The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-01-13
CHAPTER II.

When Brant returned to his hotel
there was an augmented respect in the
voice OF the clerk as he handed him a
note with the remark that it had been
left by Senator Boompointer' coachman.
He had no difficulty in recognizing
Susy's peculiar Brobdignagian school,
girl hand.
''Klauns. I call it real meant I be-
lieve you just hoped I wouldn't know
you If you're bit like your old self
you'll come right off here-this very
night! I've got big party on-but we
can talk somewhere between the acts.
Haven't I growed! Tell me! And my'
what a gloomy swell the young briga-
der is! The carriage will come for you
so you have no excuse"
The effect of this simple note upon
Brant was strangely out of proportion
to its triviality. But then it was Susy's
very triYiality-so expressive of her
characteristic sponsibility-tha had
always affected him ait such moments
Again, as at Robes, he felt it react
against his own ethics. Was she not
right in her delightful materialism?
Was she not happier than if she had
been consistently true to Mrs. Peyton,
to the convent, TO the episode of her
| theatrical career, TO Jim H0Oker-eVen
/ to himself? And did he conscientious!y
believe that Hooker or himself had suf-
1 fered for inconsistency? No! From all
that he had heard she was a, suitable
helpmeet to the senator, in her social
attrac tiveness, her charming ostenta-
tionS, her engaging vanity that dis
armed suspicion, and her lack of re-
sponsibiity even in her partisan Ship
Nobody ever dared to hold the senator
responsible for her promises, even while
enjoying the fellowship of both, and il
is said that the worthy man singularly
iprofited by it. Looking upon it mercy
as a phase of Washington society, Brant
resolved to go.
whirled him out of the still sitting
lavenues toward the Soldiers Home-a
sylvan suburb freQuented by cabinet
ministers and the President-where the
good senator had "decreed' like Kubla
Kahn, ''a stately pleasure dome" 10 en-
! terrain his friends and partisans, As
they approached the house the tremb-
ling light like frefites through the
leaves, the warm silence broken only
by a military band Playing a drowsy
waltz on the veranda, and the heavy
odNrS Of jessamine in the air, thrilled
Brant with a, sense of shame as he
thought of his old comrades in the field
| But this was presently dissiplted by
the uniforms that met him in the hall
with the presence of some of his dis
! tinguished superiOrs. At the head OF
the stairs. with circling BACKGROUND
OF the shining crosses and ribbons OF
| the diplomatic corps stood SuSy-bel
bare arms and neck glittering with dia-
monds, her face radiant with child1ike
VlVacity, A significant pressure Of he1
little glove as he made his bow seemed
| 20 be his only welcome, but a moment
later she caught his arm. you've vet
to know him. she said in a half xYhis.
per; he thinks d good deal Of himseIt
Just like Jim. But he makes other:
believe 1T, and there's where Door jim
lslipped up" She paused before the mar
thus Enthusiastically disposed Of anG
presented Branit. 1t was the man he
had seen before-nla terial. capable. dog.
matte. A glance from his 4hrewd eve.
accustomed to the Weighing of men:
weaknesses and ambitions, and a few
hurried phrases, apparently satisfied
MN that Brant was not at the non1en
important or available, and the wv,
linen moment later drifted easily apart
Brant sauntered hstlessly through tn,
lcroWded rooms, half remorseIy con
lscious that he had taken some irreyo
4 cable step, and none the less assured n,
the presence of two or three reporter
land correspondents, who We're doggin.
his steps, or the glances of two or thre
Ipretty women whose curiosity had evi
IDENTIFY been aroused by the singular at
traction of this handsome, distinguish
ed, but sardonic looking officer. Blu
the next moment he was singuIar,y in
ItereSted.
A tall young woman had Just move,
INTO the centre of the room with Al
, incident yet supple gracefulness tina
seemed familiar to him. A change il
her position suddenly revealed he
face. 1t was Miss Faulkner. Previ
ousiy he had only known her in III
riding habit of Confederate gray
which she had at first affected. or !,
the light morning muslin dress sh
had worn at Gray Oaks. 1t seemed T
him tonight that the careless eleganc
of her full dress became her still moTs
that the pretty willfulness of her chi
and shoulders was chaStened and MOD
flied by the pearls round her fai
) throat. Suddenly their eyes met. ms
face paled visibly; he fancied that sb
almost leaned against her companio
for support; then she met his glanc
again with a face into which the colo
had so suddenly rushed, but with eve
, that seemed to be appealing to hir
even to the point of pain and frigh.
Brant was not conceited. He could Sc
/ that the girls agitation was not til
I effect of any mere personal inf1uenc
: in his recognition, but of sometfin
} lelse. He turned hastily away; whe
s The looked again she was gone.
Il Nevertheless he felt filled with
Vague irritation. Did she think hil