Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-12-20


MRS. Bolton rcau 1t over several times,
not quite grasping the words, yet CON
scious of the meaning. Her lips felt cold,
and the blood hummed in her head Then
wainwright came and was greeted with
smile even swecter and gayor and happier
than usual. Only twice she seemed a lit
tie absentmlnded and did not answer
question, but she caught herself with
laugh. wainwright thought he had mover
heard her laugh so easily. He asked her
If she had had good news.
every The resurrection of ones youth
full pleasures is always SO sweet-intcnsely
sweet. Don't you think so?"
This time wainwright did not understand
her,
Mrs. Bolton wondered what Strickland
would have thought of her now, if he
could have overheard what this brass but
toned AdOnis was saying to her and what
she was allowing him to say. Yet when
Bolton came in from the cold, snowy,
windy, outside world, his brother at arms
and his wife were languidly discussing tho
outcome of the rifle contest, u topic which
it did not occur to him was slightly thread
bare.
And tho affair went on apace, steadily
developing. Even the men began to won
der what was coming. Strickland arrived
The dag he drove into the post, the mules
of his ambulance drew up painting in
front of the commanding officers beside a
sleighing party about to start off. Strick-
land recognized among the fur wrapped
figures that of Eleanor Bolton. She was
humming Jingle Bells" He wondered
why her lips were so tightly drawn. He
ascribed it to the cold, but it was not be-
coming. They had not been SO of old. OF
old-he shook himself impatiently, that
was what he was going to forget, as that
merry woman in the sleigh evidently had.
Eleanor stopped her song to greet him.
There was nothing more than the ordinary
exchange of Ciyilities, not even covert
glance nor the trGmulous smile of fiction.
Strickland replied to her spoken hope that
she should see him soon that he would
surely call upon her at the earliest possible
moment.
II didn't know you knew Mr.. Strick-
| land, Mrs Bolton. Why didn't you tell
us?" asked the woman in tho seat in front
of her, turning around.
eyes, knew him several years ago, be-
fore 1 was married"
What he likep Will he be an acquisi-
tion?"
ooh, think so. What's he lillo9 Well,
the motto of the Cheyalier Bayard will tell
you that.
Strickland found wainwright with Mrs.
Bolton when he called on the following
day. Bolton was at the troop quarters.
After a time wainwright went away. When
the Navajo blanket portiere had fallen be-
hind him, there was a moments pause
only moment's-a look Of inquiry on
both sides, an understanding and resolve,
then the ball of frivolities rolled on.
After Strickland had gone Eleanor stood
looking out over the snow covered parade
ground, watching the shadows that the
flagstaff and flag threw in the straight,
white rays of the setting sun. First call
for retreat was just sounding She lis
tened to the notes that shriled out across
the white prairie in a wailing, defiant
challenge and followed the trumpeter with
her eyes as he went into the adjutants of
flee, with one of the post ours at his heels.
Then she drummed on the window pane
with her finger tips and tried not to think.
But in the next few weeks she thought
n great deal, for two people, for Strick-
he was back under the spell of years be-
fore-a noxious spell now. There was
only one thing of positive, unassailable
good left to Mrs. Bolton; it was Stricl-
lands respect; only one unshattered ideal,
Strickland himself. Beside these his love
was as nothing to her. She must keep
them at all costs, but to dc that she must
give up his love- and it was very dear. He
had said nothing as yet, but she knew that
he soon would. The one man whom she
had endowed with superhuman strength
was about to show himself weak and be-
cause of her To stop his fall and her own
would cost her much. But she would do
it. Whatever the regiment thought,
Strickland should always believe her to be
a noble woman.
The moment when Eleanor Bolton put
out her slender arm to stop the downfall
of two desperate creatures came sooner
than she had expected. She walked beside
Strickland, keeping step with his regula-
ton stride, for she was tall enough to do
1t with ease. They had been strollinH in
the keen night air. Her hands tore the
lining from her muff, but her voice was
low and even;
81 am sorry you said that, Jack, but I
knew you would. Perhaps it's just as we'll
to have it over with. Oh, Jack, if you only
could know, Il you only knewl You have
been unhappy, you say, but have been
unhappier I've been flirt know it,
but wasn't always So was II didn't
flirt with you, Jack, and you know it, 1
honestly fanoied l was not worthy of you
thought was doing a painful duty. 1
was only II then, remember, and Wor-