Omaha daily bee., 1897-02-21

was necessary to explain how he came to
be there. What had she said? She said
very little. Had she seemed angry? She
did not seem any too well pleased. And
thus Barney, with industry and persistence
endeavored to draw the truth out OF a re-
luctant man, who appeared only too eager
to get away and commun with himself,
and who evidently did not appreciate the
fact that IL was the duty OF a messenger
to communicate full particulars OF his en-
bassy to his CHIEF.
Now that Marsten had so hurriedly gone
to London-probably loath to admit his diplo-
matte failure. yet fearing to be sent on an
other mission OF the sort-Barney was CON
WINGED there had been some awkward hltch
In the proceedings, which was all tho more
annoying as he could not discover what II
was and so he set about TO remedy II win
that unfailing tact OF which he knew him
self to be possessed. For once In his life
Barney had to confess that he did not know
what TO do. He did not care to return 10
London and admit defeat even to himsell.
One OF his ~favorite boasts was that he never
knew defeat; for where-to use his own
language he could not pull II on him
self. Providence seemed always TO step IN
and give him the necessary aid. He began
to fear that his customary accuracy :. ut,
tectine the interposition had for once failed
him, for he remembered he had looked on
the unexpected advent of Marsten as a dis,
tinct manifestation that fortune stlll taVoreu
him; but, as day after day passed, ana NJ
answer came to the letter he had sent. BAR
new began to have doubts as to the genuine
ness Of the Intervention on this OCCASION
Al last, in deep gloom. he came to the con
clusion that life under the present clrcum-
stances was not worth living, IL IL had 10 ps
lived in Eastbourne without knowing a SOUL
and reluctantly he determined to return TO
| Jondon. He ordered out his tandem for a
final exhibition, remembering that, ever
though he took no plea sure In 1T himself, II
----t A. l--at,va AhA lnttpn nFn N u
| the parade of their usual delight in watching
the elegance of the turnout and his own
| skill in handling a team placed endwise.
After all, the innocent frequent .rs of East
bourne were not to blame for what had nap
pened. SO why should they be punished I'M
! necessarily-said the e~ver-just Barney to him
self. They should be allowed to feast their
ewes for the last time on the tandem and It's
master. and heaven help them when he fnally
departed. Barney mounted his chariot win
a sigh; for, aside from the fact that th's
was in a measure a last act-and last acts
always carry a certain amount OF pathos with
them-it is depressing to have 1t proven that
one is after all under no special protection,
and to have doubt cast on former instances
which heretofore have stood unchallenged'
Barney drove his spirited horses with per-
haps less than his customary dash, a char
tened dignity taking the place OF the eN-
uberant confidence which generally dis
tinguished him. The bracing air, the rapid
motion, the feeling Of controlling destiny
that a man has when he is driving a tan
dem. all failed to raise his spirits, as might
have been expected, for the very fact that
i he was driving alone emphasized MS as
appointment. and made this world the mol
low mockery it som etirles seems to the
most cheerful of us. Ye" how often has IL
been said, in varying for ms, that the dark
est hour is Just before the dawn!-and now
often will men forget that simple nocturnal
fact!-a defect of memory the mole remark
able in a person like Barney, who SO fire.
ouently had had opportunity, while on his
way home from a post-midnight reVel, OF
verifying the phenomenon. Just when MS
despair was at it's blackest-on the fourth
drive down the parade-he was amazed and
delighted to see Edna Sartwell coming down
one of the side streets all alone. She mad
a newspaper in lar hand and was looking
anXiously, and, as Barney could not fail to
See, furtively. up and down the street, APP
parently expecting to meet some one, ye'
fearing that her intention might be OWNED
Barney understood the whole situation IN
n flash: she had been afraid to write or had
been prevented from writing, and mad stolen
alone from the school in the hope OF meet
ing him. Well, they all did it, so far as
Barney was concerned; and, in the glow OF
eXultation that came over him at this proc
Of success, and the assurance that, after
all. his luck-or whatever it was-had no
deserted him, there was just a faint, annoy
ing tinge OF regret that she was no more
proof against his destinations than all The
others had been. Man is but an uncertain
creature at best, and never knows just wha
he does want. A moment before 1t woult
have seemed to him that nothing on eartl
could have given him greater pleasure thai
a sight of her. and yet, now that he saw he
looking for him, he was actually sorry sh'
had not been walking unconcernedly alont