS anu
each neatly-made button-hole was sold.
And Kitty thought that, considering the
assidious way in which she had worked,
and the now sitting atmosphere of the
room, she would allow herself breath of
fresh air in the garden. A few groups of
dark figures stood on the gravel path
among the little twinkling red and green
lights. The air was soft and COOL the sky
of dark velvetry blue, with pale stars
coming out. Round the little tent where
the supposed gypsy sat some dozen people
were standing and among them Kitty saw
a tall, slight figure dressed in scarlet. One
of the fairy lights Illuminated the three
gold stripes ON his arm. As if owing to
some magnetic influence, the soldier turned
his head sharply round as she advanced,
and once more their eyes met, this time in
a longer glance. The soft languorous air
crept round Kitty, rustling her white
skirts and lifting the curls on her forehead.
She trembled little. The sergeant came
toward her, his scarlet figure standing out
vividly against the dark background of
the wall
$50 you've come back p said Kitty Ma
lone
$50 it seems. Years ago should not
have thought that a sale and sham gypsy
would amuse me but as [ am so soon
leaving England-perhaps for always
one takes different view of things"
He came and stood beside her in the
curious uncertain light. The pale stars
were not bright enough to lift the shadow
off their faces the fairy-ights threw odd
little violet and green reflections upon her
skirt and the red stripes on his trousers.
"Have you had your fortune told?"
''Not !. Nothing good is likely to hap
pen to me were again"
"Why not? You might get commits
sion one of these days and end as gen
eral."
They moved little further into the
shadow.
"Only dreams!" he said "But 1 loathe
talking of myself. Are you interested in
this Egyptian business or in anyone going
out?"
They were almost in darkness now, so
that if. Kitty Malone had blushed the
young sergeant would have been none the
wiser.
"No."
Kitty's thought travelled remorsefully
for one instant beyond her companion, and
her mental vision was confronted by an
eLhinently gentlemanly face poised on an
ungainly neck But although she was
about to make the most prosaic of marri-
ages-to join her lot to that of an entirely
respectable and dull elder son of a rich
peer-she had inherited with her Celtic
blood foolish craving for romance. Any
one as pretty as she was could have had
no lack of lovers, but one and all had fail
ed to bring her the excitement, the passion
ate desires, for which she sometimes long
ed Here, in this dimly-lighted garden
50 duly commonplace at the MONDAY, but
glorfed for an hour or so by the mysteri
Gus stars and the distant sound of music
she felt for once strangely touched and
moved.
''Miss Malone" said the sergeant sud
denly, "you are extremely good to talk to
me. For four-ycs, five years, no lady
has said word to me. [ feel very much
alone sopetimes.'
"Indeed, | can understand that. But
there are other men of your own class in
your battalion with whom you can make
friends?"
eyes, now and then. But l know I
have gone down hill. Not owing to the
company Of the men-no, don't mean
that; they are far better fellows, many of
them, than 1; but if one never sees a
woman of ones own class, one becomes
coarser in tastes and pleasures, harder also
and more cynical. You have done me
good, and thank you, even if We should
never meet again
"But we may meet some day. Any
how, will come and see your ship start.
"Will you?" And he drew a little
nearer to her. "You are very kind to me. "
"How did you know my name?"
II found it out, And have-no, never
mind"
"You must tell me yours in return.
Sergeant Rhodes" He paused a min
ute 'That is the name l shall always be
known by"
They walked slowly round the narrow
garden, the distant music sounding in their
ears-passionate, plaintive, tender. Then
they came to wooden bench under
s.unnted tree For an hour or more these
two sat on, learning so much, and yet, alas
50 little about one another. A church
clock sounded The music stopped sud
denly. From a neighboring garden white
cat leaped over the wall, the r.oon shining
on its fur. The music had ceased, and the
world seemed to have grown sadder and
more silent. Kitty Malone sprang to her
feet
''Oh how late it is What will my
uncle say, and my friends who were to have
taken me home? Goodbye, Sergeant
Rhodes" She held out her little hand.
The moonshine quivered on his pale hand
some face-on the band of his cap and the
scarlet and gold of his uniform. He look
ed at her long with the dark eyes which
had grown graver now and less reckless.
"Will you give me the bunch of forget
me-nots you wear in your dress?"
For moment there flashed across Miss
Kitty's romantic mind memory of the
beautiful American ballad telling of the
lady who flung rose down from her bal
cony as the column of war-worn men march
ed by. She trembled little but she took
out the flowers, and he hid them away in
his breast
When Kitty came back alone, a few
minutes later, the great hall was nearly
deserted. Mrs. Dowse was yawning heavi-
ly over her emptied urns, aud the
O'Shaughnessys had gone home. Miss Ma
lone felt very much ashamed of herself,
but alas more joyous than penitent In
her tremor of excitement she hardly re-
allied yet that she had been behaving in a
foolish, and, to say the least of it, very
unconventional way-in manner which
Lady Celbridge, her future husbands ideal
of all that a lady should be, would have
Stioma ati1ad as tfhad forp,.n che onl,, knou,