The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1894-06-30


over his little favorite.
"Won't you take me in your arms?"
Flossie asked, and at his ready COM
pliance she laid her head against his
breast contentedly.
He meant to see them aboard the
train for Equity, and then leave them,
but Flossie seemed worse, and clung
to him so piteously, because, as she
said: "Mamma's arms were not
strong enough to hold her." that he
felt that he must accompany them to
their destination.
Lieutenant Palmer opening the next
mornings paper, was electrified by
the startling headlines and the SEN
sational article, that chronicled the
elopement of Lieutenant Lyons and
Mrs. Palmer!
1t came upon him like a thunder-
clap. He WINGED under the minute
circumstantial details, the references
to his own domestic life, the opinion
that he and his wife did not t'pull to-
gether" very well, the conjectures re-
garding his absence, since he had
gone off two weeks ago, and left
Lieutenant Lyons in possession of the
field.
Such spicy breakfast salad loses its
flavor for the parties who are served
up for public delectation. To Palmer,
it was maddening. He could not
reason. His mind was in a whirl.
Falsifca ton never occurred to him,
yet how could the thing be possible?
Her last letter, written in her usual
vein, was but two days old.
He had a deep reticent nature,
while his wife was social, and demon
strative. He had unbounded faith in
her, and had granted her large free
dom in her male companionship, with
a fearlessness, that seemed to chal-
lenge his social world to think Ill of
her.
Had he made a mistake? Had he
seemed to sometimes neglect her?
Had she so far forgotten the dignity
of wifehood and motherhood, as to be-
come infatuated with Lyons, who was
so much more social and attractive
than himself?
He took the II o'clock train for
home. Along the route he fancied he
was regarded curiously. He was the
centre of a widening ripple, which
was fast embracing the whole land in
it's circle.
In answer to his rather naughty
questioning, he got ot~information from
the servants, that Mrs. Palmer had
gone away with Flossie very sudden
ly. Their shrugs and significant
glances, humiliated him. He forbore
sensitively to question, except to
make sure at the depot that the pair
had taken the train. for New York to-
gether. He followed them there
He haunted the hotels and the Cen
trail depot. He wondered if he should
not kill Lyons He thought of Flossie
growing up to blush for her mother,
and was glad for the two lying under
the daisies.
BY a curious chance he succeeded in
tracing them to the train for EQUITY.
He found it slow place, behind the
times, and that the party he was in
search of, were at Mrs. TIicksons four
miles from the station.
He hired team and driver Under
cover of a stretch of woodland near
the house, he paid the man, dismissed
him, and walked up to the low-roofed,
rambling, roomy country house, with
doors and windows wide open.
Hestepped over the low, worn front
Threshold into a broad hall. A tableau
met his eyes through an open door on
the right.
Lieutenant Lyons sat by the open
window, with Flossie in his arms.
The mother stood waving fan gently
before the child's flushed face, and
ominously brilliant eyes, her glance
| full of grave and fearful solicitude
Another woman, and a man with the
, air of a doctor, stood near.
Palmer had no time to analvze the
situation. His wife caught sight OF
him, and flew to greet him, with a
kiss. "Did you get my second tele-
g1am?' she questioned. 80, Fred, -
and she burst into tears upon his
shoulder, ''I-I-am afraid Flossie is
going like the others. 1 delayed day
after day to take her away, in spite of
the doctors warning."
Feeling rather unreal and shadowy,
Lieutenant Palmer shook hands with
his brother officer, who transferred
Flossie to his arms.
With their hearts throbbing as one,
the three watched the little life flut-
tering on the borders Of the shadow
land. At the end of twenty four
hours she was given back to their
arms.
In the intervals, it came out, how
the doctor had recommended Equity,
and also the chance meeting on the
train.
"Wouldn't like to sue the entire
press of America for defamation OF
character!'' exclaimed Lyons wrath
fully, when Palmer showed him the
staring headlines.
''Give gossips no chance hereafter tc
say you neglect your wife," Lyons
dared to say, as the two men stood eye
to eye fearlessly, ''your wife is most
true and womanly, but she is fasci,
mating, and men are-susceptible, and
the world is uncharita ble.''
A frank, meaning glance, which