The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1897-01-14
partner, indicated to him that at last
he was at liberty to lead her to the

partner, indicated to him that at last
he was at liberty to lead her to the
dance.
And now, smiling, joyous and once
more thrilling with mischievous de-
light as she bore her sulky prize across
the room, Kitty came suddenly upon
the major, standing incoming and preoc-
cupied, gazing apparently at the por-
trait of Colonel Farrar, yet, as was
equally apparent to the little knot of
laughing lockers on, seeing it not at all.
Kitty was on the point of accosting and
bringing him to himself; but, with eager
whisper and gesticulations, Amory, Mar
tin and others called her to them.
''Don't wake him. they murmured
ssDo let Aunt Lou have that comfort.
See, she's coming to him now" And,
as what Kitty most wanted at that mo-
ment was au opportunity to restore her
interrupted dominion over her angered
lover, and as he was blind and deaf to
anything but the consideration Of his
own grievances, personal and official,
Wayne was left to become the central
object of interest, while Kitty drew her
deposed officer of the guard to distant
corner.
Wayne was a study. That he was
struggling to recall some important
matter was evident to all who had long
known him, and for the time being he
was lost to all consciousness of sur
rounding sights and sounds and had
foated off into that dreamland Of rem
iniscence in which only he was thorough
~ at home. One or two of the ladies
who were at the moment resting from
the dance stood leaning on the arms of
their attendant cavaliers and watching
with them the result of Lucretia's tim
id yet determined approach. Almost
tiptoeing, as though afraid that her
noiseless football might rudely awaken
him, she was stealing to his side, and
presently they saw her lay her hand up
on his arm and peer trustingly up into
his face. Thinking only Of him and for
him, she, too, then, was almost uncon-
scious Of any observation, kindly and
good natured though it was.
Unwilling to interrupt too suddenly
| the current of his meditations, she hest
tated before speaking. Then, half tim
idly, she suggested, "You like the pic
ture, MAORI"
Slowly his gaze came down from the
flag draped portrait, and through his
eyeglasses Wayne benignantly regarded
her. Finally his wandering wits return
ed, and he aroused himself to faltering
answer to her repeated question. eft
makes him look too old, he said. 81
can't bear anything that looks old. dom
you know Then, dimly conscious Of
something he might have put in far
happier form, he quickly strove to re-
call his words. 'tI-I don't mean wo-
men, of course-I like old women. You
know liked you 20 years ago.
"You left me to guess it, then," MUIR
INJURED she, vaguely grateful for even
this admission and DESTROYS of encourag
| ing avowals even thus late and luke
warm.
Eyes" he went on, you know, it
seems to me-wasn't it that last night
we danced together at Jefferson bar
racks! That was every day Of 20 years
ago.
"Ah, well,'' answered Lucretia, ''you
know it is SO very difficult to reckon
from, because that was the goth of Feb
ruary, and that coming only once i'll
four years, you
'Ha!" Wayne laughingly interrupt
ed and then suddenly Tell back again
into his old incoming way. and yet,
you know, there was something want
ed to ask you that night, and was so
coDfoundedly absentminded"
ooh, very" said she, 'for you men
toned that there was something you
wanted to ask me, and I've been wonder
ing what it could be for 20 years. y
do yon know" said he delightedly.
$50 have I, SO have l." And here he
leaned beamingly over her, and his eye
glasses fell off and dangled at the end
of their cord. lit was only tonight" he
went ON, sit came to me that it was
something connected with this ring
my class ring, you know. It'n odd
can't think what it was. Why, your
hand is tremblingr' Coyly she appraised
it to meet the coming ring, and then
again he faltered.
II remember, 1 was holding the ring
just like this when somebody called to
me that I'd better hurry
Eyes," she said breathlessly. I'm
deed you'd better hurry But he was
still wandering in the past.
''It seems to me-oh, they'd sounded
officers call, and that meant the devil
to pay somewhere, don't you know. -
But Lucretia was whiting now, despond-
ent again, for still he went on: ''You
know, fancied until the very next day
that I'd left the ring here" And, suit
ing the action to the word, he slipped it
on her finger. "And yet the very next
day, when | was Oh scout, I found-I
found it here And with that he again
replaced it on his own finger. Lucretia' s
face was sight to see. There was an
instant of silence, and then, failing to
note the expression Of her face. looking
INTO the dim recesses OF the past, he
again wandered off,
''Of course I might have known
| rou1dn,t have loft IT IN vour finoay