The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1896-12-03
SID beta months pay if I ever bet

q cent in the world" he muttered to
himself, ''that old Fenton's nephew had
no thought whatever of hunting when
he came here in midwinter. The ques-
ton is, What else has brought him be-
sides what I have already learned, and
why does he haunt Farrar from morn
ing till night?"
AT the window the fair, girlish face
frightened an instant at sight of the
coming soldier, then clouded as quickly
as the civilian came in REV. "Mr.
Ormsby againp' murmured Ellis below
her breath, and the bow of recognition
which she gave him in answer to the
quick uplifting of his sealskin cap lack
ed all of the warmth and interest that
beamed in Ormsby's face at sight Of her.
Seeing Leale, the colonel stressed on to
join him on the northward porch.
Catching sight of Ellis, the civilian fell
back, entered the gateway and came
briskly to the door. An instant later
and his step was heard in the hallway.
Ellis turned to the window in some
thing not unlike aversion. The mother
it was who rose eagerly to welcome the
coming guest.
prompt as ever, Mr.. Ormsby," she
cried as he enteNd the parlor, fresh and
rosy from the keen air. 81 wish you
might teach my husband to be more
punctual at luncheon.
Indeed 1 feared I was OBTAINING
him, Mrs. Farrar. He's merely stopped
one moment to speak with Captain
Leale. He was showing me over the
barracks. You have no idea how vivid
~ interesting all this is to me. have
shouldered the musket with the Seventh
for eight years and have never visited
an army post before"
ooh, didn't you see your uncle when
he was at Riley? He used to write to
my husband of you time and again and
of your pride in your regiment.
"No, he was in New York on recruit
ing service then, few years ago, you
remember, and we used to get him up
to the armory or to our camp occasion
ally"
"And he was very, very kind to my
poor boy. my Royle," said Mrs. Farrar
wistfully, searching the face of her
guest, "and when you came to US with
letters from our old friend, for we had
known him before our marriage" she
continued, faint color rising to her
cheek, sit seemed almost like welcom-
ing him. There was nothing too good
for Major Fenton that our home afford
ed after all he tried to do, at least for
him. The sigh with which she spoke
seemed to we'll up from the depths of
the mothers heart. Ellis, with light
footsteps, had left the room to greet her
father on the piazza without, and for
the first time since his coming, three
days previous, just in time to be hem
med in and held at Frayne by the great
snowfall, Mrs. Farrar was alone with
her guest. "There is something I have
longed to ask you, Mr.. Ormsby," she
went on, something must ask you,
for a mothers intuition is keen, and
feel sure you have seen or known my
poor boy in the past. Have you heard
do you know anything of him now?"
''Mrs. Farrar, give you my word
have not the fajntest idea of his where
abouts.
Forgive me if I am intrusive, i'm
Fortunate, she persisted. "But-Major
Fenton-he was Major Fenton then,
you know, and think of him with the
title he bore when he was SO good-so
friendly-when my unhappy boy most
needed friends. You were with your
uncle often then. Did you not meet
did you not know my Royle?"
Ormsby's honest eyes betrayed the
deep embarrassment under which he
labored, and she, watching every sign
with painful intensity, read the truth,
despite his faltering reply.
"Once or twice, Mrs. Farrar, but ]
knew him only very slightly"
''Tell me still more, Mr.. Ormsby.
You have been most considerable to me.
You have sought to spare me, but in
my husbands sad face and distracted
manner I have read the'truth. He has
heard news-worse news of Royle-and
SO you have been the bearer. Is it not
so?''
But Ormsby pulled himself together,
this time at least like a man, and
braved her.
81 assure you it is not SO, Mrs. Far
rar. From me at least the colonel has
heard nothing new-nothing worse ]
beg you to dismiss the thought.
But he did not say that he had come
prepared to tell, aye, instructed to tell,
of browning disgrace-come with the
written proposition Of his employers to
relinquish pursuit of Royle Farrar pro-
vided the father would make good the
sum they had lost through the son s
forgery.
"God bless you, Mr.. Ormsby, for the
load you have lifted from my heart, -
she cried. Ever since you came have
dreaded more and more each day that
you were the bearer of evil tidings of
him who has almost broken his father
heart and yet cannot, must not, shall
not be beyond redemption if a mother s
love and prayers are of any avail. Even
Ellis has seemed to share my dread. I
have read it in her manner, as perhaps
you have too. She did not mean to be
unkind inhOsnitah1e tn our o,,oct br, +