Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-08-03

addressed Aunt Grace:
 "Pardon me, can I sec Colonel May nard?''
 ''He is at home. Pray come up and take a chair. will let him know. I-I felt sure you must be some friend of his when I saw you in the stage" said the good lady. with manifest and apologetic uneasiness.
 "Yes," " responded the stranger as he quickly ascended the steps and bowed before her, smiling quietly the while. "Let mo introduce myself. I am Cap tain Armitage of the colonels regi- ment.
 "Therel I knew itr' was Aunt Grace's response as, with both hands up- lifted in tragic despair. she gave one horror stricken glance at Alice and rushed into the house.
 There was a moments silence. Then, with burning cheeks, but with grave eyes that looked frankly into his, Alice Renwick arose, came straight up to him and held out her hand.
 Captain Arnitagc, beg your par don. v
 He took the extended hand and gazed earnestly into her face, while kind almost merry-Smile lighted up his own.
 'Have the boys given me such an uncanny reputation as all that?" he asked, and then, as though tickled with tho comicality of tho situation, he be- gan to laugh. What ogres some of us old soldiers do become in the course of years! Do you know, young lady, l might never have suspected what brute I was if it had not been for you? What blessed thing it was the colonel did not tell you I was coming! You would never have given me this true insight into my character.
 But she saw nothing to laugh at and would not laugh. Her lovely face was still burning with blushes and dismay and full of trouble.
 II do not look upon it lightly at all, '" she said. Ut was unparClonable in me to-to''-
 "To take so effective and convincing method of telling a man of his griev- ous sins! Not bit of it. I like q girl who has the courage to stand up for her friends. shall congratulate Jcrrold and Hall both when I get back, lucky fel- lows that they arer' And evidently Cap. tain Armitagc was deriving altogether | too much jolly entertainment from her awkwardncss She rallied and strovc to put an end to it.
 Indeed, Captain Armitagc, l do think the young officers sorcly need | friends and advocates at times. l never would have knowingly spoken to you of your personal responsibilities in the woes of MT. Jcrrold and MT. Hall, but since have done so unwittingly l may as well define my position, especially as you arc so good naturcd with it all. '' And here, it must be admitted, Miss | Rcnwick's beautiful eyes were shyly lifted to his in most telling way. Once there, they looked squarcly into the clear blue depths of his and never | fiinched. "It seemed to mo several times at Sibley that the young officers deserved more consideration and cour- tesy than their captains accorded them. It was not you alone that heard of. '' II am profoundly gratificd to learn that somebody else is n brute" he an swered, trying to look grave, but with l that irreprcsSible mcrrimcnt twitching | at the corners of his mouth and giving sudden gleams of his firm white teeth through the thick mustachc. You art come to us just i'll time, Miss Rcnwick, and if you will let mo come and tel you all my sorrows the next time tho colonel pitches into mo for something wrong ill B company I'll give you full permission to overhaul me for every. thing or anything I say and do to tho youngsters. Is it a bargain:" And h, | hold put his Ijfr firm hand l II think you arc-vcry different from what I heard" was all her answer a. she looked up ill his eyes, twinkling n: they were with fun. "Oh, we arc tc shake hands on it as bargain? Is tha it? Very well, then. "