The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1896-09-24
CHAPTER II.

When Brant returned to his hotel
there was an augmented respect in the
voice Of the clerk as he handed him a
note with the remark that il had been
left by Senator Boompointer's coach
man. He had no difficulty in recogniz-
ing Snsy's peculiarly Brobdingnagian
schoolgirl hand.
"Kla'uns, ] call 1t real Ineanl ] be-
Iieve you just hoped wouldn't know
YOU. II you're q bit like your old self
you'll come right off here--this very
night! I've got big party on-but
we can talk somewhere between the
actsl Haven't ] growed Tell me!
And my what q gloomy swell the
young brigadier is! The carriage will
come for you-so you have no excuse"
The effect of this simple note upon
Brsnt was strangely out Of proportion
to its triviality. But then il was Susy's
very triviality-so expressive Of her
characteristic responsibility - that
had always affected him at such mo.
ments, Again, as at tRobles, he feltitre-
act against his own ethics. Was she not
right in her delightful materialism?
Was she not happier than II she had
been consistently trueto Mrs. Peyton, to
the convent, to the episode of her the
atrical career, to Jim Hookcr-even to
himself? And did he econscientiously be-
lieve that Hooker or himself had suf-
fered for her inconsistency? No! From
all that he had heard she was suita-
BILE helpmeet to the senator, in her So
cial attractiveness, her charming osten-
tations, her engaging vanity that dis
armed suspicion. and her lack Of re-
sponsibility even in her partisanship.
Nobody even dared to ho.d the senator
responsible for her promises, even while
enjoying the fellowship Of both, and 1t
is said that the worthy man singularly
profted by it. Looking upon II merely
as a phase Of Washington society, Brant
resolved to go.
The moon was high MS the carriags
whirled him out of the still sitting ave-
nues towards the soldiers home--a syl.
van suburb frequented by cabinet min
listers and the president-where the
good senator had "decrced" like Kubla
Khan, "a stately pleasure dome to Ell
terrain his friends and partisans Al
they approached the house the tIelD'
bling light, like tirehies through the
leaves, the warm silence broken only by
military band playing drowsy waltz
Oh the veranda, and the heavy odors Of
jessamine in the air, thrilled Brant will
sense of shame as he thought of his
old comrades in the field. But this wai
presently dissipated by the uniforms
that met him in the hall, with the pres
ence of some of his distinguished su
periors. At the head Of the stairs, will
circling background of the shining
crosses and ribbons Of the diplomatic
corps, stood Susy--her bare arms ant
neck glittering with diamonds, her fac
radiant with childlike vivacity. A sig
nificant pressure Of her little glove a
he made his bow seemed to be his onl.
welcome, but a moment later sb
caught his arm. "You've yet to know
him." she said, in half whisper; II
thinks good deal Of himself-just lilt
Jim. But he makes others believe Il
and that's where poor Jim slipped up.
She paused before the man thus chal
acteristically disposed Of and presente
Brant. 1t was the man he had seen bt
fore--material, capable, dogmatic.
glance from his shrewd eyes--accu'
toned to the weighing of mems veal
nesses and ambitions, aDdafew hurrie
phrases apparently satisfied him tina
Brant was not at the moment importan
or available, and the two men momen
: later drifted easily apart. Brant saui
> tered listlessly through the crowde
rooms, half renorsefully consciou
!. that he had taken some irrevocabl
step, and none the less assured by th
!, presence Of two or three reporters an
, ,, correspondents who were dogging Ii
! steps or the glances OF two or thrt
! pretty women whose curiosity had ev
IDENTIFY been aroused by the singular !, a.
: s,roction of this handsome ~,