Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-11-19
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and dismay at the Farrars'. Helen had
speedily been restored to consciousness,
only to be overcome by fit Of hysters
ical weeping, succeeded by nervous att
tack that det3l the efforts OF her fohd.
est friends. Mrs. Farrar had, of course,
sent for the doctor, but Helen insisted
that his presence was utterly unneces.
sary. She begged to be left alone. She
declared the attack to be no new thing.
She had suffered just in the same way
before, though not for two or three
years. She seemed eager to rid herself
Of all attendants. In truth, her one
longing was to be allowed to think un-
interruptedly. Even at night this might
have been difficult. By day, with sym
pathetic inquirers coming every few
minutes to her door and with her gen.
tie friend sitting at her bedside, she
found it impossible. If she closed her
eyes, that lcering, half drunken, swollen.
triumphant face came to torment and
distract her. If she opened them, it was
only to find sweet, anxious features bend
ing over her, full Of tenderness, sympathy
and unspoken inquiry. Do what she
could to allay it, Helen Daunton saw
plainly that Marjorie Farrar more than
suspected that there was some exciting
cause for that sudden prostration. In
utter helplcssness she lay, striving to
plan, striving to SEQ way out of this
new and most appalling complication.
That the man who had wrecked her life
should return as it were from the grave
was in itself horrible enough, but that
he should rcappcar In the flesh here at
Frayne, where his presence was a men
ace to the peace of so many who were
dear to her and to the very life perhaps
of the gentle invalid who was nearest Of
all, was torment indeed.
For some hours she lay there facing
her fate, shutting out all thought of her
newborn hope and JOY thus summarily
blasted, seeing only, thinking only
of the peril that involved her friend.
Tho short winter day wore on. The
spirits of the younger members OF the
social circle seemed undimmed, for, as
stable call was sounding, she could hear
merry chat and laughter again in the
parlor below stairs. Ellis alone seemed
to share with her mother the anxiety or
uneasiucss which followed the events Of
the morning. She had refused to join
the little party that had gone up, as
they expressed it, "to call on Kitty
She had refused partly from a feeling
of indisposition to any gayety, partly
from sisterly sympathy for Will, who,
she felt we'll assured, longed for an un!
interrupted half hour with his capri
cious ladylove, and partly because she
shrank from appearing in the colonel's
parlor, thereby possibly giving Ormsby
half reason to think she sought him.
Evidently the young people had had
small mercy on Will. Evidently Kitty
had lent herself not unwillingly to the
fun at his expense, for, after biting
savagely at his finger nail and tugglng
furiously at his mustache, the body had
pitched angrily out of the coloncl's
house and come home foy comfort, and
thither had they followed him, two or
three happier couples. and, catching
him in the parlor, all unconscious Of
Mrs. Daunton S seclusion aloft, were as
Ueub Ou CUaAlAS w AotuAAh VAN
them as he, with assumption OF lordly
indifference, was determined to make it
appear that he had no such desire or in
tention. He carried his point too. He
knew we'll enough that Kit completely
in the plot was for the express purpose
Of teasing him. He couldn't afford to
let them see he was indignant ut her or
at them; neither could he afford to let
her see that he was not Justly offended.
And right in the midst Of all the babel
of protest and laughter the doorbell
rang, and at the head of the stairs, just
as stable call was sounding, listening
ears heard the unCtuous, jOvial tones OF
Corporal Rorke inquiring for Captain
Leale.
Then Wills voice responded, and Will
was very distant and dignified. Cap
tain Leale is not here, corporal. Have
you been to his quarters?"
Sure went there furst, sorr, and
they told me he was here if anywhere.
Thin, bedad, he's nowhere,
Hes gone down to the stables al
ready perhaps, said Farrar, "and you'll
find him there Yonder goes the call
now"
81 know, Mast--[ know, sorr, but
the throubles right here, sorr. Higgins
has been took ill OH guard. He was
right out here on No. s, sorr, back OF
the quarters, and that spalpeen Graice
is supernumerary, and they've sint for
him, and the first sergeant's afraid,
sorr. "
"What OFF,
"Graice had been drinkin this morn
in. He's sober enough now, sorr, but
he's nervous, wildlike, excited, tramp
in up and down the barrack flure like
Gagged hyena. SOFT"
''Then tramping up and down the
sentry post will be just the thing for
him. It'll cool him Off Put him on. y
"Very we'll, SORT. Just as the loot'n'
ant says. IN tell the sergeant at once.
Five minutes later the parlor was de;
serted, and all was silence below. Now
at least Helen Daunton could close her
eyes and plan and think. He was to bs
placed ON guard. He would be on post
right out here on the bluff. Then what
was to prevent her slipping out in the
dusk of the evening, when all the others
had gone over to the assembly hall,
speaking with him, pleading with him,
imploring him to go away, anywhere
anywhere where he would not again iIa
CONTINUED ON 4rH PAoE