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

1T was Susy.
CHAPTER II.
When Brant returned to his hotel
there was an augmented respect in the
voice Of the clerk as ne handed him
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.
'.Kla'uns, 1 call it real mean! be-
lieve you just hoped I wouldn't know
you. If you're a bit like your old self
you'll come right off here-this very
night! I've got a 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 triviality-so expressive of her
characteristic irresp onsibility-that 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 Hooker-even
! to himself? And did he conscientious.y
/ believe that Hooker or himself had suf-
/ fered for inconsistency? No! From all
that he had heard she was a, suitable
| helpmeet to the senator, in her social
attractiveness her charming ostenta-
lions. her engaging vanity that dis
armed suspicion, and her lack of re-
sponsibiity even in her partisan hip.
| Nobody ever dared to hold the senator
responsible for her promises, even while
enjoying the fellowship of both, and it
is said that the worthy man singularly
profted by it. Looking upon it mercy
as phase Of Washington society, Brant
resolved to go.
whirled him out of the still sitting
avenues toward the Soldiers Home-a
sylvan suburb freauented 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 firehtes through the
LEAVES, the warm silence broken only
by 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 dissipated 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 a circling BACKGROUND
of the shining crosses and ribbons of
the diplomatic corps stood Susy-her
bare arms and neck glittering with dia-
| monds, her face radiant with chfld!ike
IVivacity. A significant pressure of her
little glove as he made his bow seemed
20 be his only welcome, but a moment
later she caught his arm. You've yet
to know him., she said in a half <vhis-
per; he thinks a good deal of himself
Just like Jim. But he makes others
pelleVe 1t, and there's where poor Jim
lslipped up" She paused before the man
thus characteristically disposed Of and
presented Brant 1t was the man he
had seen before-nlate rial, capable, dog
matte. \ glance from his Ihrewd eyes
accustomed to the weighing of mems
weaknesses and ambitions, and a few
hurried phrases, apparently satisfied
him that Brant was not at the moment
important or available, and the two
lmen moment later drifted easily apart.
Brant sauntered listlessly through the
lcroWded rooms, half remorseIy con-
lscious that he had taken some irrevo-
cable step, and none the less assured nv
1.-THE presence Of two or three reporters
land correspondents, who were logging
his steps, or the glances of two or three
lpretty women whose curiosity had evil
IDENTITY been aroused by the singular at
traction Of this handsome, distinguish
led, but sardonic looking officer Rut
the next moment he was singular!y in.
Iterested. -
A tall young woman had just moved
INTO the centre of the room with an
lndolent yet supple gracefulness. that
seemed familiar to him. A change in
her position suddenly revealed hay
race. 1t was Miss Faulkner. Previ-
ously he had only known her in The
: riding habit of Confederate gray
which she had at first affected o., ~ ~
the light morning muslin dress shf
, had worn at Gray Oaks. II seemed H. ~
him tonight that the careless eIaoa,,ce
of her full dress became her still no. CO.,
that the pretty willfulness of her nhir
, and shoulders was chastened ana MOD
: flied by the pearls round her fai,
, throat. Suddenly their ewes met. l S.aI
! face paled visibly; he fancied thai sbr
almost leaned against her companior
! for support; then she met his glance
again with a face into which the colo
had so suddenly rushed, but with eves
that seemed to be appealing TO hin
: even to the point of pain and fright
Brant was not conceited. He could Sc,
I that the girls agitation was not th,
: in his recognition, but of sometime
) else. He turned hastily away; whe1
s The looked again she was gone.
< Nevertheless he felt filled with E
Vague irritation. Did she think him