The Irish standard., 1896-05-02

t1ty OF thai 70lunn-hke areVelatlon, ana
the still nymph-l g arlsterity which
chung to this strange, chlldless woman.
He even fancied that she breathed again
the subtle characteris perfume OF
the lace embroideries, the delicate en-
wrappings in her chamber at Robes.
Perhaps 1t was the intensity Of his gaze
perhaps it was the magnetism Of his
presence but her lips parted with 9
half sigh, half moan. Her head, all
though tho eyes were still closed.
turned on the pillow instinctively
towards him. He rose from his knees.
Her eyes opened slowly. AS the first
glare Of. wonderment cleared from
them, they met ahim--in the old antag-
onism Of spirit! 8 Yet her first gesture
was feminine patheticmovementwith
both hands, to arrange her struggling
hair. 1t brought her white fingers,
cleaned of their Disgusting stains, as
q sudden revelation to her of what had
happened; she instantly slipped them
back under the coverlet again. Brant
did not speak, but with folded arms
stood gazing upon her. And it was
her voice that first broke the silence.
"You have recognized me! Well. I
suppose you know all = she said with .
weak half defiance. ess -, -
He bowed his head, He felt as yet he
could not trust his voice and envied her
her own.
II may sit up, mAyn't II" She man
aged by sheer force of will to struggle
to a sitting posture. Then as the cover
let slipped from the bare shoulders. she
said. as she drew it with q shiver OF
disgust around her again; II forgot
that you strip women-you northern
soldiers. But forgot also" she added,
with a sarcastic smile, that you are
likewise my husband-and this is your
room" 49, ~ .,aiu@
The contemptuous significance of her
speech dispelled the last lingering rem
:ant of Brant's dream. In voice as
drv a. her own he said: 81 am afraid
YOU will now have to remember ouly
that am northern general and you
southern spy" ~.y,. s..
$50 be it," she said, gravely. Then,
impulsively, ''but ! have not spied on
you" :,
Yet the next moment she bit her lips
al if the expression had unwittingly es-
capped her; and with a-reckless shrug Of
her shoulders she lay back on her pill
low. a. mr. 49, ~.
1T matters not said Brant, coldly.
"You have used this house, and those
within it to forward your designs. It
is not your fault that you found moth
ing in the dispatch box you opened.
She stared at him quickly; then
shrugged her shoulder again. II might
have known she was false to me-" she
said bitterly, land that you would whee-
die her soul away as you have others.
Well-she betrayed me! For WHAT"
A flush passed over Brant's face. But
with an effort he contained himself.
at was the flower that betrayed you!
The flower whose red dust fell in the
boz when you opened it on the desk
BY the window in youder room. The
flower that stood in the window as q
signal. The flower myself removed
and so spoiled the miserable plot your
friends had concocted."
A look of mingled terror and awe
came into her face. "You changed the
signal," she repeated, dazedly; then in
q lower voice: "'That accounts for it
ALL" But the next moment she turned
again fiercely upon him: "And You
mean to tell me that she didn't help
you--that she didn't sell me-your wife
to YOU for-for what was it?--a look
"a kiss?"
"I mean to say that she did not know
the signal was changed and that she
herself restored it to it's place. tits no
fault of hers nor of yours that am not
now a prisoner"
She passed her thin hand dazedly
across her forehead. II see" she mutt
tered. Then again bursting out pas
sionately, she said: "Fool! you never
would have been touched! Do you
think that Lee would have gone for you
with higher game in your division
commander? No! Those supports were
a feint to draw him to your " assistance
while our main column broke his CEN
ter. Yes, you maystare at me, Clarence
Brant. You are q good lawyer they say
dashing fighter, too. lnever thought
YOU a coward, even in your irresolu-
ton, but you are fighting. with men
drilled in the art of war and strategy
when you were, a boy outcast on the
plains.'' She stopped, closed her eyes,
and then added YEARLY: but that " as
yesterday-to-da y, who knows? All may
be changed. The supports may still at
tack you. That was why + stopped to
write you that note an hour ago-when
l believed should be leaving here for
ever. Yes! did It'll" she went on, with
half-wearied. half-dogged determine
tion. "You may as well know all. I had
arranged to fly, your pickets were to
be drawn by friends of mine, who were
waiting for me beyond the lines. Well!
fingered when saw you arrive
fingered to write you that note. And
I was too late!" NJ
But Rrant had been watching her
varying expression, her Eindling eye,
her strangs masculine grasp of military
knowledge. herr soldierly phraseology,
all so new to cher, that he scarcely
needed the femin me ending Of her
speech. It seemed to him no longer the
Diana of his youthful fancy, but some
PaIlas Athene who now looked up at
him from the pillow. He had never be-
fore fully believed in her unselfish de-
votion to the cause. until now, when it
seemed to have almost sunsexed her. In
lis widest comprehensive of her he had