The times., 1894-11-02

shaving tho long strip of sandy, wooded
point that ju.,ed far ont INTO the lake.
broad raft OF timber, pushed by a hard
working, black funneled stern wheeler,
was slowly forging its way to the out
let of the lake, its shadowy edge sprin-
kled here and there with little sparks of
lurid red--tho pilot lights that gave
warning Of its slow and silent coming.
Far down along the southern shore,
under that black bluff line, close to the
silver water edge, a glowing meteor
seemed whirling through the night, and
the low, distant rumble told of the At
lantic express laundering on its jour-
ney. Here, along with him OH the level
plateau, were other roomy cottages,
some dark, some still sending forth q
guiding ray, while long lines of white
washed fence cleaned ghostly in the
moonlight and were finally lost in the
shadow of the great bluff that abruptly
shut in the entire point and plateau and
shut out all further sight of lake or
land in that direction. Far beneath he
could hear the soft plash upon the sandy
shore Of the little wavelets that came
sweeping in the wake of the raftboat
and spending their tiny strength upon
the strand; far down ON the hotel point
he could still hear the soft melody of
the waltz. He remembered how the
band used to play that same air and
wondered why it was he used to like it.
1t Jared him now.
Presently the distant crack of whip
and the low rumble of wheels were
heard, the omnibus coming back from
the station with passengers from the
night train. He was in no mood to see
any one. He turned away and walked
northward along the edge of the bench,
toward the deep shadow of the great
shoulder of the bluff, and presently he
came to long fight of wooden stairs,
leading from the plateau down to the
hotel and here he stopped and seated
himself awhile. He did not want to go
home yet. He wanted to be by himself
to think and brood over his trouble
He saw the omnibus go round the bend
and roll up to tho hotel doorway with
its load of pleasure seekers and heard
the joyous welcome with which some of
their number were received by waiting
friends, but life had little Of joy to him
this night. He longed to go away, any
where, anywhere, could he only leave
this haunting misery behind He was so
proud of his regiment He had been so
happy in bringing home to it his accom-
plished and gracious wife. He had been
so joyous in planning for the lovely
A WOO To l,ox ..1
cesses, the girlish triumphs, the garri-
son gayeties, of which she was to be the
queen, and now, so very, very soon, all
had turned to ashes and desolation She
was so beautiful, so sweet, winning,
graceful. Oh, God! could it be that one
so gifted could possibly be so base? He
rose in nervous misery and clinched his
hands high in air, then sat down again
with hiding, hopeless face rocking to
and fro as sways a man in mortal pain.
1t was long before he rallied, and again
he wearily arose. Most of the lights were
gone. Silence had settled down upon the
sleeping point. He was chilled with
the night air and the dew and stiff and
heavy as he tried to walk.
Down at the foot Of the stairs he
could see the night watchman making
his rounds. He did not want to explain
matters and talk with him. He would
go around. There was steep pathway
down into the ravine that gave into the
lake just beyond his sisters cottage,
and this he sought and followed. NOV
Ing slowly and painfully, but finally
reaching the grassy level Of the path
way that connected the cottages with
the wood road up tho bluff. Trees and
shrubbery We're thick on both sides, and
the path was shaded. He turned to his
right and came down until once more
he was i'll sight Of the white walls of the
hotel standing out there on the point,
until close at hand he could see the light
of his own cottage glimmering like
faithful beacon through the trees, and
then he stopped short.
A tall, slender fgure-a man in dark,
snug fitting clothing-was creeping
stealthily up to the cottage window.
The colonel held his breath. His
heart thumped violently. He waited
watched. He saw the dark figure reach
the blinds. He saw them slowly, softly
turned, and the faint light cleaning
from within. He saw the figure peer
''G in between the Stats, and then
Nnn@lNM,