The Van Buren press., 1895-08-31

And Eleanor, her sweet face alight
was saying softly rs he helped hel
out:
"Lieut Thorne! How did It happen
l thought you were well on your wa,
toward Spain"
Graham heard no more; but he fel
something like resentment mixed will
his wonder that Eleanor could possi
bly,, without his knowledge and con
sent, count among her acquaintance
80 commanding and attractive person
as this unexplained Lieut. Thorne
His mind was SO busy with the prob
lem that at frst he did not hear Mis-
Celia's laughing comment:
"Your little friend seems to have
found dssideratum in brass buttonsP
He shrugged his shoulders with ar
answering laugh that was not wholly
mirthful. They'll hear you," he re
turned. shortly. by way Of warning, fol-
Eleanor and the blue uniform We're but
a step ahead
But Miss Celia was not to be warned
II will console you II l can" she said
gayly. though you have not honored
me with an account OF your little ro
mance;" and then, more softly: II have
only waited for your condolences be-
fere burdening you with my own. You
remember Mr.. Burnap, whom you met
at the house last week? He is the for
tunate man, and he thought an expla.
nation rather due you before now; but
was hardly SO egotistical as to &C.
knowledge the necessity"
She was looking at him squarely,
and it rather amused her that his face
grew white. Another little face, few
PAGES ahead, turned shade paler foi
an instant. too; but In another the
color had come pulsing back to it as
swiftly as had sprung strange, new
emotion to her heart. Was it relief at
the revelation just heard? Then must
relief masquerade in fine scorn to SO
curve mobile lips and to fash with
such contempt from violet eyes!
Lieut.. Thorn saw none of it, nor had
ne heard the mocking laugh behind.
He was conscious Of but one fact in all
the glowing universe, and that fact
walked beside him in modest gray
gown.
ITO think that all mans aspira-
tions, his very life and strength, should
be bound up in little parcel FIVE feet
two." he suddenly exclaimed; and,
though the voice was playful, when
Eleanor looked up there was q strange
nistiness about the kindly eyes.
A sudden glow and warmth suffuse d
her face. How tall and powerful he
looked, towering above her and yet
how kind and good! And she had been
SO blind to it all before, blind because
but she would not think of that
There should be no more blindness,
she decided, though cye-openings were
not always the pleasantest things in the
world. He saw the fare of color on
her rounded cheek and the slight pale
ness that followed.
II have annoyed YOU" he said, land
l promised to be good. But the day.
have been long since you left, and how
am to remember promises or an,
other things, when all my energie
have been used Of late in trying t.
forget? Therel will not spoil you
visit. I'm in mortal terror lest yo,
may be spirited off as mysteriously al
you came" He was laughing light,
now, with the evident desire to set he
at her ease, and he launched swift,
into description of the various provi
Dental happenings that had game,
him his furlough, and of the furthe
good fortune Of his meeting with Mrs
Carter at Cleveland, of her invitation
and his half-indifferent acceptance.
His voice, slow and sweet, and alway
with that undertone of kindly feeling
caused Eleanor to think that, after all
it might not be SO irksome to assum
happiness she had thought she coul'
not feel. In truth, day had just begu
to dawn for Eleanor, though by tn
calendar that event had transpire
some hours before.
1t was really a beautiful day for S
tardy dawning; and Eleanor, feelin
the cordial gladness in her hostess
welcome, smiled the more gladly whe
that astute soul remarked, with Ia
of her fan upon his shoulder:
you, Lieut.. Thorne, are to take Mis-
Field to dinner. My dear. send yo
out with the only lion have capture,
for this happy occasion"
Eleanor laughed gayly. Somehow
Nlo.xar 30 ho ~ lo-nb
I'm afraid of lions," she said, some
whAt shyly. as she took his arm.
"You needn't be-" was his mischie,
Gus reply, "they never eat sweets
He, too, had forgotten that only las
night he had paced the walk in th
white starlight and fancied himself
worn old man, SO tired and lifeless h
had grown. There were threads {
white in his hair, that he knew; bu
to-day he felt boy-like, exuberant.
What a merry dinner it wal
Eleanor never had seemed SO bright
"Girls are funny things!" Tom Chant
Ter thought only last week tina
child was looking the picture of d.
spair; and now she's like sunshine i
self" Hl4 FAlA1 gsF sH
Harlowe Graham was thinking 81
too. The sunshine had not fallen o
him with any very brilliant effec'
The world looked rather gray, indeed
and life good deal Of bore. H
took himself off after dinner, an
walked along the river bank, sullenl
throwing in stones and watching tn
water as it broke into futtering ril
Piles. The reflections thus shivere
and marred were no more disturbe
than his own. One thing he knew
Celia Chichester should never gucs
what chagrin she had caused him. II
would impress it upon her that hi
devoirs to herself were the meres
| Willing away of a weary tedium. an